Sin
Purpose
Understand what sin is and its consequences.
THE EFFECTS OF SIN
Isaiah 59:1-2
» Sin separates us from God
» Big and small sin alike
Genesis 6:5–6
» The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race1– God sees our sin. He sees the damage our sin does to ourselves, others, and our relationship with him.
» He regretted that he had made human beings on the earth – Our sin deeply troubles
God and separates our relationship with him. God’s wrath and judgment is a direct result
of our sin.
Romans 3:23
» All have sinned, no exemptions
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR SINS
Mark 7:20-23
» What comes out of a person defiles him – We are responsible for our behaviour.
» Out of a person’s heart come – All of these sins described come from our heart.
– We cannot blame our surroundings or circumstances for our sin
James 5:16
» Confess your sins to each other2
– We need to talk with other spiritual people about
what is going on in our lives.3
SIN DEFINED
Galatians 5:19-21
» The acts of the flesh are obvious – When we are living according to our sinful nature,
the symptoms show in our lives as in this list of behaviours.
» Those who live like this will not inherit eternal life – We cannot go to heaven if we live
according to our sinful nature.
» See a list of sin definitions in Appendix A if needed.
» There are additional lists of sins that may be very useful depending on background.4
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1 Ecclesiastes 7:20 There is no one on earth who is righteous.
2 Proverbs 28:13 The one who confesses and renounces finds mercy.
3 For those with Roman Catholic backgrounds, note that confession is not restricted to priests.
4 For additional passages about specific sins see Ephesians 5:1-7, Revelation 21:8
Revelations 21:8
» Cowardice, witchcraft and lies have serious consequences.
2Timothy 3:1-5
» People showing a form of godliness, yet denying its power by been entrapped in their sins.
James 4:17
» If anyone knows the good they ought to do – Our consciences often let us know when
we are not living as we should.
» And doesn’t do it, it is sin – Sinning is not just acting out in bad ways…it is also failing
to do what we should do.
Q: In what ways have you sinned in this way?
Q: How has your sin hurt your own life?
Q: How has your sin hurt others?
Q: How has your sin hurt God?
Q: How has other people’s sin hurt you?
CHALLENGE
Spend some time reviewing all of the following passages about sin.
Colossians 3:5-10
Ephesians 5:1-7
1 Corinthians 6:7-10
Think through your life and what other things you may need talk about next time we meet.
APPENDIX A : sin definitions1
From Galatians 5:19-21
SEXUAL IMMORALITY (porneía) To commit sexual intercourse or any sexual sin outside of
marriage.
IMPURITY (akatharsía) Uncleanness or filth in a natural or physical sense; moral uncleanness,
lewdness, any unnatural pollution, whether acted out by oneself (masturbation), or with another(petting, oral sex).
DEBAUCHERY (asélgeia) Lack of self-control which involves one’s behaviour (over-indulgence;
food, sleep, etc.)
IDOLATRY (eidololatreía) Worshipping anything other than God (career, school, pleasure,
sports).
WITCHCRAFT (pharmakeía) The occult, sorcery, witchcraft, illicit pharmaceuticals, trance,
magical incantation with drugs.
HATRED (échthra) Being hostile. Animosity towards others.
DISCORD (éris) Rivalry or a lack of harmony between people.
JEALOUSY (zelos) Grief and desire because you do not have what someone else has.
FITS OF RAGE (thumós) A state of intense displeasure, anger, wrath, rage, indignation.
SELFISH AMBITION (eritheía) Strife and rivalry because of selfish motives.
DISSENSION (dichostasía) A separate faction; division between people.
FACTIONS (haíresis) Creating a separation between people because of a different opinion.
ENVY (phthónos) Pain and bitterness felt at the sight of another’s excellence or happiness.
DRUNKENNESS (méthe) Excess intake of alcohol.
ORGIES (komos) – Living without restraint. Partying.
Additional sins in Colossians 3:5-10
GREED (pleonexía) Excessive desire for what one does not have, especially wealth or
possessions.
MALICE (kakía) The desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another.
SLANDER (blasphemía) Verbal abuse against someone. Wounding someone’s reputation.
FILTHY LANGUAGE (aischrología) Speech of a kind that is generally considered in poor taste
or swearing.
LYING (pseúdomai) To speak falsely or deceitfully.
Additional sins from Mark 7:20-22
THEFT (klope) The act of stealing.
MURDER (phónos) Killing a human being.
ADULTERY (moicheía) Sex where at least one person is married.
DECEIT (dólos) Concealment or distortion of the truth for the purpose of misleading others;
fraud.
LEWDNESS (asélgeia) Absence of restraint; obscene or indecent.
ARROGANCE (huperephanía) An offensive display of self-importance.
FOLLY (aphrosúnee) Lack of prudence or good judgment; foolishness; lack of sense.
Additional sins from Ephesians 5:1-7
OBSCENITY (aischrótes) Behavior that is socially or morally inappropriate or indecent.
COARSE JOKING (eutrapelía) Offensive or distasteful joking.
Additional sins from 2 Timothy 3:1-5
LOVERS OF YOURSELF (phílautos) Loving oneself, selfish.
LOVERS OF MONEY (philárguros) Fond of money, covetous.
BOASTFUL (alazon) Bragging.
PRIDE (huperephanos) See arrogance above in Mark 7:20-22. Same Greek word.
ABUSIVE (blásphemos) Harsh or insulting language; mistreating, especially physically.
DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS (apeithes) Unwillingness to follow your parents’ instruction.
UNGRATEFUL (acháristos) Unthankful. Unappreciative. Not acknowleding or demonstrating
gratitude.
UNHOLY (anósios) Being in opposition to God or what is sacred.
WITHOUT LOVE (ástorgos) Hard-hearted; unfeeling; without regard for others.
UNFORGIVING (áspondos) Unwilling to show mercy; irreconcilable.
WITHOUT SELF-CONTROL (akrates) Unable to govern one’s desires, lacking in moderation.
BRUTAL (anemeros) Savage.
NOT LOVERS OF THE GOOD (aphilágathos) Unfriendly, hostile. Showing no compassion.
TREACHEROUS (prodótes) Traitor, betrayer.
RASH (propetes) Reckless, thoughtless. Acting before thinking or getting advice and perspective.
CONCEITED (tuphóo) To swell or inflate with pride. Puffed up.
LOVERS OF PLEASURE (philedonos) Loving pleasure.
Additional sin from 1 Corinthians 6:7-10
CHEATING (adikéo) To defraud, swindle; to take from others in a dishonest way.
HOMOSEXUALITY (arsenokoítes) Intimate or sexual relation with the same gender.
STEALING (kléptes) To take something that does not belong to you.
SWINDLING (hárpax) To cheat a person or business out of money or other assets; to obtain by fraud or deceit.
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1 Definitions were derived from the following Greek word dictionaries:
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary : New Testament, electronic ed. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).
William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed.
(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000)