Chapter Four

The Doctrine of Sin

Hamartiology

1 The problem of sin 6 The imputation of sin

2 The origin of sin 7 The relation of original sin and depravity

3 The first human sin 8 The guilt from sin

4 The nature of sin 9 The penalty of sin

5 The universality of sin

Introduction
I. The problem of sin
A. The source of sin
B. The permitting of sin
1. The Divine recognition of the creature's free choice
2. The specific value of redeemed beings
3. The acquisition of Divine knowledge
4. The instruction of angels
5. The demonstration of the Divine hatred of evil
6. The righteous judgment of all evil
7. The manifestation and exercise of Divine grace
II. The origin of sin
A. In the universe
B. In the human race
III. The first human sin
A. The necessity of probation
B. The process of temptation, Gn. 3:1-6
1. Satan cast doubts on God's Word and His love
2. Eve tampered with God's Word
3. Satan contradicted God's Word
4. Eve succumbed to the temptation
C. The results of Man's first sin
1. As seen in man's attitude toward himself
a) Adam and Eve immediately became conscious of their own sin
b) Adam and Eve vainly sought to cover their sin
2. As seen in man's attitude toward God
a) Adam and Eve fled from the presence of God
b) Adam and Eve falsely thought they could hide from God
3. As seen in man's attitude toward his fellow man
D. The curse which the first sin brought
1. The curse upon the serpent
2. The curse upon the woman
 3. The curse upon the man
4. The curse upon the ground
IV. The nature of sin
A. The definition of sin
B. Sin and God's Law
1. The nature of God's Law
2. The purpose of God's Law
a) To intensify Man's knowledge of sin
b) To reveal the Holiness of God
c) To lead men to Christ
C. Scriptural expressions for sin
1. Missing of a mark or aim
2. Overpassing or trespassing of a line
3. Disobedience to a voice
4. Falling where one should have stood upright
5. Ignorance of what one ought to have known
6. Diminishing of that which should have been rendered in full measure
7. Non-observance of a Law - sins of omission, James 4:17
8. Lawlessness or anarchy - utter disregard for the law
9. Debt, failure in duty, or not meeting one's obligations to God
10. Other single words
D. Sin is evil
1. Sin is a specific type of evil
2. Sin is a positive evil
E. The sinful nature of sin
F. Important considerations regarding sin
1. Sins of omission
2. Sins of unbelief
3. Sins of ignorance
4. One sin makes one guilty of all
V. The universality of sin
VI. The imputation of sin
VII. The relation of original sin and depravity
A. The meaning of depravity
B. The results of depravity
VIII. The guilt from sin
A. Sin in relation to God
B. Degrees of guilt
1. Sins of nature and sins of personal transgression
2. Sins of ignorance. and sins of knowledge
3. Sins of infirmity and sins of presumption
IX. The penalty of sin
A. The significance of penalty
1. Upon the unsaved
2. Difference between chastisement and punishment
B. The nature of penalty
1. Physical death
2. Spiritual death
3. Eternal death
CHAPTER FOUR
The Doctrine of Sin
Hamartiology

INTRODUCTION
The Greek word for sin is hamartia, while the word ology signifies knowledge. Thus, Hamartiology is the
knowledge or the doctrine of sin. That sin is a reality in the world hardly needs to be argued. History reveals its
dire effects in the wars, tumults, and the evils sin exhibits. Every sound in nature is in the minor key. The
conscience of man is often a nagging testimony to his own shortcomings and sin (Rom. 2:15). The Scripture
speaks constantly of its reality. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). "But the
scripture hath concluded all under sin. . ." (Gal. 3:22).

I. THE PROBLEM OF SIN

One of the most perplexing questions which comes to the human mind is in relation to the presence and origin
of sin. That all men are sinners cannot be denied. This is true of every race and tribe. Nor is it necessary for
man to learn to sin. The principle of sin is in his very nature from the earliest days of his life. No child needs to
be told how to do wrong, but he must constantly be taught to do that which is right.

A. The Source of Sin.

Let us clearly understand that the Bible did not create the problem of sin. Sin was in the world long before
the Bible was written. If the Bible had never been written, or if it were not true, we would still have the problem
of sin on our hands. Men may even blame God and say sin was all His fault, but that does not eliminate the
problem. The curse of sin is still upon us.
Just because God is the Creator of all things, it does not follow that He is the author of sin. The Scripture
entirely excludes such a thing. ". . . Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that
he should commit iniquity" (Jb. 34:10). God could not possibly sin, for He is holy. "And one cried unto another,
and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord. . ." (Is. 6:3). There is no unrighteousness in Him. "He is the Rock, his
works are perfect: and all his ways are just: a faithful God who does no wrong and just is he" (Dt. 32:4, NIV).
"To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him" (Ps. 92:15). He cannot
be tempted with evil, neither does He tempt any man. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:
for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man" (Jas. 1:13). He hates sin. "For all that do such
things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God" (Dt. 25:16). "And let none of you
imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith
the Lord" (Zec. 8:17). In the light of all this, it would be blasphemous to make God the author of sin.
In order for sin to be sin, in the sense that there is guilt attached to it, it must be the free act of a responsible
being - one who understands the difference between right and wrong. This is what is called a free moral agent.

B . The Permitting of Sin.

