SIN vs SINS
Die (verb): To stop sinning suddenly. ~ Elbert Hubbard
Is there a difference between SIN and SINS?
SIN is literally the condition of being spiritually dead and separated from God, under “the curse” (Rev. 22:3). It is the disease. Sin = Death. When God created Adam and Eve, there was no sin in them. They were in a perfect, intimate relationship with him. Sin originated with Lucifer who was the first to rebel and entered the world through Adam who likewise chose disobedience. Even though sin was a moral, spiritual corruption, it consequently affected the physical world as well (Gen. 3:16-17, Rom. 8:22). Adam’s disobedience brought condemnation for all mankind because it separated us from God. We are born with the disease (Ps. 51:5, Ps. 58:3). Jesus’ sinless atonement for sin restores that relationship and gives life to all that believe (Rom. 5:10-19). “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
SINS are individual acts. They are the symptoms of the disease. A sin is the breaking of God's law by choosing to do or think anything that is against his holiness. Committing a sin does not make you a sinner. We sin because we are sinners by nature. Why does a dog bark? It barks because it is a dog. Barking does not make you a dog. Not only was Jesus the cure for the disease of sin, he took upon himself the sins of the world, providing forgiveness for each and every act (Eph. 1:7, Acts 13:38).
What is the most common objection to sin?
“I’m a good person. I don’t do horrible things, so I don’t need forgiveness.”
Why is being a good person not enough to get you into heaven? Because no one is a ‘good’ person; there is only one who is good, and that is God himself. “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Eccl. 7:20). The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The Bible also says that the wages of our sin is death (Romans 6:23). We are not judged by weighing our good deeds vs. our bad deeds. We are judged by God’s standard of “no-sin,” called holiness, which means we would have to be perfect and pure to pass judgment (Rom. 3:12). “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).
Some believe it’s a matter of degree or amount: “Only evil people like murderers or child molesters go to hell,” or “I try my best to do what’s right. I’m sincere.” God does not judge based on sincerity, he judges based on his holiness. Imagine a glass of pure, clean water. How many drops of poison would you allow to be put in the glass and still drink it? 10? 5? 2? How about 1? A glass of water with only 1 drop of poison in it would still kill you. “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it” (James 2:10). This is because we are all under the curse of SIN. We are either lost and separated from God or saved by his grace alone.
"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4).
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