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When a Seventh-day Adventist defines sin
they usually quote 1 John 3:4 from the King
James Bible that says, “sin is the
transgression of the law.“ But sin is much
more than that. Literally, the Greek word
translated as “the transgression of the law“
is “anomia“ which means any kind of
lawlessness, iniquity, sin, or a defection
from any one of God’s standards. The Apostle
John was not talking about breaking one of
the Ten Commandments from the Old Covenant
Law.
“The Bible refers to
sin by a variety of Hebrew and Greek words.
This is partly because sin may appear in
many forms, from deliberate wrongdoing and
moral evil to accidental failure through
weakness, laziness or ignorance (Exod. 32:30;
Prov. 28:13; Matt. 5:22-28; Rom. 1:29-32; James 4:17). But the common characteristic of all
sin is that it is against God (Ps. 51:4;
Rom. 8:7). It is the breaking of God’s law, that
law being the expression of the perfection
that God’s absolute holiness demands (Isa. 1:2;
1 Jn. 3:4). It is the ‘missing of the
mark’, that ‘mark’ being the perfect
standard of the divine will (Deut. 9:18;
Rom. 3:23). It is unbelief, for it rejects the
truth God has revealed (Deut. 9:23; Ps. 78:21-22; John 3:18-19; 8:24; 16:9). It is
ungodliness, and it makes a person guilty
before God (Ps. 1:5-6; Rom. 1:18; James 2:10).
The Origin of
sin:
From the
activity of
Satan in the Garden of Eden, it is clear
that sin was present in the universe before
Adam and Eve sinned. But the Bible does not
record how evil originated. What it records
is how evil entered the human race.
Because human beings were made in the image
of God, the highest part of their nature can
be satisfied only by God. They cannot be
independent of God, just as the image of the
moon on the water cannot exist independently
of the moon (Gen. 1:26-28). Therefore, when
God gave the created world to them, he
placed a limit; for complete independence
would not be consistent with their status as
being in God’s image (Gen. 2:15-17).
But the human beings God created went beyond
the limit he set, and so they fell into sin.
Because of their ability to know God, they
were tempted to put themselves in the place
of God. They wanted to rule their lives
independently of him and be the final judge
of what was good and what was evil (Gen. 3:1-6). Pride was at the center of human sin
(Rom. 1:21-23; 1 Jn. 2:16; cf. Isa. 10:15; 14:13-14; Obad. 1:3).
Sin entered human
life because people doubted God, then ceased
to trust him completely, and finally were
drawn away by the desire to be their own
master (James 1:14; cf. Ezek. 28:2-6; John 16:9). Human sin originated in the human
heart; the act of disobedience was the
natural outcome (Prov. 4:23; Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-23).
Above all, sin was against
God – the rejection of his authority, wisdom
and love. It was rebellion against God’s
revealed will (Gen. 3:17; Rom. 1:25; 1 Jn. 3:4). And the more clearly God’s will was
revealed, the more clearly it showed human
sinfulness (Rom. 3:20; 5:20; cf. John 15:22-24).
Results of
sin:
As a
result of their sin, human beings have
fallen under the judgment of God. They have
come into a state of conflict with the
natural world (Gen. 3:17-19; Matt. 24:39),
with their fellow human beings (Gen. 3:12-13;
1 Jn. 3:12), with their inner selves (Gen. 3:7; 3:11-13;
Rom. 7:15; 7:19) and with God
(Gen. 3:8-10; 3:22-24; Rom. 3:10-18). The
penalty they have brought upon themselves is
death (Gen. 2:17; 3:19; 3:22-24; Rom. 6:23).
This involves not only physical death but
also spiritual death. It means separation
from God, who is the source of spiritual
life (John 3:3; 3:7; Rom. 6:16; 7:5; 7:13; 1 Cor. 15:56; Eph. 2:1-5).
Ever since
Adam’s sin, the human story is one of people
running from God, loving themselves instead
of God, and doing their will instead of
God’s (Rom. 1:19-23). The more they reject
God, the more they confirm their own
stubbornness and hardness of heart (Matt. 11:20-24; 13:12-13;
Rom. 1:28-32; Eph. 4:18).
Sin has placed them in the hopeless position
of being separated from God and unable to
bring themselves back to God (Isa. 59:2;
Rom. 3:19-20; Gal. 3:10). God, however, has not
left sinners in this helpless condition, but
through the one fully obedient human being,
Jesus Christ, has reversed the effects of
Adam’s sin (Rom. 5:6-18).
All
sinned
in Adam:
In Romans 5:12-21
the whole human race is viewed as having
existed originally in Adam, and therefore as
having sinned originally in Adam (Rom. 5:12;
cf. Acts 17:26). Adam is humankind; but
because of his sin he is humankind separated
from God and under his condemnation.
