So far in this series, we’ve covered Creation, establishing God as our Maker; Providence, affirming His sovereign control; and the spiritual realm, revealing the reality of angels, demons, and Satan. In this article, we tackle the doctrine of sin—a heavy but essential topic. Like a diamond displayed against black velvet to highlight its brilliance, the ugliness of sin contrasts with the beauty of God’s grace, making His love and mercy shine brighter. Understanding sin is crucial, for without it, we cannot grasp our need for a Savior or cherish Jesus’ work on the cross.
Romans 3:9-18 paints a stark picture: “All, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin… None is righteous, no, not one.” Sin is universal, affecting every person, regardless of background, ethnicity, or religion. Sin is any lack of conformity to God’s perfect will, character, or moral law. As with Creation, where recognizing God’s authority is foundational, acknowledging our sinfulness is vital. If we don’t see ourselves as sinners deserving eternal punishment, the gospel’s good news loses its urgency. Let’s explore sin through three lenses: its origin, its effects, and its ultimate defeat through Christ.
The Origin of Sin
Sin wasn’t always part of God’s creation. Angels were created good, and Genesis 1 declares the world and humanity “very good.” Yet, Genesis 3 recounts sin’s entry through Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Deceived by Satan and choosing rebellion, they ate from the forbidden tree: “She took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6). This act unleashed immediate consequences—shame, a cursed ground, and painful childbirth—rippling through all creation.
This event introduces “original sin,” not the first sin but the fallen state inherited from Adam’s trespass. We’re not sinners because we sin; we sin because we’re sinners by nature. Romans 5:12 confirms, “Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” This sinful condition shapes humanity’s story, setting the stage for sin’s devastating effects.
The Effects of Sin
Sin’s impact is pervasive, touching every facet of existence. Romans 3:10-18, as Tim Keller notes, highlights seven areas sin corrupts: our legal standing (“none is righteous”), minds (“no one understands”), motives (“no one seeks for God”), wills (“all have turned aside”), tongues (“their throat is an open grave”), relationships with others (“their mouth is full of curses”), and relationship with God (“no fear of God”). Beyond these, sin’s broader effects include:
1. Physical and Spiritual Death
Sin’s gravest consequence is death. Romans 5:12-19 links death to Adam’s sin: “Because of one man’s trespass, death reigned.” Romans 6:23 adds, “The wages of sin is death.” Sin brings physical death, but more critically, spiritual death—separation from God. Choosing sin is choosing death over life, a reality that underscores our desperate need for redemption.
2. Sinful Nature
Our inherited sinful nature, described as total depravity or radical corruption, means every part of us—mind, will, spirit, body—is tainted by sin. Like poison in water, sin corrupts our entire being. Genesis 6:5 states, “Every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Total depravity doesn’t mean we’re as evil as possible but that no part of us escapes sin’s influence.
This leads to moral inability, our natural incapacity to choose God’s ways. Ephesians 2:1-3 describes us as “dead in the trespasses and sins… by nature children of wrath.” Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Only a transformed nature, through God’s grace, enables us to seek Him.
3. Alienation and Estrangement
Sin creates estrangement in four ways:
- Man and Nature: The ground was cursed, producing “thorns and thistles” (Genesis 3:17-18). Romans 8:22 says creation “has been groaning” under sin’s weight.
- Man and Man: Sin fuels violence, murder, theft, and hatred. In Genesis 4, Cain’s jealousy led to Abel’s murder, a pattern repeated in personal and global conflicts.
- Man and Himself: Sin distorts self-perception, contributing to mental health crises, depression, and self-harm, as many fail to see themselves as God’s image-bearers.
- Man and God: Sin places us at “enmity with God” (James 4:4), necessitating reconciliation through Christ.
4. Guilt and Wrath
Sin renders us infinitely guilty before a holy God. Romans 1:18 warns, “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” God’s justice demands sin’s punishment; He cannot overlook it without ceasing to be just. Our sin is either punished on the cross through faith in Christ or borne eternally by us.
5. Propitiation
Amid sin’s devastation, propitiation offers hope. Propitiation is the appeasement of God’s wrath through Jesus’ sacrifice. 1 John 4:10 declares, “He loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Romans 3:25 adds that God put Jesus forward “as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” As fully God and man, Jesus alone could bear the infinite punishment for sin, satisfying God’s justice. No human effort, religious figure, or good deed can atone for our guilt—only Christ’s perfect sacrifice.
The Ultimate Defeat of Sin
Though sin’s effects are severe, Christ’s work ensures its defeat. 1 Corinthians 15:21-26 contrasts Adam’s act with Jesus’: “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead… The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Jesus’ death and resurrection broke sin’s power, though its final eradication awaits His return. Satan, sin, and death will be fully vanquished when Christ delivers the kingdom to the Father, destroying all enemies.
Living in Light of Sin’s Reality
This doctrine calls us to three responses:
1. Understand Sin’s Seriousness
Sin is “cosmic treason,” as R.C. Sproul says, a rebellion against God’s holiness. Recognizing our guilt before Him awakens us to our need for a Savior. Without this, Jesus’ sacrifice seems irrelevant. Sin’s weight compels us to take it seriously, guarding against complacency.
2. Know God’s Gracious Forgiveness
The gospel’s beauty shines against sin’s darkness. Romans 5:8 proclaims, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 1 John 1:9 assures, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” No sin is beyond God’s grace. We’re invited to lay our guilt and shame at His feet, trusting His mercy.
3. Hate Our Sin
Understanding sin’s gravity and tasting God’s grace should lead us to hate our sin. Psalm 51, David’s response to his adultery and murder, models this. He cried, “Have mercy on me, O God… Create in me a clean heart” (Psalm 51:1, 10). True repentance doesn’t excuse past sin but fuels a desire for holiness. We confess, repent, and strive to kill sin, relying on God’s strength.
Conclusion: Embracing the Gospel’s Hope
The doctrine of sin reveals our desperate condition but magnifies God’s grace. Like a diamond against black velvet, our sinfulness highlights Christ’s beauty. As we press on in this life: let’s take our sin seriously, rest in God’s forgiveness, and pursue holiness, trusting that Jesus has defeated sin and will one day eradicate it forever. Lay your burdens at His feet today—He is faithful to forgive and restore.
Tethered to Truth 