HAMARTIOLOGY - “THE STUDY OF SIN”
By Pastor Burrell
This study deals with the real, foundational cause for all of man’s problems in this life and for some, in the life to come. Death, sickness, crime, war, terrorism, racism, fraud on Wall Street, and every other type of ill that humans have to face in this life, come from sin. Sin has not only destroyed man’s relationship with one another but it is also the reason why our relationship with God has been ruined. It is because of sin that salvation is needed, it is because of sin that Christ came into the world, it is because of sin that men are justly condemned to spend an eternity in hell! And so a study of sin is of utmost importance for us all.
In this study I would like for us to consider: 1) the biblical definition for sin, 2) three theological terms and distinctions for sin, and 3) the cure and the remedy for sin.
I. Its Biblical Definition:
A. Rom. 3:23 – “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” The word “sinned” is from the word “hamartano” which literally means “to miss the mark.” It is as the verse says, a “coming short of the glory of God.” No matter how good the deeds of the unregenerate man are, they always come short of the mark, “the glory of God.” Romans 8:8 says, “they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
B. I John 3:4 – “sin is the transgression of the law.” The word transgression sometimes has the idea of “overstepping” or “going beyond” something, but in this verse it is from the word “anomia” which means “lawlessness.”
I think John in this verse is describing the sinner’s continual insubordination to God and his word. It is man wanting his own way and refusing to acknowledge God’s sovereign rule over him. One writer says, “it is placing one’s will above the will of God.”
C. I John 3:17 – “All unrighteousness is sin.” With God’s word being the standard for what is right, any violation or any infraction thereof: in word, deed, attitude, thought, or motive is sin. Beloveds, all of us are guilty of all of the above, and therefore we need a savior!
II. Three Theological Terms And Distinctions For Sin: 1) “imputed sin,” 2) “original sin,” and 3) “actual sins.”
A. Imputed Sin – Due to Adam’s appointment as the representative and head of the whole human race, when he sinned we sinned being in him federally or representatively. This is why we are all born into the world guilty before God. This guilt is not due to our personal sins, but is due wholly to the sin of the “one man”, Adam. The counterpart to this is “the imputed righteousness of Christ.” Christ’s righteousness is not imputed to the believing sinner because of the sinner’s own personal righteousness, but it is due wholly to the righteousness of the “one man,” Jesus Christ (read Rom.5:18,19). Like imputed righteousness, imputed sin is wholly legal, objective (non-experiential), and positional.
B. Original Sin – “Original sin” is sometimes known as “inherited corruption”, or “total depravity.” While imputed sin is imputed, original sin is imparted by way of natural generation. Original sin has to do with the sin nature or fallen nature that we inherited from Adam. Imputed sin and original sin speak of the twofold effects that Adam’s sin has had upon all of his progeny (the whole human race). In Psalms 51:5 when David says, “in sin did my mother conceive me,” he is saying that he became a sinner by nature at conception. That nature is original sin.
C. Actual Sins – Actual sins are the fruits and effects of original sin. Original sin is called original because it is the source and the fountain from which all acts (actual) of sin flow. Actual sins refer to sins: in words, deeds, thoughts, attitudes, and motives. All of these acts of sin flow from original sin. Original sin is the root; actual sins are the fruit (read Matt.12:33-35; Mk.7:20-22).
III. The Remedies For Sin:
A. Confession (I John 1:9) – Confession is from the word “homolegeo” which means “to say the same thing,” “to acknowledge,” or “to agree with.” God’s word says “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Confession has to do with our acknowledging and our agreeing with that fact.
Some in John’s day were denying the fact that they were sinners both; by nature (I John 1:8) and by practice (I John 1:10). John says in verse eight that they were “deceived and the truth is not in them”, in verse ten he says that such a person “makes him (God) a liar.” Then he says “the truth is not in them” (verse eight), and “his word is not in them” (verse ten).
Instead of denying, men should be confessing sin(s)!
B. Forgiveness (I John 1:9) – Forgiveness has to do with a debt being paid. We owe God a debt that we cannot pay because we are spiritually bankrupted. We do not have the wherewithal to satisfy the debt that we owe to the law and justice of God. And so we deserve his wrath. But another came (Jesus Christ) who was fit and suitable for the work that had to be done. In order for us to be forgiven a legal ground had to be established, and that legal ground was established when our Lord by his perfect life and substitutionary death established a righteousness that was necessary for our forgiveness. The righteousness of Jesus Christ was earned by his obedience to the law (in its precept) that we had broken; and to the justice of God (in its penalty) that we deserved has been fully satisfied (read Col.1:14).
Some of the commentaries seem to suggest that this forgiveness is both judicial and parental, depending on who is doing the confessing. It is judicial for the confessing sinner for salvation, but parental for the confessing saint for restoration. The former is between a Judge and a criminal, the latter is between a Father and his son.
C. The Blood of Christ – This again is a reference to the grounds of our forgiveness. It is also the grounds for our justification (Rom.5:9), and the grounds for our redemption (Col.14), and cleansing from sin (IJohn1:7) etc. If Christ had not died, there could be no salvation, “without the shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb.9:22).
