Wayne A. Grudem - Sin and Atonement: A Zondervan Digital Short

The history of the human race as presented in Scripture is primarily a history of man in a state of sin and rebellion against God and of Gods plan of redemption to bring man back to himself. Therefore, it is appropriate to consider the nature of the sin that separates man from God.

We may define sin as follows: Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature. Sin is here defined in relation to God and his moral law. Sin includes not only individual acts such as stealing or lying or committing murder, but also attitudes that are contrary to the attitudes God requires of us. We see this already in the Ten Commandments, which not only prohibit sinful actions but also wrong attitudes: You shall not covet your neighbors house. You shall not covet your neighbors wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor (Ex. 20:17 NIV). Here God specifies that a desire to steal or to commit adultery is also sin in his sight. The Sermon on the Mount also prohibits sinful attitudes such as anger (Matt. 5:22) or lust (Matt. 5:28). Paul lists attitudes such as jealousy, anger, and selfishness (Gal. 5:20) as things that are works of the flesh opposed to the desires of the Spirit (Gal. 5:20). Thereforea life that is pleasing to God is one that has moral purity not only in its actions, but also in its desires of heart. In fact, the greatest commandment of all requires that our heart be filled with an attitude of love for God: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength (Mark 12:30).

The definition of sin given above specifies that sin is a failure to conform to Gods moral law not only in action and in attitude, but also in our moral nature. Our very nature, the internal character that is the essence of who we are as persons, can also be sinful. Before we were redeemed by Christ, not only did we do sinful acts and have sinful attitudes, we were also sinners by nature. So Paul can say that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8), or that previously we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind (Eph. 2:3). Even while asleep, an unbeliever, though not committing sinful actions or actively nurturing sinful attitudes, is still a sinner in Gods sight; he or she still has a sinful nature that does not conform to Gods moral law.

Other definitions of the essential character of sin have been suggested. Probably the most common definition is to say that the essence of sin is selfishness. But such a conclusion is clearly wrong.

It is far better to define sin in the way Scripture does, in relationship to Gods law and his moral character. John tells us that sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). When Paul seeks to demonstrate the universal sinfulness of mankind, he appeals to the law of God, whether the written law given to the Jew (Rom. 2:1729) or the unwritten law that operates in the consciences of Gentiles who, by their behavior, show that what the law requires is written on their hearts (Rom. 2:15). In each case their sinfulness is demonstrated by their lack of conformity to the moral law of God.

Finally, we should note that this definition emphasizes the seriousness of sin. We realize from experience that sin is harmful to our lives, that it brings pain and destructive consequences to us and to others affected by it. But to define sin as failure to conform to the moral law of God, is to say that sin is more than simply painful and destructiveit is also wrong in the deepest sense of the word. In a universe created by God, sin ought not to be. Sin is directly opposite to all that is good in the character of God, and just as God necessarily and eternally delights in himself and in all that he is, so God necessarily and eternally hates sin. It is, in essence, the contradiction of the excellence of his moral character. It contradicts his holiness, and he must hate it.

Where did sin come from? How did it come into the universe? First, we must clearly affirm that God himself did not sin, and God is not to be blamed for sin. It was man who sinned, and it was angels who sinned, and in both cases they did so by willful, voluntary choice. To blame God for sin would be blasphemy against the character of God. His work is perfect; for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is he (Deut. 32:4). Abraham asks with truth and force in his words, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Gen. 18:25). And Elihu rightly says, Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong (Job 34:10). In fact, it is impossible for God even to desire to do wrong: God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one (James 1:13).