Theology Position Topic Six: Harmartiology

(Doctrine of Sin)

What is sin?

In the English language it is a common exposition on the subject to say that the word tells us all we need to know: The primary problem with sin is that “I” is at the center of it all (“I” being mankind in general and ourselves individually). Holman’s Bible Dictionary gives an excellent definition of sin as “actions by which humans rebel against God, miss His purpose for their life, and surrender to the power of evil rather than to God.”[1] It is the action and attitude of self in place of God. In both the Old Testament and New Testament various words are used in association with the sin. It is from the common Greek word “hamartano” that we derive the term Harmartiology, the study of the doctrine of sin.

The word means:[2]
* To be without a share in.
* To miss the mark.
* To err, be mistaken.
* To miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honor, to do or go wrong.
* To wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin.

It is the “missing the mark” that I find most truthful in my personal experiences. How often have I aimed to do well and failed? The verse “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) best describes sin to me. Like Adam before us, we chose to disobey God. And like Satan who tempted our first parents, we want to be like Him (Genesis 3:5). We would do well to heed the advice of God to be on alert because “sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you” (Genesis 4:7).

What are the results of sin?

For Adam and Eve, the first to sin, it meant:

* They became aware of their nakedness and were ashamed (Genesis 3:7).
* They tried to separate themselves from God (Genesis 3:8-10).
* Denied responsibility for personal decisions (Genesis 3:11).
* Pain entered the world for mankind (Genesis 3:16).
* Women were made subject to men (Genesis 3:16).
* Man is destined for hard labor in this life. The things we once enjoyed in leisure (food, protection, etc.) we will now only have if we work hard to get it (Genesis 3:17-19).
* They were now destined to die (Genesis 3:19).
* They were driven from paradise into the wilderness (Genesis 3:24).

For all of mankind throughout time it has meant:

* We inherited our original father’s (Adam) sin (Romans 5:12).
* Every person who ever lived will be judged (Revelation 20:12, 13).
* The penalty for sinning is death (Romans 6:23).
* Death from sin is both physical (Genesis 3:19) and spiritual (Revelation 21:8).
* Sinners will not be allowed into God’s new paradise (Revelation 21:27), but instead will be cast out into darkness (Matthew 8:12).

What is the remedy for sin?

Just as one man (Adam) brought sin into the world, there is only one man who could pay the penalty (Romans 5:15, 1 Corinthians 15:22). We know that the wages of sin is death, and Jesus became our propitiation (sacrifice of atonement) when he died on the cross (Romans 3:25). I believe that Jesus testified to this when he chose the phrase “it is finished” as his final statement from the cross (John 19:30). It is only through him that we have a hope of relief from our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21, John 14:6).

[1] Butler, Trent C. Editor. "Entry for 'SIN'". "Holman Bible Dictionary", 1991.
[2] Thayer and Smith. "Greek Lexicon entry for Hamartano". "The New Testament Greek Lexicon".