Because of Adam’s sin (his ‘one act of
disobedience’) the penalty of sin, death,
passes on to all people; but because of
Christ’s death on the cross (his ‘one act
of obedience’) the free gift of God, life,
is available to all people. Adam, by his
sin, brings condemnation; Christ, by his
death, brings justification (Rom. 5:17-20; 6:23; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). If ‘condemn’ means
‘declare guilty’, ‘justify’ means ‘declare
righteous’; and this is what God, in his
immeasurable grace, has done for sinners who
turn in faith to Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:16; 8:33).
Just as Adam is the
representative head of humankind as sinful
and separated from God, so Jesus Christ is
the representative head of humankind as
declared righteous and brought back to God.
All who die, die because of their union with
Adam; all who are made alive, are made alive
because of their union with Christ (Rom. 5:16; 1 Cor. 15:22). Christ bears sin’s
penalty, but more than that he brings
repentant sinners into a right relationship
with a just and holy God (Rom. 4:24-25; 5:8;
2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:10-13; Phil. 3:9).
Human nature is
corrupt:
In addition to
being sinners because of their union with
Adam, people are sinners because of what
they themselves do. They are born with a
sinful nature inherited from Adam, and the
fruits of this sinful nature are sinful
thoughts and Actions (Ps. 51:5; John 3:6;
Eph. 4:17-18).
People do not need to be
taught to do wrong; they do it naturally,
from birth. Sinful words and deeds are only
the outward signs of a much deeper evil – a
sinful heart, mind and will (Prov. 4:23;
Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 2:3).
Every part of a person is affected by this
sinful nature. The corruption is total (Gen. 6:5; 8:21;
Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:13-18; 7:18; 7:21-23) and it affects all people (Rom. 3:9-12; 3:23;
1 Jn. 1:8-10).
Total
depravity means not that the whole of
humanity is equally sinful, but that the
whole of each person’s nature is affected by
sin. All people are sinners, but not all
show their sinful condition equally. The
strong influences of conscience, will-power,
civil laws and social customs may stop
people from doing all that their hearts are
capable of, and may even cause them to do
good (Luke 6:33; 11:13; Rom. 2:14-15; 13:3).
But in spite of the good that people may do,
human nature is still directed by sin. It
has a natural tendency to rebel against
God’s law (Rom. 7:11-13; 8:7-8; Gal. 5:17-21;
Col. 2:23).
A
hopeless
position
apart
from God:
Since human nature is in such a
sinful condition, people are unable to make
themselves into something that is pleasing
to God (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 8:7-8). The disease of
sin has affected all that they are (their
nature) and all that they do (their deeds).
Every person is a sinner by nature and a
sinner in practice (Ps. 130:3; Rom. 3:23; 1 Jn. 1:8-10).
The position of sinners
before God is hopeless. Their sin has cut
them off from God, and there is no way he
can bring themselves back to God (Isa. 59:2;
Hab. 1:13; Col. 1:21). They are slaves to sin
and cannot free themselves (John 8:34; Rom. 7:21-23). They are under God’s condemnation,
and have no way of saving themselves (Rom. 3:19-20). They are the subjects of the wrath
of God and cannot avoid it (Rom. 1:18).
This complete hopelessness may be
summarized under the word ‘dead’. People are
dead in their sin and unable to make
themselves alive. But God in his grace gives
them new life, so that they can be
spiritually ‘born again’ (John 3:3-8; Eph. 2:1). This is entirely the work of God. It
is made possible through the death of Jesus
Christ, and is effectual in the lives of all
those who in faith turn from their sin to
God (John 1:13; 1:29; 6:44-45; Acts 3:19;
Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 2:8-9).
Having been
forgiven their sin and freed from its power,
believers then show it to be true by the way
they live (Rom. 6:1; 6:14; 6:18; Gal. 5:1).
Because of the continued presence of the old
sinful nature (the flesh) they will not be
sinless, but neither will they sin
habitually (Rom. 6:6-13). They can expect
victory over sin, and even when they fail,
they can be assured that genuine confession
brings God’s gracious forgiveness (Matt. 6:12-15;
1 Jn. 1:6-10; 2:1-2; 3:10).”
[1]
“1 John 3:4 says,
“Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact,
sin is lawlessness.” The word translated
“lawlessness” comes from the Greek word
anomia, which means “an utter disregard for
God and His laws.” From this Greek word we
also get the word antinomianism, which is
the belief that there are no moral laws that
God expects Christians to obey. Every sin is
a transgression against God because sin
violates His moral standard for human
beings. Since God created us (Gen. 1:27),
He has the right to define boundaries for
us. Any violation of those boundaries is a
violation of His law, which means that every
sin is an act of lawlessness.” [2]
Jesus’
Attitude to the
law:
“The covenant made
with Israel at Sinai and the law that
belonged to that covenant were not intended
to be permanent. They were part of the
preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ,
through whom God would make a new and
eternal covenant (Gal. 3:19-24; Heb. 9:15).