One of the great unanswered questions of all time has been why God, in His infinite wisdom and power, should
have allowed sin to come into the universe. Philosophers, theologians, and scientists have struggled with this
problem that is obviously beyond their ability to solve. Perhaps the best one can say is that God permitted sin to
come into the world for reasons beyond our ability to understand. Certainly, He was not being taken unawares.
His holy purposes had not been thwarted, nor was He seeking to salvage something out of the unforseen
wreckage. This is not to say that God planned that sin, with all its evil and suffering, should come into the world.
It is merely that for good purposes known only to Him, and in spite of the suffering that it would cause, as well
as the awful price of the death of His Son which He must pay, God permitted sin to come, first into heaven, and
then to earth.
 Lewis Sperry Chafer has listed seven reasons, which are here advanced, for the divine permission of sin:

1. The Divine recognition of the creature's free choice - It is evidently the purpose of God to secure a
company of beings for His own glory who are possessed of that virtue which is the result of a free-choice victory
over evil. But man cannot make a choice between good and evil unless evil exists.

2. The specific value of redeemed beings - According to the Scriptures, God is not revealed as One who
seeks to avoid the issues which arise because of the presence of sin in the universe. He could have created
innocent, unfallen beings possessing no capacity to err; but if He desired redeemed souls purified by sacrificial
blood and purchased at an infinite cost, the expression of such love and the exercise of such sacrifice are possible
only when sin is present in the world.

3. The acquisition of Divine knowledge - The creatures of God's hand must, by a process of learning,
attain to that knowledge which God has possessed eternally. They can learn only by experience and revelation.
Man must learn concerning both good and evil. He must realize the sinfulness of sin if he is to attain in any degree
to the knowledge God possesses; but he cannot attain to such knowledge unless sin exists as a living reality which
is ever demonstrating its sinful character.

4. The instruction of angels - "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. . ." (Eph. 3:10). "Unto whom it was revealed, that
not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have
preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look
into" (1 Pt. 1:12). From these scriptures it is possible to conclude that angels are observing men on earth and
learning important facts through the present experience of human beings. It would be as necessary for angels to
learn the truth regarding that which is evil as it is for them to learn the truth regarding that which is good, but the
acquiring of the knowledge of evil through observing human experience must be denied the angels unless evil is
permitted as an active principle in the universe.

5. The demonstration of the Divine hatred of evil - It is evidently of immeasurable importance for God
to demonstrate His hatred of evil. The Apostle Paul declares that God was ". . . willing to shew his wrath, and
to make his power known. .." (Rom. 9:22); but no judgment, wrath, or power in relation to sin could be disclosed
apart from the permitted presence of sin in the world.

6. The righteous judgment of all evil - Far beyond the mere details of the expression of sin is the essential
fact of the principle of evil, which if it is to be judged by God, must evidently be brought out into an open
demonstration of its actual character. Such a demonstration could not be secured with sin existing as a
hypothetical issue. It had to become concrete and prove its actual character.

7. The manifestation and exercise of Divine grace - Finally, and of the greatest import, there was that
in God which no created being had ever seen. The angelic hosts had seen His wisdom, His power, and His glory;
but they had never seen His grace. They had no conception of the goodness of God to the undeserving. By one
marvelous act of mercy in the gift of His Son as a sacrifice for sinners, He opened the way for the exercise of
His grace toward those who, because of their sin, deserved only His wrath. But there could be no exercise of
Divine grace toward the sinful and undeserving until there were sinful and undeserving beings in the world.

II. THE ORIGIN OF SIN

It must be realized that sin did not have its beginning here on earth. The first sin was committed in heaven.
Heaven was stained before earth was marred by its dire presence. Thus, in order to fully understand its reality
and nature, we must first study its beginning in the universe, and then its beginning upon earth.

A. The Origin of Sin in the Universe.

First, let us consider the person who was responsible for the first sin in the universe:
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou
sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in thy beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every
precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the
sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared
in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou
wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast
perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy
merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as
profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, 0 covering Cherub, from the midst of the stones of
fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness:
I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee (Ez. 28:12-17).

That the prophet is describing a supernatural being is clear from the passage. The words might apply to a king
of Tyre, but they seem to go beyond this application and describe the highest of all created beings. To whom else
could these words apply, than to Satan before his fall?
We next look at the sin of which this exalted being was guilty:
How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground,
which did weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I
will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High (Is. 14:12-14).
Five times Lucifer lifts up his will against the will of God. It can thus be seen that the first sin was that of
rebellion against, and total independence of, God.
"I will ascend into heaven" - There are three heavens: the atmospheric heaven, the stellar or astronomic
heaven, and the highest or third heaven where God and the saints abide. (See 2 Corinthians 12:1-4, where Paul
writes about having been caught up into the "third heaven.") The angels' sphere is in the second heaven.
"I will exalt my throne above the stars of God" - "The stars of God" refers to the angelic hosts, as in: "When
the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" Jb. 38:7), and "Raging waves of the sea,
foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever" (Jude
13). (See also Rv. 12:3,4; 22:16.) Thus is expressed the desire to secure a rulership over angelic beings.
"I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north" - These words have been taken
to express a desire for an earthly kingdom also. In scriptural symbolism, a mountain means a kingdom. "And it
s hall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it" (Is. 2:2). ". . . And the stone that
smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth" (Dn. 2:35).
"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds" - Divine glory is often symbolized by clouds in Scripture.
Lucifer wanted to possess this glory.
"I will be like the most High" - This is the climax of the other four desires. All of these statements express
independence of and opposition to God, a willful ambition against God. If we wonder how it was possible for sin
to come into a perfect environment, the answer seems to be, as far as Lucifer and the angels who fell with him,
that their fall was due to their deliberate, self-determined revolt against God.

B . The Origin of Sin in the Human Race.