By Pastor Burrell
This study deals with the real, foundational cause for all of man’s problems in this life and for some, in the life to come. Death, sickness, crime, war, terrorism, racism, fraud on Wall Street, and every other type of ill that humans have to face in this life, come from sin. Sin has not only destroyed man’s relationship with one another but it is also the reason why our relationship with God has been ruined. It is because of sin that salvation is needed, it is because of sin that Christ came into the world, it is because of sin that men are justly condemned to spend an eternity in hell! And so a study of sin is of utmost importance for us all.
In this study I would like for us to consider: 1) the biblical definition for sin, 2) three theological terms and distinctions for sin, and 3) the cure and the remedy for sin.
I. Its Biblical Definition:
A. Rom. 3:23 – “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” The word “sinned” is from the word “hamartano” which literally means “to miss the mark.” It is as the verse says, a “coming short of the glory of God.” No matter how good the deeds of the unregenerate man are, they always come short of the mark, “the glory of God.” Romans 8:8 says, “they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
B. I John 3:4 – “sin is the transgression of the law.” The word transgression sometimes has the idea of “overstepping” or “going beyond” something, but in this verse it is from the word “anomia” which means “lawlessness.”
I think John in this verse is describing the sinner’s continual insubordination to God and his word. It is man wanting his own way and refusing to acknowledge God’s sovereign rule over him. One writer says, “it is placing one’s will above the will of God.”
C. I John 3:17 – “All unrighteousness is sin.” With God’s word being the standard for what is right, any violation or any infraction thereof: in word, deed, attitude, thought, or motive is sin. Beloveds, all of us are guilty of all of the above, and therefore we need a savior!
II. Three Theological Terms And Distinctions For Sin: 1) “imputed sin,” 2) “original sin,” and 3) “actual sins.”
A. Imputed Sin – Due to Adam’s appointment as the representative and head of the whole human race, when he sinned we sinned being in him federally or representatively. This is why we are all born into the world guilty before God. This guilt is not due to our personal sins, but is due wholly to the sin of the “one man”, Adam. The counterpart to this is “the imputed righteousness of Christ.” Christ’s righteousness is not imputed to the believing sinner because of the sinner’s own personal righteousness, but it is due wholly to the righteousness of the “one man,” Jesus Christ (read Rom.5:18,19). Like imputed righteousness, imputed sin is wholly legal, objective (non-experiential), and positional.
B. Original Sin – “Original sin” is sometimes known as “inherited corruption”, or “total depravity.” While imputed sin is imputed, original sin is imparted by way of natural generation. Original sin has to do with the sin nature or fallen nature that we inherited from Adam. Imputed sin and original sin speak of the twofold effects that Adam’s sin has had upon all of his progeny (the whole human race). In Psalms 51:5 when David says, “in sin did my mother conceive me,” he is saying that he became a sinner by nature at conception. That nature is original sin.
C. Actual Sins – Actual sins are the fruits and effects of original sin. Original sin is called original because it is the source and the fountain from which all acts (actual) of sin flow. Actual sins refer to sins: in words, deeds, thoughts, attitudes, and motives. All of these acts of sin flow from original sin. Original sin is the root; actual sins are the fruit (read Matt.12:33-35; Mk.7:20-22).
III. The Remedies For Sin:
A. Confession (I John 1:9) – Confession is from the word “homolegeo” which means “to say the same thing,” “to acknowledge,” or “to agree with.” God’s word says “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Confession has to do with our acknowledging and our agreeing with that fact.
Some in John’s day were denying the fact that they were sinners both; by nature (I John 1:8) and by practice (I John 1:10). John says in verse eight that they were “deceived and the truth is not in them”, in verse ten he says that such a person “makes him (God) a liar.” Then he says “the truth is not in them” (verse eight), and “his word is not in them” (verse ten).
Instead of denying, men should be confessing sin(s)!
B. Forgiveness (I John 1:9) – Forgiveness has to do with a debt being paid. We owe God a debt that we cannot pay because we are spiritually bankrupted. We do not have the wherewithal to satisfy the debt that we owe to the law and justice of God. And so we deserve his wrath. But another came (Jesus Christ) who was fit and suitable for the work that had to be done. In order for us to be forgiven a legal ground had to be established, and that legal ground was established when our Lord by his perfect life and substitutionary death established a righteousness that was necessary for our forgiveness. The righteousness of Jesus Christ was earned by his obedience to the law (in its precept) that we had broken; and to the justice of God (in its penalty) that we deserved has been fully satisfied (read Col.1:14).
Some of the commentaries seem to suggest that this forgiveness is both judicial and parental, depending on who is doing the confessing. It is judicial for the confessing sinner for salvation, but parental for the confessing saint for restoration. The former is between a Judge and a criminal, the latter is between a Father and his son.
C. The Blood of Christ – This again is a reference to the grounds of our forgiveness. It is also the grounds for our justification (Rom.5:9), and the grounds for our redemption (Col.14), and cleansing from sin (IJohn1:7) etc. If Christ had not died, there could be no salvation, “without the shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb.9:22).
No comments:
Post a Comment