What is sin?

What is sin?

It's the three letter word that seems to haunt us. But sometimes we wonder... what is sin? Yes, murder is definitely a sin and so is stealing. But is it really wrong to say a little lie? Or to watch this TV show that maybe glorifies the wrong sort of thing?

Sin is anything that is  displeasing or dishonoring to God. Sin is anything apart from God.

I think Paul puts it best....

1 Corinthians 10:23, "“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up."

I think what trips us up most of the time aren't the sins that are obvious, but the ones that are generally accepted, or what we do with the privacy of our own phone or computer.

There are certain things in life that are shown as they are: evil. But more often than not, a lot of things are glorified that are sins as well.

Jesus said that hatred and anger against someone is as bad as murder (Matthew 5:21-22).

Gossiping is sin. Sure, a lot of the time we don't call it that but talking about someone negatively behind their back is gossip.

Lying... no matter how big or small the lie is... is sin.

Oh and please don't think that what you do without anyone else's knowledge stays hidden. Luke 12:2 says, "There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known." God knows everything that you do.

But also other things. Maybe there's a book series or a TV show that's popular and you know that it glorifies things that the Bible clearly states is wrong. Even if something isn't necessarily bad doesn't mean that it's what's best. As Paul said, not everything is beneficial.

That's why it is so important to guard our ears, our eyes, and beware of where we go. What we fill our minds with is evident through our actions and words.

I think sin is one of the subjects that we avoid. At least we avoid talking about our sin. But as Romans 3:23 says, we've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is grace and forgiveness, though!

One thing, however. I'm not writing this post trying to accuse you, or trying to judge you. Only God has the right to judge. I'm writing this post from love. I'm writing this post as much to myself as I am to you. When we sin against God it breaks His heart. He wants to have a loving relationship with us. But when we sin we're stepping away from Him. He wants us to repent and to live for Him.
God said to not have any idols before Him and when we put something in our lives before Him, that's an idol.

But we can learn from these times! Walking with Jesus is a lifelong thing. Being a Christian isn't being on time for church on Sundays, or serving with kids (those things are great though). Being a follower of Jesus means walking with Him. Not a step ahead or behind Him. But when we sin we seem to step off to the side of the path. But if we do that we're going to get behind and lose our way. We learn from these times.

Let's try to live for Jesus in all areas of our lives. That may mean to stop reading a certain book series, or perhaps to be more careful of what we say. Remember, while a lot of things aren't necessarily bad, they can still trip us up and aren't always beneficial.


1 Corinthians 10:31, " So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God."