The third chapter of Genesis describes how sin first entered the human race. A complete grasp of this
chapter's teachings is essential to our understanding of that which follows in the Scriptures. The story of the fall
of man, as given here, is an absolute contradiction to the theory of evolution which purports to teach that man
began at the very bottom of the moral ladder and is now slowly climbing upwards. On the contrary, this chapter
declares that man began at the very top, in the image of God, and proceeded to tumble to the bottom.
Genesis chapter three also contradicts the modern theory of heredity and environment. We are told that the
reason sin and evil are in the world is because of the pollution of the stream of our heredity. If our ancestors had
not sinned we would not have been sinners. We know that Adam and Eve had no polluted ancestry behind them,
yet they sinned. Again we are told that the cause of evil in the human heart is due to the sinful environment in
which we live. If we could only clean up society, then men would no longer be subject to sin. This is shown to
be false by the fact that our first parents lived in a condition of perfection, yet they sinned. No change of
environment will rid man of his sin. Arthur W. Pink has said, "What man needs is not a new berth, but a new
birth."
The human race was created in such a way that it could receive and reciprocate the love of God. In order
for love to be real it must be bestowed freely. Love is not love if it is given under compulsion. How was God to
know whether this first man and woman loved Him? He gave them an opportunity to prove their love by a simple
act of obedience. In fact, it was not even as difficult as can be assumed. All they were asked to do was to
refrain from committing one act - partaking of the fruit of one of the many trees in the garden, and thereby
demonstrating their devotion to Him. God was not depriving them of anything. Adam and Eve did not need the
fruit of this tree. It was not necessary to either their happiness or well-being. On the other hand, man does not
need sin. It has not added one moment of genuine pleasure to his life in any way. Even those who sin against
others the most want others to deal honestly with them. The liar expects you to tell him the truth, and the thief
who steals your goods wants you to leave his goods alone.
There was no poison or evil in the fruit of that one tree. It was only wrong because God said they were not
to eat of it. In the moral economy which God was establishing here on the earth sin was a possibility, but not a
necessity. Adam and Eve should never have converted that possibility into an actuality. Surrounded with
everything for their every need, and duly warned by God as to what the consequences would be, we can only
conclude that they were to blame for what they did. "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his
own lust, and enticed" (Jas. 1:14).
It is very important to bear this fact in mind: God did not permit Satan to coerce or overpower Adam and Eve.
The serpent tempted them, but he did not force them to eat of the forbidden fruit. The manner in which Satan
came was a real trial, but it was not of such a nature as to overwhelm the original pair. This is true of all
temptation. A successful temptation requires the cooperation of the individual tempted. He must yield just as
Adam and Eve yielded. They could blame Satan for tempting them; but they must blame themselves for yielding
to the temptation. Their sinning was their own responsibility, and thus they bore the penalty.
The difference between Satan's fall and man's fall is that Satan fell without any external tempter. Sin among
angels originated in their own beings; man's sin originated in response to a tempter and temptation from without.
Thiessen makes a unique statement: "Had man fallen without a tempter, he would have originated his own sin, and
would have himself become a Satan."

III. THE FIRST HUMAN SIN

A. The Necessity of Probation.
God had made man perfect, in His own image. He had placed him in a perfect environment, supplying his
every need, and had given him a beautiful helpmate in Eve. He was also given a free will. But it was necessary
that his free will be tested, in order for him to be confirmed in positive righteousness of character. Character is
the sum total of human choices. It can be attained only through choices. Thus man was on probation, until it
should be shown how he would use his power of freedom of choice. He could have chosen to resist temptation.
Unfortunately, he chose the opposite.

B . The Process of Temptation, Genesis 3:1-6.

1. Satan cast doubts on God's Word and His love. "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of
the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?" (v.1) The reason the tempter came to the woman, rather than to Adam, may be due
to the fact that God had given the command, forbidding them to eat of the tree, to Adam directly. Eve received
the command from her husband. So Satan very cleverly did not come directly to the man, but to the woman
through the serpent; and he came while she was alone. Satan's subtle question, "Yea, hath God said?" is a favorite
tactic of his today - calling in question the veracity of God's Word. He also seemed to suggest that God was
keeping something back from man, thus His love might be called into question.
2. Eve tampered with God's Word. "And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the
trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat
of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die" (vv.2,3). Eve did three things, each of which is tragically dangerous.
Note carefully what God had said, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die"
(Gn. 2:16,17). First, Eve added to God's Word. She added, "neither shall ye touch it." God had not said that, and
by adding these words she made it appear as though God were unreasonable in His demands. It is always a
dangerous thing to add to God's plain words. "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found
a liar" (Prv. 30:6). Second, she altered God's Word. She said, "lest ye die." The sharp point of the Spirit's sword
was dulled, suggesting that there was only a possibility that they might die. Third, she omitted part of God's Word.
Eve completely left out God's solemn threat, "Thou shalt surely die." Revelation 22:19 says: "And if any man shall
take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and
out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
3. Satan contradicted God's Word. Having sown the seed of doubt in Eve's mind concerning what God
had said, Satan was now ready for the flat denial, and its plausible explanation. "And the serpent said unto the
woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened,
and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (vv.4,5). The word "gods" is not expressed in the original Hebrew
in the plural! What Satan really said was, "Ye shall be as God." This certainly made a strong appeal to her self-
centered ambition - to be as God! Then she began to rationalize as to the attractiveness of the fruit, its satisfying
taste, and the intriguing possibility of a whole new experience in knowing both good, which she had known, and
evil - an area which must have stirred her curiosity, to say the least.
4. Eve succumbed to the temptation. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that
it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,
and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat" (vv.6).
First John 2:16 states: "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Here are stated what seem to be the three areas of temptation man
is subjected to in this world. All sin stems from at least one of these. It can easily be seen that Eve fell for all
three: the lust of the eye - "she saw ... it was pleasant to the eyes," the lust of the flesh - "that the tree was good
for food," and the pride of life - "a tree to be desired to make one wise." Thus the seed of every sin among men
is seen in this the first sin.

