Sin

Why do some refer to it as man's "sin-bent," and what does that mean? Why is it hard to do the right thing at times? Why is man burdened by it? What did we do to deserve it? What is it? Where did it originate? How was it introduced to the world? What purpose does it accomplish?

Man has a propensity to do something wrong rather than do something right, or the godly way. The motives are endless, and are generally selfish, but not limited only to one's own selfish desires. The Old Testament has many words for sin which allude to the many facets that it encompasses. Two Hebrew words are 'avah' which means "bent" or "crooked," and 'aval' which means "lack of integrity" and may be translated "iniquity (Grenz, 1994)." Here man's sin-bent refers to his crookedness, or his turning away from God. Seeing God as the target of life, man should follow a straight path to God, but man's sin-nature turns him or deflects him on a path away from God.

Sin, from a biblical perspective, is man knowingly or unknowingly alienating himself from God. It has been referred to as the gap or barrier between God and man. It is the obstacle that prevents the unique relationship between God and man to exist. This is why God gave us the Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments or the Decalogue (as they are also referred to) are in fact God's way of helping man focus to be more God-like (not to be God, rather move closer to God). The Decalogue is broken down into two parts. The first part has to do with relationship to and with God primarily. He plainly states the prohibition of other gods before Him in the first commandment.

While this topic is being addressed, terms like holy cow, holy (manure), Jeees, oh my goodness, the big man in the sky, the big man up there, etc. these words and phrases do not define or explain the greatness of God. Terms like almighty, the beginning and the end (alpha & omega), Adonai, Omnipresent, Omniscience, all express God's vastness and not His limitation. Fourthly, in God's desire to have relationship with man He states man will observe the Sabbath day. This is viewed as the first day of the week and God deserves man's first fruits or (plainly put) God deserves man's first attention of the week.

Now it is plain to see, God has put in His commandments in a relationship order. Man's first priority is to God, period. The first four commandments state priority to God through worship, respect for His authority, and relationship. The second half or the last five of the Ten Commandments, God desires humanity to display love, respect, and selflessness toward each other. This is accomplished by honoring parents, prohibition of murder, prohibition of adultery, prohibition of theft, prohibition of false witnessing, and prohibition of coveting.

The Ten Commandments are not exhaustive. They do not list every sin that man can possibly commit, rather they provide a framework for man to work from and build upon in order to grow as God followers. To deviate from the Decalogue is to allow sin into one's life. To deviate from the Decalogue is to bend away from God in a direction that leads to utter destruction or as it has become known as sin.

Sin is the antithesis of what God is and represents. It began in the heart of the Angel of Light as pride and was transferred to this world in the Garden of Eden by creating doubt in the minds of Adam and Eve about God's laws. Today it tries to accomplish the same goal which is to lead man down a path away from God and to a destroyed life.

Adam and Eve were said to have initiated the first declaration of independence from God by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree (of knowledge). Adam may have been the first man to cause the separation between God and man, but another was sent to fix the problem. His name is Jesus the Christ, or Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is also considered the second Adam. The second Adam bridged the gap or separation from God. Jesus was and is again the solution to this problem of the world. Man was on one side and God was on the other, and Jesus opened His arms to bridge the gap between God and man (once and for all) then He said it is finished, and died for all of mankind.

Sin has never been the solution, it has always inhibited. It has always corrupted. It has always deceived and created division. Since it is the antithesis of what God is and represents, God can further be seen as light as compared to the darkness of sin. If it is destruction, then God can be seen as construction, etc.

God is the solution. He has always desired unity not division. He desires relationship with mankind who does not deserve relationship. God is the answer to the meaning of life. "Why are we here?" Because God wants us to be here, and He wants us to find Him in this journey we call life. God wants us to choose Him over all the world has to offer because He is worthy of that as our Creator.

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