Saturday, 30 May 2009

• What is SIN - part 1

  What is SIN - part 1

  Introduction
  

  The existence of sin is an undeniable fact. No man can examine his own nature, or observe the conduct of his fellow men, without having the conviction forced upon him that there is such an evil as sin. This is not a purely moral or theological question. It falls also within the province of philosophy, which assumes to explain all the phenomena of human nature as well as of the external world. Philosophers, therefore, of every age and of every school, have been compelled to discuss this subject. The philosophical theories, as to the nature of sin, are as numerous as the different schools of philosophy. This great question comes under the consideration of the Christian theologian with certain limitations. He assumes the existence of a personal God of infinite perfection, and he assumes the responsibility of man. No theory of the nature or origin of sin which conflicts with either of these fundamental principles, can for him be true. Before entering upon the statement of any of the theories which have been more or less extensively adopted, it is important to ascertain the data on which the answer to the question, What is sin-? is to be determined; or the premises from which that answer is to be deduced. These are simply the declarations of the word of God and the facts of our own moral nature. Ignoring either wholly or in part these two sources of knowledge, many philosophers and even theologians, have recourse to the reason, or rather to the speculative understanding, for the decision of the question. This method, however, is unreasonable, and is sure to lead to false conclusions.  (Charles Hodge - Systmeatic Theology)
  

  
  As we saw in my previous post, there are many definitions for sin.  All of them are correct if we are talking in theological terms, and I am not going to attempt to talk about sin in non-theological terms.  One of the problems defining sin is language.  The Old Testament was written in Hebrew while the New Testament was primarily written in Greek.  I am not a Hebrew or Greek scholar so I'm going to rely on several dictionaries to define the words for sin as well as other words translated from the root Hebrew or Greek word.  I will note Strong's Hebrew or Greek number but I will not use the punctuated versions of these words.
  
  A. Chata (H2398) >
  

  A primitive root; properly to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference to forfeit; lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:—bear the blame, cleanse, commit [sin], by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend (-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin (-ful, -ness), trespassive
  

  1. Chata and its derivitives occurs over 500 times in the Old testament.
     1. Now all the people perceived the thunderings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the smoking mountain, and as [they] looked they trembled with fear and fell back and stood afar off. And they said to Moses, You speak to us and we will listen, but let not God speak to us, lest we die.  And Moses said to the people, Fear not; for God has come to prove you, so that the [reverential] fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin (chata)."  Exodus 20:20
        1. This law, which is so extensive that we cannot measure it, so spiritual that we cannot evade it, and so reasonable that we cannot find fault with it, will be the rule of the future judgment of God, as it is for the present conduct of man. If tried by this rule, we shall find our lives have been passed in transgressions.  (Matthew Henry)
        2. Desire without knowledge is not good, and to be overhasty is to sin (chata) and miss the mark. Proverbs 19:2
        3. Thy as hard as we can and we still miss the mark!
     2. Chata is also translated —
        1. faults — Then the chief butler said to Pharaoh, I remember my faults (chata) today. Genesis 41:9
        2. blame — Genesis 43:9 "I will be security for him; you shall require him of me [personally]; if I do not bring him back to you and put him before you, then let me bear the blame (chata) forever." 
        3. offenses — Ecclesiastes 10:4 "If the temper of the ruler rises up against you, do not leave your place [or show a resisting spirit]; for gentleness and calmness prevent or put a stop to great offenses."

  B. Hamartano (G264) >
  

  properly to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), that is, (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin:—for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.
  

  1. Harmartano and its derivitive are the Greek equivalent to chata and are used about 300 times in the New Testament.  In fact, harmartano and its derivitives were used to translate chata and its family in the Septuagint.
     1. What then [are we to conclude]? Shall we sin (hamartano) because we live not under Law but under God's favor and mercy? Certainly not!  Romans 6:15
     2. As for those who are guilty and persist in sin (hamartano), rebuke and admonish them in the presence of all, so that the rest may be warned and stand in wholesome awe and fear.  1 Timothy 5:20
     3. No one who abides in Him [who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him--deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] commits (practices) sin (harmatano).  No one who [habitually] sins (harmartano) has either seen or known Him [recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him].  1 John 3:6
  2. Shun immorality and all sexual looseness [flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed]. Any other sin (harmartema) which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins (harmatano) against his own body.  1Corinthians 6:18
  1. Here the two other derivitives of harmartano are used.
  2. This does not teach that sexual immorality is greater than any other sin; but it does teach that it is altogether unique in its effects on the body; not so much in its physical as in its moral and spiritual effects. The idea runs through the Bible that there is something mysterious in sexual intercourse, and in the effects which flow from it. Every other sin, however degrading and ruinous to the health, even drunkenness, is external to the body, that is, external to its life. But sexual immorality, involving as it does a community of life, is a sin against the body itself, because it is incompatible with the purpose of its creation, and with its immortal destiny.  (Hodge's Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians)

  3. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners (harmartolos), is Christ therefore a minister of sin (harmartia)? Certainly not! Galatians 2:17
  1. Here two more derivitives are used.

  2. Some interpreters think, that the apostle here begins his discourse to the Galatians upon the main argument of his Epistle, viz. justification by faith in Christ; though others think it began, Gal 2:15. If, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners; if (saith the apostle) you make us grievous offenders in our expectation of being justified by Christ, and not by the works of the law, you make Christ the minister of sin, who hath taught us this. But others think that the apostle here obviateth a common objection which was then made, (as it is also in our age), against the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ; viz. That it opens a door of liberty to the flesh, and so makes Christ a minister of sin, as if he relaxed men's obligation to the law of God; which is the same objection which the apostle answered in his Epistle to the Romans, Rom 6:1-23. If while, we plead for justification by Christ, we live in a course of notorious disobedience to the law of God, then Christ must be to us a minister of sin, and come into the world to purchase for us a possibility of salvation, though we live in never so much notorious disobedience to the law of God. As if there were no obligation upon men to keep the law, unless by their obedience to it they might obtain pardon of sin and justification. This calumny the apostle disavows, first, by a general aversation: God forbid!  (Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible)
     

  C. The general idea of chātaʾ and hamartia is that all wrongdoing is a failure, "missing the mark" which God intends for all persons to attain. Man, as made in the image of God, has implanted within him an innate sense to live as God directs. Every departure from this sense is a coming short of the purpose for which man was made, a missing of the mark. This failure to hit the mark is always a sin against God; that is, the sinner always fails to achieve the standard set or to hit the mark established by God.[Günther, "hamartia," DNTT, 3:579; Walter Grundmann and Gustav Stählin, "hamartanō," TDNT, 1:289, 295] The moral connotations of the concept stipulate that a person misses the right mark because he intentionally chooses to aim at a wrong mark; he misses the right path because he deliberately chooses to follow a wrong path.[Smith, The Bible Doctrine of Sin, 17] We miss the mark and sin against God when, for example, we fail to love our brother, since loving our brother inevitably follows a true love for God.[Erickson, Christian Theology, 587] With regard to moral culpability, there is no question of an innocent mistake or a negative idea of failure. The terms suggest an active, deliberate missing of the right mark or way in order to choose intentionally a wrong mark or path. The sinner is responsible and accountable for the behavior that results in missing the mark, whether overtly intentional or not.[Fiedler, "hamartia," EDNT, 1:66] (A Theology for the Church)

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