C. The Results of Man's First Sin.

1. As seen in man's attitude toward himself.
a) Adam and Eve immediately became conscious of their own sin. Their consciences were awakened
and instantly accused them to themselves. God had not even entered the picture, yet man knew he was a sinner.
"And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked...'(v.7). God later asked
them,"Who told thee that thou wast naked?" (v.11). Man did not need another to tell him; he knew it himself
Adam and Eve became conscious of two things with relation to their sin: pollution and guilt. The
consciousness of their pollution led them to endeavor to cover themselves. The realization of their guilt caused
them to flee when God came near. The pollution of sin is a fact. Sin is sinful, and every man bears its stain upon
his soul. God does not put it there. It is the inevitable result of sin. There was also the consciousness of guilt,
for all sin is in relation to God.
b) Adam and Eve vainly sought to cover their sin. "And they sewed fig leaves together, and made
themselves aprons" (v. 7). Hardly had the first man and woman sinned, and become conscious of their guilt,
before there was an attempt to cover up. Prior to this time man needed no covering for his body. Many
commentators have imagined that they were covered with a garment of light - the glory of God. Whatever their
condition was, they were instantly conscious that they had lost something. Some have thought that prior to this
the spirit dominated the body, but now the body ruled over the spirit. The inherent tendency in sinful man is to
always try to cover up the result of his sin. Thus many attempt to sew for themselves "fig leaves" of self-
righteousness. Our first parents soon discovered that these did not even satisfy themselves, let alone a holy God;
for when God came near, they fled from His presence.

2. As seen in man's attitude toward God.

a) Adam and Eve fled from the presence of God. "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking
in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God
amongst the trees of the garden" (v. 8). What a difference sin had made in so short a time! Apparently, they had
enjoyed God's presence prior to their sin, but now they fled from Him. There is something about sin in the human
heart that forms an antipathy toward God, and the sinner will flee from His presence.
b) Adam and Eve falsely thought they could hide from God. What a false sense of security was theirs
as they hid behind the trees of the garden! As though they could hide from the all-seeing eye of the Almighty
within the confined limits of Eden! As though there were any place in all God's great universe where one might
hide from Him who sees and knows all the secrets of men's hearts! (Ps. 139:7-13). It is gracious indeed to realize
that, though He most surely knew what had happened, it was God who sought the fallen pair: Adam, "Where art
thou?" (Gn. 3:9). God has been taking the initiative in seeking lost Mankind ever since. "For the Son of man is
come to seek and to save that which is lost" (Lk. 19:10). (Also the parable of the lost sheep, Lk. 15:3-7).

3. As seen in man's attitude toward his fellow man. One of the saddest results of sin is its effect upon
others. Eve was not content to disobey God herself alone, she must also involve her husband. "And when the
woman saw that the tree was good for food.... she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her
husband. . ." (Gn. 3:6). The drunkard, the addict, or the immoral person, is never satisfied until he has influenced
others to join him in his vices.
When God confronted the first sinners and asked them that searching question, "Hast thou eaten of the tree,
whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?" (v. 11), there was an immediate attempt on the part of
Adam to shift the blame to another: "The woman .... she gave me of the tree, and I did eat" (v.12). Instead of
openly admitting his guilt, Adam blamed his wife. Not only did he blame her, but there is the suggestion that Adam
also laid some of the blame on God Himself: "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me ... (v.12). It is of the
nature of sin that causes man to refuse to take the responsibility on himself. The prayer that brings forgiveness
and cleansing is, "God be merciful to ME a sinner" (Lk. 18:13).

D. The Curse Which the First Sin Brought.

Though it was only one sin - one act of disobedience - it manifested the spirit of rebellion which had come into
the heart of man, and broke fellowship with the Holy God. As a result, God pronounced the curses under which
all of creation has suffered ever since.
1. The curse upon the serpent. ". . . thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field;
upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust thou shalt eat all the days of thy life. . ." (v.14) - the curse upon the animal
kingdom.
2. The curse upon the woman. I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt
bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (v.16).
3. The curse upon the man...... cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days
of thy life ... in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou
taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (vv.17-19). This plainly includes both physical and spiritual
death.
A further result of the curse upon man is his expulsion from the garden of Eden.
 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put
forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: therefore the Lord God sent him forth
from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed
at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of
the tree of life (vv.22-24). Though this seems to be a severe judgment, yet there is the thought of mercy, for God
did not want man to eat of the tree of life lest he should live forever in his sin; thus making redemption impossible.
4. The curse upon the ground. ". . . cursed is the ground for thy sake ... thorns also and thistles shall it
bring forth to thee . . ." (vv.17,18) The curse upon the vegetable kingdom.

