Perspective on sin

 

Perspective on sin

 

According to Question 7 of the Heidelberg Doctrine, there is a question about where the fallen nature of man came from. The answer is that it originated from the fall of our first ancestors, Adam and Eve, through disobedience in the Garden of Eden.

Due to that Fall, human nature became corrupted, and from the moment humans are conceived by their parents, we are born as sinners. Sin is viewed as this corrupt human nature. Since everyone is born with such a nature, they are considered sinners. Therefore, sin is defined as the factor that causes the fall, rather than any specific act of committing sin. Jesus also stated that harboring lustful thoughts is the sin of adultery. This is a type of greed, and the Bible even refers to greed as idolatry.

Furthermore, according to the ninth question of the Heidelberg Doctrine, in response to the question, “Then, is it not an unjust act for God to prescribe laws that humans cannot keep?” the answer is, “No. When God created humans, He gave them the ability to keep the laws. However, due to the temptation of the devil, humans indiscriminately disobeyed, causing not only themselves but also their descendants to lose that ability.”

Since this speaks of disobedience, the logic is that a heart corrupted by the nature of sin develops into disobedience, ultimately leading to the violation of the law and the commission of sin.

In Westminster Larger Catechism 91, the question is asked: "What is the duty that God requires of man?" and the answer is: "The duty that God requires of man is obedience to His revealed will." Therefore, according to doctrine, sin against God can be defined as disobedience to His commands. The Ten Commandments are representative examples of these commands.

The doctrine mentioned above views human disobedience to God's commands from a legal and moral perspective, considering the violation of the 613 commandments of the law to be more serious than disobedience from a moral standpoint. It also states that some sins are more wicked than others or will receive harsher punishment.

Then, what is sin according to the Bible? Here, 1 John 3:4 states, “Whoever commits sin works lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness,” so the Bible defines disobedience not keeping the law as sin.

However, when viewed through the Bible, the meaning of sin changes. Jesus suffered an atoning death on the cross to save sinners. And He died on the cross, resurrected three days later, and ascended to heaven. Before dying on the cross, Jesus explained sin, righteousness, and judgment in detail to His disciples.

John 16:7-11 “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He will come and convict you concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will no longer see Me; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.”

It means that regarding sin, righteousness, and judgment, He corrects the concepts the world has held until now and testifies anew.

He said that sin is that they (sinners) do not believe in Me (Jesus). Before Jesus died on the cross, the sin spoken of by the Jews was breaking the law. However, Jesus came into the world, died on the cross, and bore all the worldly sins of those who repent; He is saying that not believing this fact is sin.

I have heard some pastors in the church community simply say that the definition of sin has changed from disobedience to the law to not believing the words of Jesus, but this is not that concept.

From the moment of birth, all humans, whether Christian or non-Christian, become sinners. This is because they are born with greed. This is not due to the doctrine of original sin, but because, based on the doctrine of the pre-existence of the spirit, the greed to become like God is imprinted on the carnal mind. Therefore, humans become sinners because they do not know God and live as they please; however, if they repent and come into Jesus Christ, they can receive forgiveness of sins from God.

However, there is a commonality among believers who claim to obtain salvation by believing in Jesus. What appears to believers who have become Christians is the law, represented by the Ten Commandments. They lack the confidence to perfectly observe the Ten Commandments, yet if they try to simply overlook them, they feel like disobedient sinners. Since the Bible states that salvation is attained through faith in Jesus Christ, they believe they are saved by relying on the precious blood of Jesus and having their sins forgiven; yet, thoughts of sin resurface every day. They will likely feel a conflict arising between being a sinner and a righteous person, and sense their inner anguish intensifying.

If you do not believe in what Jesus accomplished, this is what happens. Since Jesus died to the law, and those who enter into Jesus Christ were also judged by the law, there is no longer any judgment by the law. The Bible testifies to this in Romans 8:1-2.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death."

Those who are in Christ Jesus have died with Jesus to the law, and thus become those who have nothing to do with the law. Therefore, they are able to free all their thoughts from legalistic thinking.

For example, if we consider the Ten Commandments, believers felt a sense of obligation to obey the law before they died with Jesus; however, when they believe that they have died and resurrected with Jesus, they come to realize that they are guided by the Holy Spirit. Consequently, they reinterpret the Ten Commandments not merely as written laws, but through the heart of the Holy Spirit. Just as blindly observing legal regulations strictly according to the text is something one might do as a child, one does not do so as an adult. Now, they reflect on the meaning contained within the regulations, cherish them in their hearts, and act accordingly.

What was previously regarded as mere action has now been elevated to the level of cherishing in one's heart, judging, and contemplating before acting. In such cases, God does not view the saint strictly according to the letter of the law. Although a believer may sometimes act in ways that displease God, because God keeps His covenant, a promise made once is eternal. As one becomes a mature adult, they come to understand God's will regarding the law, and thus gradually begin to act rightly.

Even though God has granted grace in this way, if believers continue to dwell on their sins and desire forgiveness, God has no choice but to deal with them according to the statutes of the law. Today, the majority of believers in the church community demand the blood of Jesus every day to receive forgiveness for their sins. They are those who do not understand that they have died to the law with Jesus.

To such a person, the words, "The sin is that they (sinners) do not believe in Me (Jesus)," apply. Therefore, not believing the words of Jesus becomes a sin. This becomes a more serious sin than the sin of one who does not believe in Jesus. This is called the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Bible strongly states that while one can be forgiven for breaking the law, the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven.

Matthew 12:31-32 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy against man will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come."

Regarding the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as perceived by believers today, the majority of them regard it as either someone who denies Jesus and does not believe in God, or someone who believes in Jesus but fails to live according to God's word and bear the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, they are those who worry about sin in their hearts, believe they must wash away sin with the blood of Jesus every day, strive not to sin, endeavor to lead a faithful life, and endeavor to exert a positive influence. However, they are truly misunderstanding the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

One who does not believe the words Jesus spoke becomes one who does not believe the words Jesus spoke about sin, righteousness, and judgment.

Regarding sin, it means that since Jesus came into the world, died on the cross, and bore all the worldly sins of those who repent, those who believe in the words of Jesus have become free from sin.

Regarding righteousness, it means Jesus approaching God, and since Jesus rose from the dead, "believers united with the resurrected Jesus" have also received the resurrected life, and those who believe in this are the ones who have received God's righteousness.

"Regarding judgment" means that the ruler of this world has been judged. In other words, it is believing that the believer who was under the dominion of the world has also been judged by God. This is expressed through baptism.

Romans 6:3-5: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death? So we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will also be united with him in a resurrection like his.”