Results 1 - 2 of 2
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Lanny, What is your definition of sin? | Rom 6:2 | Reformer Joe | 24266 | ||
I hope you will indulge upon a little more discussion here, since we are getting to the heart of the matter at this point, in my opinion. You wrote: "When "sin" is defined solely based on a person's attitude (which we can never know completely), it is easy for someone to say, "well that may be wrong for you, but it is not wrong for me". Sometimes this is accurate (ie. meat sacrificed to idols), however, most often this is said by a person trying to rationalize actual sin in their life." Actually, I am not defining sin as an "attitude," but as a response to God's revealed will (i.e. the Bible). If one's thought life is contrary to the law of God (a lustful person who does not act on it), he still commits sin, whether he rationalizes it away or not. That's why sin is best defined as any lack of conformity to God's law rather than utilizing any other standard of feelings or human opinion. Jesus said as much in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:18-28 is a good chunk to point out what exactly entails following God's law to the fullest). Following God's law is not either of those two perspectives, but rather a combination of them both. The second perspective ("sin is only wrong action") is indeed legalism -- ALL the time. This was precisely the Pharisees' problem. They saw following God's law as only an outward ritual that must be followed. Jesus called them vipers and whitewashed tombs and hypocrites and clean only on the outside. You yourself said that the best is a combination of both. I agree, but I wouldn't hold it to be a balancing act between the two, but an understanding that sinful acts are the result of a sinful intent. Our Lord Jesus declares this as well: "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." --Luke 6:45 "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." --Mathhew 12:34 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also." --Matthew 23:25-26 Therefore, it is the sanctified heart which produces sanctified works. God is not honored by us praising Him with our lips when our hearts far from Him (Mark 7:6). That is indeed hypocrisy. --Joe! |
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2 | Lanny, What is your definition of sin? | Rom 6:2 | Hank | 24275 | ||
Joe, I do believe that you, with the ready help of some well-chosen Scripture, have led us to the heart of the matter -- that is to say, that sin does indeed originate in the heart of man. Unless the heart is cleansed, no amount of lip service, no outward show of piety, no good works or "holy" acts amount to anything but hypocrisy. Christians would be well advised to disembarrass themselves from the notion that in order to sin they must "do" something -- steal, lie, commit adultery, or kill somebody. The sins of the heart that don't necessarily involve any physical action at all are as grievous as any outward "sins of the flesh." Both originate within. --Hank | ||||||