IV. THE NATURE OF SIN

A. What is Sin?
Perhaps the best definition is found in the Larger Catechism (Westminster) which says: "Sin is any want of
conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God given as a rule to the reasonable creature.114 Chafer and
others think it would be better to substitute the word "character" for "law" in this definition, inasmuch as the law
of God may not include all that God's character requires. Anything that contradicts God's character of holiness
is sin. The definition might be more comprehensive if both thoughts were included: Sin is any want of conformity
unto, or transgression of, the character or law of God given as a rule to the reasonable creature. Sin may be
against God's Person and thus be godlessness, defilement or selfhood; or it may be against God's laws, or moral
government, and thus be transgression, rebellion, or lawlessness. The former is illustrated in Isaiah chapter six,
where the prophet caught a vision of the holiness of God and cried out: ". . . woe is me! for I am undone; because
I am a man of unclean lips . . ." (Is. 6:5). Also, as Job said to God: 'I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear:
but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Jb. 42:5,6). (See also Lk.
5:8 and Rv. 1:17.) That sin is a transgression of the law is clear from:
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had
not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet (Rom. 7:7).
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them (Gal. 3:10). If ye fulfill the
royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect
to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors (Jas. 2:8,9).

B . Sin and God's Law.

1. The nature of God's law. Since we define sin as any want of conformity unto or transgression of God's
law, it would be well to understand a few things about His laws.
First, there is nothing wrong with the Law itself. We have so emphasized the fact that we are under grace
and not under Law, one would almost think the Law was something evil. Paul says: ". . . the law is holy, and the
commandment holy, and just, and good" (Rom. 7:12). It is a revelation of God's nature and will, therefore it can
only be good.
Second, God's law is not something arbitrary, since it springs from His own nature. God does not declare that
something is right simply on the basis that He says it is. Rather, He says it is right because it is right. If this were
not so He would be a despot.
Third, when God gave man His Law, did He expect him to keep it? The answer can only be, No! Knowing
all things, God was fully aware that man would not - indeed could not - keep His Law when He gave it to him.
Why then, did an all-wise God give a set of laws to a people He well knew would not, and could not, keep them?
As in everything, God had a wise and good purpose in this giving of the Law. There seems to be at least a
threefold purpose.

2. The purpose of God's Law.

a) The Law was given to intensify Man's knowledge of sin. A man's conscience will bear inner witness
to him that he is a sinner, but through God's published Law he has a clearer knowledge of what sin is. "Now we
know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God ... for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom.
3:19,20). "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I
had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet" (Rom. 7:7). Having learned through the law,
that sin is breaking God's commandments, sin now takes on the character of transgression. "For until the law sin
was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law" (Rom. 5:13). "Was then that which is good made
death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin
by the commandment might become exceeding sinful" (Rom. 7:13).
b) The Law was given to reveal the holiness of God. If there is one message that comes to us from
the detailed ceremonial laws, offerings, priestly requirements, etc.; it is that God is a holy God and can only be
approached in the proper, prescribed way, and only at given times. The Law reveals the holiness of God.
"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good" (Rom. 7:12).
c) The Law was given to lead men to Christ. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every
one that believeth" (Rom. 10:4). The Law is called a "schoolmaster." "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster
to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24). The word translated "schoolmaster" is
paidagogos, which has no exact equivalent in the English language. A paidagogos was usually a trusted slave in
a wealthy Roman family, who had the responsibility of superintending the general care of a son from about age
six to sixteen: taking him to and from his teachers' houses or the schools of physical training, looking after him in
his play hours, and so on. In likening the Law to the believer's paidagogos, Paul had in mind the temporary and
purely provisional nature of this arrangement until the child became of age and could participate fully in his father's
inheritance. The Law could not save, but it served to make men realize their need of Christ, through Whom alone
they could be justified by faith. The Law, through its offerings, its priesthood, and the tabernacle, pointed to the
Cross of Christ as the only way of salvation and access to God. Once Christ came, and was received as Savior
and Lord through faith, the Law, as a means of obtaining salvation, was done away with. Unbelievers, those who
do not come to Christ for salvation, are still being judged by the Law.
The Scriptures teach that on the death of Christ the believer is delivered, not only from the curse of the Law -
the penalty imposed upon him by the Law - but from the Law itself.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed
is every one that hangeth on a tree ... (Gal. 3:13).
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be
married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God (Rom.
7:4).
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances ... (Eph.
2:15).
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out
of the way, nailing it to his cross ... (Col. 2:14).
This deliverance from law refers not only to the ceremonial law, but to the moral law (the Ten
Commandments) as well. Second Corinthians 3:7-11 makes it clear that it was that law which was "written and
engraven in stones" that passed away. This makes it certain that Paul was writing about the Ten Commandments.
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel
could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done
away: how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? ... For if that which is done away was
glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious (2 Cor. 3:7-11).
Thus the believer can realize that he is not "under law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14). "But if ye be led of the
Spirit, ye are not under the law" (Gal. 5:18).

C. Scriptural Expressions for Sin.

Many different words and expressions are used in the Bible to describe sin. The following are some of the
most popularly used ones:
1. Missing of a mark or aim - Romans 3:23; 5:12, this is the expression most used in both the Old and New
Testaments.
2. Overpassing or trespassing of a line - to transgress, I Timothy 2:14.
3. Disobedience to a voice - Hebrews 2:2,3.
4. Falling where one should have stood upright - Galatians 6:1,variously translated.
5. Ignorance of what one ought to have known - Hebrews 9:7.
6. Diminishing of that which should have been rendered in full measure - I Corinthians 6:7; i.e.,
Annanias and Saphira, Acts 5:2.
7. Non-observance of a law - sins of omission, James 4:17.
8. Lawlessness or anarchy - utter disregard for the Law - 1 John 3:4, where "transgression" should be
translated "lawlessness." 9. Debt, a failure in duty, a not meeting one's obligations to God Matthew 6:12.
10. Other single words: iniquity, Lv. 26:40; godlessness, 1 Pt. 4:8; wickedness, Prv. 11:31; unbelief, Rom.
11:20; unrighteousness, I Jn. 1:9; unjustness, Dt. 25:16; unholiness, 1 Ti. 1:9.

