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Help Desk (Q&A)
You'll find many Q&A on various topics found here. Our hope is to help you find Godly answers to questions that may be of interest to you! You can submit your own Q&A by sending us an email to preacherslink@whatagod.com
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Help Desk (Q&A)
What is sin?
What is Sin? Sin is a term for moral evil used in the Holy Bible. It refers to a moral condition of the soul and its effects, which offend God.
The Bible says that God is intrinsically holy [Lev.19:2; Rev.15:3,4]. It means he is morally perfect and has absolute standards of right and wrong [Ex.32:4; Psalm 18:30]. He always thinks, speaks and acts in accordance with his perfect principles and standards [Psalm 145:17]. Holiness is one of God's greatest attributes (i.e. qualities). It keeps all his other moral attributes and his power in perfect balance and under control. For example, God's love may move him to want to do good to someone. But he will never do anything that is unwise or that will compromise his justice or his other principles. Similarly, God is perfectly just and will unfailingly enforce justice and move to punish the wrongdoer. Yet his love will still seek to do whatever good he can wisely do in the circumstances. He will always act consistently with all his attributes.
If we do anything that God considers to be wrong, it is a sin. It could be an act, or a word or just a thought. But the motive behind our thought, word or deed is also important to God. Sometimes, the same word or deed could be said or done with a different motive in two different situations. In the one it might be commendable but in the other it might be a sin.
The Bible is our God-given guide as to what is right and what is wrong. One has to learn from all of it, not just from a part [Psalm 119:1-16]. The following give a very brief insight into the subject.
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The Bible says that God is intrinsically holy [Lev.19:2; Rev.15:3,4]. It means he is morally perfect and has absolute standards of right and wrong [Ex.32:4; Psalm 18:30]. He always thinks, speaks and acts in accordance with his perfect principles and standards [Psalm 145:17]. Holiness is one of God's greatest attributes (i.e. qualities). It keeps all his other moral attributes and his power in perfect balance and under control. For example, God's love may move him to want to do good to someone. But he will never do anything that is unwise or that will compromise his justice or his other principles. Similarly, God is perfectly just and will unfailingly enforce justice and move to punish the wrongdoer. Yet his love will still seek to do whatever good he can wisely do in the circumstances. He will always act consistently with all his attributes.
If we do anything that God considers to be wrong, it is a sin. It could be an act, or a word or just a thought. But the motive behind our thought, word or deed is also important to God. Sometimes, the same word or deed could be said or done with a different motive in two different situations. In the one it might be commendable but in the other it might be a sin.
The Bible is our God-given guide as to what is right and what is wrong. One has to learn from all of it, not just from a part [Psalm 119:1-16]. The following give a very brief insight into the subject.
- The Ten Commandments were given to Israel as a summary of the principles of right conduct. [Look up The BIG Ten.] Four of the commandments addressed man's behavior in relation to God and, the rest, man's behavior in relation to people.
- Idolatry, witchcraft, murder, theft, sexual immorality, impurity, lewdness, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, debauchery, greed, malice, deceit, envy, slander, arrogance, folly, hypocrisy, and evil thoughts are all sins [Gal. 5:19-21, Mark 7:20-22, Matt.7:1-5]. This list is by no means exhaustive.
- God's standards are very high. Jesus said that even looking at a woman lustfully is a sin, because one has committed adultery in one's thoughts [Matt. 5:27,28].
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