truth on sin
Sin is an ugly word. It keeps company with other words like "wrongdoing", "error", and "evil". In the religious world, unless there is an understanding and acknowledgment that sin exists there's not much more to talk about.
featured scripture-block
Moses is on the mountain receiving the law (Ten Commandments) from God while the people have become impatient and built a golden calf to worship in Moses’ absence. God promises that there will be a consequence for their sin (vs 34) in the form of a plague (vs 35).
the bible truth on sin
Sin is any deed or action that is contrary to God’s law2356 – His word5 – as well as anything a Christian might do against their ‘faith-trained’ conscience.910 It is characterized as “wrongdoing”4, “lawlessness”7, anything “contrary to sound doctrine”5, “works of the flesh”3, “from the world”2, unrighteousness6, or anytime one doesn’t do what they know to be right9 or does do something they believe to be wrong.10 Sin begins with being tempted by a human desire1 (e.g. lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes, pride2) which can then lead to spiritual death1, or not inheriting the kingdom of God36, but it doesn’t have to go that far4 if one repents, turning back to God. This distinction between sin and the practice of it – or continuing in it – is noteworthy.13478
The result of sin is traced all the way back to creation1. The first sin1 introduced death8 as well as specific curses to be borne by man and woman1. While the guilt of each person’s sin is borne by that person17815, one’s unrepentant sin411 and continued depravity1314 results in spiritual death1912 or separation from God231015. Without remedy, the result of sin leads to the individual not inheriting the kingdom of God561214 and being blotted out of God’s book of life7.
The only remedy for sin is a sinless25 Jesus Christ123456789. His coming in the flesh359, His death78 and sacrifice of His own blood2, together with His triumphant victory over death47 is the remedy for sin. He “condemned” sin3, bore it for all8, and was “vitorious” over it4, taking them away5.
Being in the flesh3, we are enslaved to sin7 and death4. The only remedy for sin for us — receiving forgiveness6 and advocacy1 — is to die with Him (in baptism)7, raised to walk in the Spirit3 and wait eagerly for His saving return89.
Baptism is for, not because of, the forgiveness of sins1. This is consistent with the purpose of John’s baptism3 that prepared the way. Jesus’ blood fulfills the requirement10 and is the cleansing agent25789 of sin. It is only through “death” (e.g. baptism) that an individual contacts His blood67. It’s just as Paul asked rhetorically, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”6 and why Peter directly linked baptism to what saves us4.
getting to the truth on sin is pretty important
don’t you agree?
Is baptism for infants or children?
Baptism is not for infants or children; several important facts exist in Scripture regarding the eligibility of someone to be baptized "in the name of Jesus Christ" : The person must be old enough to understand right from wrong - understanding what sin is. The specific age may [more]
What is salvation according to the Bible?
Defining salvation according to the Bible is yet another instance in which simply getting out a dictionary or "going to the Greek" is useless. Knowing the Greek word for "salvation" ("soteria" - rescue or safety either physically or morally, deliverance, preservation) doesn't really help. Understanding salvation according to the Bible [more]
How is the sinner’s prayer used in scripture?
The sinner's prayer is something frequently referred to by preachers today. Joel Osteen asks those who are not saved to pray with him at the close of every sermon. The prayer is asking Jesus to "come into their lives." He might also ask them to raise their [more]
Can one fall from grace?
A Christian's potential to fall from grace is a concept that runs contrary to many in the religious world today. Challenging certain pre-conceived doctrines (e.g Reformed/Calvinism), a fall from grace suggests that a person who had at one time believed and accepted the gospel of Christ, could 'fall from grace' [more]
Can someone receive the Holy Spirit before being saved?
There may be some that wonder if one can receive the Holy Spirit before being saved. This is a great question and one that deserves very careful study as it brings to the forefront at least a couple of commonly misunderstood topics regarding the Holy Spirit. No, one [more]
What is God’s pattern of salvation?
Determining God's pattern of salvation could be a helpful tool in understanding what God requires of us today. Many talk about God's plan of salvation, but what about God's pattern of salvation? The system under which man is accountable to God has changed since Creation, but God doesn't change, and [more]
What about the thief on the cross?
When it comes to the thief on the cross, it's usually only raised as the "textbook" example of God's saving grace. Specifically, it's raised to counter the necessity of baptism. The popular response is something like, "What about the thief on the cross? Jesus declared him saved without having to [more]
What was Jesus’ mission on earth?