D. Sin is Evil.
1. Sin is a specific type of evil. There are physical evils and moral evils in the world. Physical evils such
as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, frost and drought, etc., are not sins. They are not moral evils, but are
sometimes sent by God to punish or chastise those who have broken His Law. It is in this sense in Isaiah 45:7,
that God is said to "create evil." The Hebrew word ra, which Isaiah uses here for "evil," is never rendered "sin,"
but "evil, calamity, adversity," etc. God made the Law and its penalties for breaking it. If man sins, he will reap
the results; and the responsibility for both are man's.
2. Sin is a positive evil. The sinner is not simply one who does not keep the Law. He becomes a positive
force for evil.

E. The Sinful Nature of Sin.

Sin does not merely consist of outward acts. It is a principle or nature within the sinner. While it is true that
men are sinners because they sin, it is a fundamental principle that men sin because they are sinners. They are
sinners by nature before they become sinners by practice. The first sin of Adam was a personal sin which
resulted in his having a sinful nature. His descendants have all been born with a sinful nature, which has resulted
in their sinning. Jesus said that a tree brings forth fruit according to its nature. "Even so every good tree bringeth
forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can
a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit" (Mt. 7:17, 18). He was more interested in cutting down the evil tree, rather
than trying to destroy the evil fruit. Thus, John the Baptist prophesied of Him, "And now also the axe is laid unto
the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire"
(Mt. 3:10).
This also explains why Jesus condemned the adulterous look, as well as the act of adultery (Mt. 5:27,28); and
why He condemned anger as much as murder (Mt. 5:21,22), for it is this principle which leads to murder. In
connection with temptation and the adulterous look of which Jesus speaks here, it seems, according to Dake, that
He meant that a man would look "with continual longing, with the mind made up to commit the act if at all possible
(Jas. 1:13-16). It becomes a state of the heart and is as deadly as the act itself (I Sam. 16:7; Mk. 7:19-23 ).116
Temptation itself is not sin; thus, if a man "looks" at a woman and is "tempted," that in itself is not sin. It becomes
sin if he dwells upon it, fantasizing concerning his desire. James explains it thus: "But every man is tempted, when
he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when
it is finished, bringeth forth death" (Jas. 1:14,15).
The New Testament distinguishes between sin and sins. The former refers to the sin nature, while the latter
refers to the results, or expressions, of that nature. Paul says: "For without the law sin was dead.... But when the
commandment came, sin revived, and I died" (Rom. 7:8b,9); ". . . whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin"
Un. 8:34); ". . . we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. . . ." (Rom. 3:9);
'wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world. . . ." (Rom. 5:12). Sin is also seen to be a force within a
person, as well as the acts which he commits. 'Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey
it in the lusts thereof" (Rom. 6:12). "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but
under grace" (Rom. 6:14).
Those who study criminals, with a view to reclaiming them, are more interested in what made them commit
the crime than in the actual deed itself. Man needs a salvation that will give him a new nature. That is why "Ye
must be born again" (Jn. 3:7).
Thiessen quotes Charles Hodge as saying: "Sin includes guilt and pollution; the one expresses its relation to
the justice, the other to the holiness of God." Then he adds: "In so far as sin is a transgression of the law, it is guilt;
in so far as it is a principle, it is pollution. 117
Pollution as a result of sin, is clearly seen in the following scriptures: 11... the whole head is sick, and the
whole heart faint" (Is. 1:5); "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. . ." (Jer. 17:9); ". . .
an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil...... (Lk. 6:45).
The following scriptures, and many others, speak of men needing to be cleansed: "wash me throughly from
mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" (Ps. 51:2); "purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and
I shall be whiter than snow" (Ps. 51:7); and ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I Jn.
1:7).

F. Important Considerations Regarding Sin.

1. Sins of omission. Failure to do what God's Law requires is as much sin as to do contrarily to the
requirements of the Law. There are sins of omission as well as of commission. "Therefore to him that knoweth
to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" Was. 4:17). Israel was accused of robbing God. "Will a man rob God?
Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings" (Mal. 3:8).
2. Sins of unbelief. "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin ... Of sin, because they believe
not on me. . ." Jn. 16:8,9). "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for
whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23).
3. Sins of ignorance. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. The Levitical law gave specific instructions
concerning the type of offering a man should bring to the priest if he was guilty of a sin through ignorance: And
if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. And the priest
shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly. . . ." (Nm. 15:27,28).
And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments
of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet he is guilty, and shall bear his iniquity (Lv. 5:17).
The idea of a sin of ignorance is also expressed in the New Testament:
And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will,
shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be
beaten with few stripes (Lk. 12:47,48).
4. One sin makes one guilty of all. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for
it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the books of the law to do
them" (Gal. 3:10). "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (Jas.
2:10). This seems to be a most stringent law. Yet if a person were hanging over a high cliff by a chain, it would
not be necessary to break every link in the chain to send him headlong to his death on the rocks below. One would
need to break only one link - and that could be the smallest of all. It only takes one sin to make a man a sinner.

