SIN vs.SINS

SIN vs SINS

Many folks are laboring under a wrong understanding of what sin is, and is not. I know, for I was doing the same thing for many years-- until the Lord took pity on me and showed me more about what He is dealing with in our lives.

Needless to say, it changed my life, in that it brought a liberty to me that I didn't think was possible. It also put a responsibility on me that I had not known about up to that time. Let me explain.

There is a word, with its various declensions, in the New Testament Greek, which is used in somewhat different ways but apparently is dealing with the same thing. That word is "Hamartia", which means literally, to MISS THE MARK. Jack Holmes, a friend of mine who knows the Greek language, told me that the real meaning (and a prominent usage) of the word was centered around a practice in ancient times. A soldier or a marksman would take a young boy out into the field with him when he wanted to do target practice with his bow and arrows. He would place the boy near the target, and after each shot, the boy would run up to the target to see if the soldier's shot was good or not. If it was not an accurate shot, the boy would call out "Hamartia", meaning that he had missed the mark (bull's eye).

"Hamartia" was translated into the English language with such words as "SIN" (77 TIMES), OFFENCE (1 TIME), SINFUL (1 TIME), AND SINS (75 TIMES).

In the Old Testament, the ceremonies of the Law dealt almost exclusively with the ACTS of SIN, (missing the mark) and had no provision for dealing with the root principle of sin. The ceremonies of the Law only COVERED the lack of doing the Will of God from our hearts.

In other words, a person could hate his neighbor, but as long as he did not harm nor kill, his faithful attendance on the ceremonies covered him. Likewise, a person could be full of adulterous thoughts and desires, but as long as he kept his evil eye under a guise (colored glasses) he was OK.

But, when the TRUTH came along (in Jesus), (John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Jesus told us that He was no longer going to provide a COVERING for sin (atonement) but intended to deal with it in a different way-- an EFFECTIVE way.

Jesus said that Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Matthew 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: (deal with sin at it's fountain head, rather than try to stop the water after it is running down the ditch) therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Luke 3:9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Thank God, we can now do something about the sin (nature of sin) in our hearts which causes all of the ACTS of sin in our lives. This is what Jesus came to do in our lives. This is what He meant when He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

The book of Romans explains the workings of SIN (the root-principle of sin) in our lives, and the troubles it produces for us.