Jesus was born under the law (Gal. 4:4)
and was brought up according to the law
(Luke 2:21-24; 2:42). He obeyed the law
(Matt. 17:27; John 2:13) and he commanded
others to obey the law (Matt. 8:4; 23:1-3; 23:23). Jesus did not oppose the law, though
he certainly did oppose the false
interpretations of the law that the Jewish
leaders of his time taught. He upheld and
fulfilled the law by demonstrating its true
meaning (Matt. 5:17-19; Matt. 5:21; 5:27;
Matt. 5:31; 5:33; Matt. 5:38; 5:43).
Frequently Jesus pointed out that the law
was good and holy and that God gave it for
people’s benefit (Matt. 22:36-40; Luke 10:25-28; cf.
Rom. 7:12-14). By contrast the
Jewish leaders used the law to oppress
people, adding their own traditions and
forcing people to obey them. In so doing
they forgot, or even opposed, the purpose
for which God gave the law (Matt. 23:4; Mark 7:1-9). Jesus knew that the law, as a set of
regulations, was part of a system that was
about to pass away (Matt. 9:16-17; cf. Heb. 8:13). His death and resurrection would Mark
the end of the old covenant and the
beginning of the new (Heb. 9:15).
Under the new
covenant people still have to respond to
God’s covenant grace with obedience, but the
expression of that obedience has changed.
Instead of being bound by a set of rules,
they have inner spiritual power to do God’s
will. Instead of having to offer sacrifices
repeatedly, they have their sins taken away
once and for all. Instead of having to
approach God through priests, they have
direct fellowship with God (Jer. 31:31-34;
Heb. 8:8-13; 10:1-4; 10:16-18).
Salvation
apart from the
law:
People have never received forgiveness of
sins through keeping the law. Under the old
covenant, as under the new, they were saved
only through faith in the sovereign God who,
in his grace, forgave them and accepted
them. Abraham, David and Paul lived
respectively before, during and after the
period when the old covenant and its
law-code operated in Israel, but all three
alike were saved by faith (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 3:28; 4:1-16; 4:22;
Gal. 3:17-18; Eph. 2:8; 1 Tim. 1:14-16). Salvation depended upon God’s
promise, not upon human effort. It was a
gracious gift received by faith, not a
reward for keeping the law (Gal. 3:18-22).
Contrary to popular Jewish opinion, the
law was not given as a means of salvation
(Rom. 9:31-32). It was given to show the
standard of behavior God required from his
covenant people. As a set of official
regulations, it was given solely to the
nation Israel and was in force for the
period from Moses to Christ. But as an
expression of the character and will of God,
it operated on principles that are relevant
to people of all nations and all eras. It
expressed in a legal code for one nation the
principles that are applicable to people in
general (Rom. 2:12-16; 13:8-10). Through the
law given to Israel, God showed the
righteous standards that his holiness
demanded.
At the same time the law
showed the extent of people’s sinfulness,
for their behavior repeatedly fell short of
the law’s standards. The law therefore
showed up human sin; but when sinners
acknowledged their sin and turned in faith
to God, God in his grace forgave them (Rom. 3:19-20; 3:31;
Rom. 5:20; 7:7; Gal. 3:11; 3:19).
Those who broke the law were
under the curse and condemnation of the law
(Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10). Jesus Christ,
however, lived a perfect life according to
the law, and then died to bear the law’s
curse. By his death he broke its power to
condemn those who take refuge in him.
Believers in Jesus are freed from the law’s
curse. They have their sins forgiven and are
put right with God (Rom. 7:6; 8:1-3; 10:4;
Gal. 3:13; Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14).
Jesus
Christ is the true fulfillment of the law.
The law prepared the way for him and pointed
to him. Before his coming, the people of
Israel, being under the law, were like
children under the control of a guardian.
With his coming, the law had fulfilled its
purpose; the guardian was no longer
necessary. Believers in Jesus are not
children under a guardian, but full-grown
mature children of God (Gal. 3:23-26; 4:4-5;
cf. Rom. 10:4).”
[3]
Seventh-day
Adventists always want to define sin as
“transgression of the law” (1 Jn. 3:4 KJV),
but modern translations correctly translate
the Greek word “anomia” as
lawlessness. The Nelson’s NKJV Study
Bible says this about 1 John 3:4, “The sin
described in this verse is not occasional
sin but a consistent lifestyle of sin.
Lawlessness is not the absence of law but
active rebellion against the law. Sin is the
act of lawlessness.”
God’s laws
change according to the covenant you live
under and sin has to be
determined by the covenant you live under.
God made many things sinful for Israel that
are not sinful for those of us who live under the New Covenant,
law of Christ. Sin is not
a
violation against the Old Covenant Law that
Seventh-day Adventists try to make it
out to be.
References:
1.
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Sin
2.
What does it mean that sin is lawlessness?
3.
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Law
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