V. THE UNIVERSALITY OF SIN

The Scriptures bear testimony to the sinfulness of all mankind. The Old Testament declares: ". . . for there
is no man that sinneth not. . ." (I Kgs. 8:46); ". . . for in thy sight shall no man living be justified" (Ps. 143:2); "who
can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?" (Prv. 20:9); "for there is not a just man upon earth,
that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Eccl. 7:20).
The New Testament is even more explicit: there is none righteous, no, not one ... there is none that doeth good,
no not one" (Rom. 3:10-12); "for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. . ." (Rom. 3:23); "but the
scripture hath concluded all under sin. . . ." (Gal. 3:22); "we all stumble in many ways." (Jas. 3:2a, NIV); "If we
say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 Jn. 1:8).
The fact that Christ died for all is an indication that all are sinners and need His saving grace: "For the love
of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for
all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them, and rose again"
(2 Cor. 5:14,15).
The Scriptures teach that through the sin of Adam and Eve all his posterity are counted as sinners. "Through
the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners" (Rom. 5:19, NASB). How God can hold every man
responsible for a depraved nature because of a sin he himself did not commit, will be discussed under the
imputation of sin.

VI. THE IMPUTATION OF SIN

Imputation means to attribute or reckon something to a person. A good illustration of the principle is seen in
Philemon verses seventeen and eighteen, where Paul says of Onesimus' debt: "If thou count me therefore a
partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee. or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account. . . ."
Three great examples of imputation are seen in the Bible: (1) that of Adam's sin to the human race, (2) that
of our sin to Christ, as He died for us, and (3) Christ's righteousness imputed to believers through faith in Christ.
The first and third are especially seen in Romans 5:12-21. This is truly one of the greatest passages in the Bible.
The key verse in this passage is verse twelve: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death
by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.. . ." "As by one man sin entered in to the world"
- sin did not begin with Adam, it merely entered into the human race through him. It had its beginning with Lucifer
(Ez. 28:12-17). The important expression here is, "for that all have sinned." Since the Greek aorist tense is used,
a single historical act which was completed in the past is indicated. Thus, "all have sinned" is better rendered "all
sinned." Chafer says:
Each member of the race died physically because of his own part in Adam's sin. Since one complete,
single, historical act is in view, the words "all sinned" cannot refer to a nature which results from that act, nor
can it refer to personal sins of many individuals. It is not that man became sinful. The assertion is that all
sinned at one time and under the same circumstances.

"Sinned" is not equivalent to "became sinful." Paul does not say, "death passed upon all men" for that Adam
sinned, but "for that all sinned" (v.12).
Adam was the natural head of the human race, so that all men were in him when he sinned. Thus, we all are
sinners because we sinned in him. This principle is illustrated in Hebrews 7:9,10: "And as I may so say, Levi also,
who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met
him." Levi, the father of the priestly tribe, received tithes of the people. But because he was in the loins of his
great-grandfather Abraham when he paid tithes to Melchisedec, the priest of the Most High God, Levi is said to
have paid tithes to this ancient priest (Gn. 14:20). In like manner, the whole human race was in Adam, their
natural head, when he sinned. God thus imputes the sin of Adam to each member of the race. Chafer again
strongly claims: "No one would claim that Levi consciously and purposefully paid tithes to Melchisedec, yet God
declares he did. Likewise, no one would claim that each individual in Adam's race consciously and purposefully
sinned in Adam, yet there can be no doubt that God reckons that each member of the race sinned in Adam's
transgression's In 1 Corinthians 15:22 we read: "For as in Adam all die......
Lest any think that the statement in Romans 5:12, "for all have sinned," is a reference to personal sin, Paul
follows the statement with verses thirteen and fourteen:
For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned
from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the
figure of him that was to come.
No written statement of what God required had been given to man before the Law was given, thus men were
not held as guilty of having broken what did not exist; "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses. . ."
(v.14). We have already been told that death came by sin. If man was not responsible for breaking laws which
did not exist, yet he suffered the penalty of sin, which was death; then the sin which caused him to die, even
before the Law was given to Moses, could not have been personal sin. Death reigned, from Adam to Moses, even
over infants and incompetent people. It would seem then that the "all" who sinned (v.12), could not have been held
guilty of personal sin, but must have been considered sinners because of their being in Adam when he sinned. In
verse fourteen we are told that Adam was the figure, or type "of him that was to come," Christ Jesus. In the
following verses, Paul makes several comparisons and contrasts between the first Adam and the Last Adam,
Christ: "Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by
the righteousness of one [Christ] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous" (vv.18,19).
If any feel that it is unjust that the sin of Adam should be imputed to all his posterity, by the same reasoning
it would be unjust to impute the righteousness of Jesus Christ to those who believe in Him. Yet this is the basis
of our justification and salvation.
It might seem to some that there is a contradiction between two sets of statements which are found in the Old
Testament. In Exodus 20:5 and Deuteronomy 5:9 (which are identical) and Exodus 34:7, which expresses the
same thought in almost the same language, are found the words: 'I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." In apparent
contradiction to this we read: "The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the
iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall
be upon him" (Ez. 18:20). (See also Dt. 24:16; 2 Kgs. 14:6; 2 Chr. 25:4.) The explanation of this difficulty is not
hard to find. The former statement has to do with the consequences of the parents' sin and not the sin per se.
The passage in Ezekiel is referring to the guilt and penalty of the parents' sin rather than the consequences. We
know that children often must bear the consequences of their parents' wrongdoing and wrong-living. The
following from The Pulpit Commentary illustrates this principle:
God again manifestly does by the laws which obtain in his moral universe, entail on children many
consequences of their parents' ill-doing - as the diseases which arise from profligacy and intemperance, the
poverty which is the result of idleness or extravagance, the ignorance and evil habits which are the fruit of
neglected education. It is this sort of visitation which is intended here.10

Nowhere does the Bible teach, as is made clear from Ezekial 18:20 and the other references given, that a son
or grandson is considered guilty of the individual sin or sins of his parents and will thus be judicially or eternally
punished.

