The origin of sin

(The following is an outline of the message preached by Michael Larsen on November 17, 2019)

The Bible says “all have sinned.”  The Bible says in 1 John 1:10 "If we claim we have not sinned we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."

There are actually three kinds of wrong doing in the Bible. 

Sin literally means “falling short.”  That’s why the Bible says in Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. When you fail to meet God’s purpose for your life, you’re falling short.  The word “transgression” is the exact opposite. It means to “go past” it. When I know that God says not to do something and I say I want to do it anyway, that’s not falling short. That’s going past. Then the third one is the word “iniquity.” Iniquity actually talks about evil in my heart. In Psalm 32:5 you can see all three words used in the same verse.

"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" — and you forgave the guilt of my sin."

So why do we choose to ignore God and do our own thing? The answer is three-fold. 

First: nature. The Bible says in Romans 8:7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.

Then the second thing is nurture. The truth is you learned to sin from the people around you. 

Then the third thing that helps us to sin is culture.    

What are five results of living in a fallen world?

1.  There are natural disasters and deformities.  

Romans 8:20 tells us "For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it"

2.  There is physical decay and death in the world.

The Bible says this in 2 Corinthians 4:16 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day". 

3.  Emotional distress and disappointment.  

Romans 7:18 "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."

4.  Relational distance and discord.

Adam and Eve had perfect bodies and everything was great. But when they sinned it ruined the whole thing. It messed up the relationship.  That intimate intimacy of understanding each other became fear and hiding and distrust and shame. The Bible says in Genesis 3:7 "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves". 

5.  Spiritual discontent and darkness.