Jesus' mission is something that can be confused with His actions. What Jesus came to this world to do (Jesus' mission) and what he did (Jesus' activities) are not necessarily the same thing. For example, one of the things He did was feed the hungry. But was that Jesus' [more]
Is baptism for the forgiveness of sins?
Baptism "for the forgiveness of sins" is a statement Peter makes in his sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38 ). The preposition "for" comes from the Greek word "eis" which is defined by Strong's to mean, "to or into (indicating the point reached or entered, of place, [more]
What is water baptism?
Water baptism has something to do with water, right? Some believe water baptism is just getting wet ("sprinkling") while other Christians insist one isn't baptized unless the individual is completely submerged in water. In fact, Dictionary.com defines it as, "a ceremonial immersion in water, or application of water, as [more]
Who will come before God in judgment?
Many today live as though they will never come before God in judgment. But Jesus said, "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." (Matthew 24:44) In the same context, he divulges that "concerning that day and hour [more]
Will we be judged according to works?
The idea that we will be judged according to works is a remarkably contentious one. It would seem that the thought of being "judged according to works" requires that God's grace must be denied. In other words, to say that we are judged according to works is to say that [more]
What saves you eternally?
If the message of God's word is mankind's redemption and salvation, shouldn't it include information about what saves you? This is a really BIG question with an eternally-weighted answer. Unfortunately, we can find lots of different answers out there among different church leaders and religious "experts". When it comes [more]
What is the hot and cold of Laodicea (Revelation 3:15-16)?
Jesus makes a statement about the hot and cold of Laodicea that apparently does not sit well with some. Dr. Chip Bennett is lead "pastor" for Grace Community Church in Sarasota, FL. In a recent video, he counsels his followers regarding a new revelation he has had regarding the hot [more]
For whom did Christ die?
What Christian's believe and how they have come to understand what the Bible teaches isn't always shaped purely by Scripture. The Ancient Greek influence of Gnosticism has had a profound and enduring effect on Christian thought. Indeed, that may be the case in needing to ask the question, "For [more]
Is baptism required for salvation?
The act of baptism is well recorded in Scripture. Not only was it a tradition among the Hebrew people for centuries, but it is what at least one Bible character was know by (John the Baptist) and it was something that Jesus the Messiah did himself. (Matthew 3:13-17 ) [more]
What does it mean to ‘call on the name of the Lord?’
Invitations to 'call on the name of the Lord' are often extended by preachers and especially, it seems, by tele-evangelists. This may be at the end of their sermon when they invite the audience to recite a prayer, often referred to as the "Sinner's Prayer". Most often, the only passage [more]
How are works defined in the Bible?
Working through how "works" are defined in Scripture isn't for the faint of heart. Where one comes down on works defined has led some to question the very inspiration of the Bible. After all, Paul said, "one is justified by faith apart from works" (Romans 3:28). James said, "faith by [more]
Top 4: Results of baptism?
What are the results of baptism? We've assembled a list of the top four results of baptism found in Scripture. Where does "it's an outward showing of an inward commitment" rank? Check out our top four results of baptism...and comment below. The top four results of baptism are [more]
Top 5: Images for baptism?
The writers of the New Testament present several images for baptism. Just as with the images of the church, a picture or image can really help to drive a point, and it is really no different with these top five images for baptism. Baptism has always been part of the [more]
Top 3: Salvation false doctrines?
We have assembled our top three salvation false doctrines. After tackling dozens of questions related to what the Bible (God) says about salvation and various false doctrines that are promoted by various denominations and [false] teachers, there are three especially that cut to the heart of one's saved condition [more]
How are we saved by grace only?
"Saved by grace only" is a catchy phrase that permeates websites and papers discussing salvation. We can't prove it, but it seems to be "de facto" doctrine among most evangelicals. The grace only doctrine has its own Latin banner - sola gratia. It is the mantra for whole movements and [more]
Was Saul saved on the road to Damascus?
There is a common belief among Christians today that Saul was saved on the road to Damascus. The conversion account of Saul, later known as Paul the apostle, is well documented in Scripture. In fact, there are three accounts of his conversion that are candidates to consider if Saul [more]
What is a Christian’s joy?
Joy is a readily understood word, so a Christian's joy may seem to be self-evident. As a word, "joy" means pretty much the same in the English as it does in the Greek - the language in which the New Testament was originally written. Webster defines the English word as, [more]
What was God’s plan for a savior?
God's plan for a savior is fundamental to His plan of salvation. Messiah, or "lit. 'the anointed one,' is a saviour or liberator of a group of people". We can read about the life of this Messiah, Jesus Christ, in the four Gospels. However, looking at God's plan for a savior [more]