VII. ORIGINAL SIN AND DEPRAVITY

A. The Meaning of Depravity.
Two things are meant by the expression "original sin": the first sin of Adam, and the sinful nature possessed
by every man since Adam, due to Adam's first transgression. This sinful nature is called "depravity." Depravity
consists of four things which are true of every individual when he is born.
1. He is completely void of original righteousness. "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my
mother conceive me" (Ps. 51:5).
2. He does not possess any holy affection toward God. "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and
worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever Amen" (Rom. 1:25). "For men
shall be lovers of their own selves ... traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.
. . . " (2 Tm. 3:2-4)
3. There is nothing from without a man, that can defile him; but the things which come out of him,
these are they that defile the man. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,
foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mk. 7:15, 21-23).
4. He has a continuous bias toward evil. "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the
earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gn. 6:5).
 Lest the term "depravity" be misunderstood, it is well to note the following, quoted from Lectures in Systematic
Theology, by Thiessen: From the negative standpoint, it does not mean that every sinner is devoid of all qualities
pleasing to men; that he commits, or is prone to commit every form of sin; that he is as bitterly opposed to God
as it is possible for him to be ... Jesus recognized the existence of pleasing qualities in some individuals (Mark
10:21; Matt. 23:23). ... From the positive standpoint, it does mean that every sinner is totally destitute of that love
to God which is the fundamental requirement of the law. "Hear, 0 Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Dt. 6:4,5). See Matt.
22:35-38; that he is supremely given to a preference of himself to God (11 Tim. 3:2-4); that he has an aversion
to God which on occasion becomes active enmity to Him: "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it
is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7); that his every faculty is disordered and
corrupted: "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that
is in them, because of the blindness of their heart" (Eph. 4:18); that he has no thought, feeling, or deed of which
God can fully approve: "For I know that in me (that is in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present
with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Rom. 7:18); and that he has entered upon a line of
constant progress in depravity from which he can in no wise turn away in his own strength (Rom. 7:18).11

B . The Result of Man's Depravity.

Sin is willful rebellion against God. Such an attitude cannot but bring forth evil results. It is not surprising that
one can look all about and see the awful results of sin. It is just not possible for men to continue sinning and
receive anything but a harvest of sorrows of the worst kind. Paul states in Galatians 6:8: "For he that soweth to
his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. . . ." Hosea said, concerning Israel: 'For they have sown the wind, and
they shall reap the whirlwind... ." (Hos. 8:7). He also declared: "Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped
iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies. . ." (Hos. 10:13).
One would have to be blind not to see the result of sinful depravity in the minds and bodies of the human race
today. Superstition, barbarity, and the grossest iniquity are seen in every land where the Gospel has not gone.
Where the message of salvation from sin has been preached and rejected, the condition is almost worse, for here
is added the condemnation of light that has been rejected. In our own land, which is probably the greatest
Christian country in the world, every institution of correction, every prison of punishment, every sanitarium and
asylum is bulging with the results of sin. Every policeman in the nation is a silent tribute to the result of sin. So
devastating is the influence of sin upon the human consciousness that now sin is glamorized until it is being
recognized in society as the thing to do. A great man once said, "Our greatest defense against sin is to be shocked
at it"; and when this attitude ceases, sin has accomplished its direst results. Paul, in that terrible list of gross
iniquities in Romans 1:24-32, climaxed the whole dread situation when he said: "Who knowing the judgment of God,
that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do
them" (v.32). When sin loses its sinfulness, and men take pleasure in the grossest of sinful practices, there is little
hope left.

VIII. THE GUILT FROM SIN

A. Sin in Relation to God.
Guilt is just desserts of punishment for self-determined violation of law or failure to conform to that law. It
is the result of sin in relation to God's wrath. There are natural results of sin in the sinner himself, but wrath brings
God into the picture. Every sin is an offense against God and subject to His wrath. (See Ps. 7:11; Jn. 3:18,36).
David's repentance reached its height when he realized that he had not only sinned against Bathsheba and her
husband Uriah, but against God. "Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou
mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest" (Ps. 51:4). The prodigal realized the
same when he cried, ". . . I have sinned against heaven. . ." (Lk. 15:21). Romans 3:19 states the case well: "Now
we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." God's holiness reacts against sin; the reaction is "the
wrath of God." "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men;
who hold the truth in unrighteousness.. ." (Rom. 1:18). According to Strong: "Not only does sin, as unlikeness to
the divine purity, involve pollution, - it also, as antagonism to God's holy will, involves guilt."
While guilt is primarily a reaction to God, there is also a secondary reaction in one's conscience. Strong
reports: "Progress in sin is marked by a diminished sensitiveness of moral insight and feeling. As the greatest of
sins is to be conscious of none,'so guilt may be great, just in proportion to the absence of consciousness of it (Ps.
19:12; Eph. 4:18,19). There is no evidence, however, that the voice of conscience can be completely or finally
silenced. The time for repentance may pass, but not the time for remorse."13 Dr. H. E. Robins is quoted as
saying, "To the convicted sinner a merely external hell would be a cooling flame, compared with the agony of his
remorse ."

B. Degrees of Guilt.
The Scripture makes it clear that there are degrees of guilt, and thus degrees of punishment, because there
are varieties of sin. This principle is recognized by the variety of sacrifices required by different kinds of sins (Lv.
4-7). The New Testament also suggests degrees of guilt: Lk. 12:47,48; Jn. 19:11; Rom. 2:6; Heb. 2:2,3; 10:28,29.
There are:
1. Sins of nature, and sins of personal transgression. Men are sinners because of the principle of inborn
sin - sins of nature. But there is greater guilt when the sinner by nature commits acts of personal transgression.
2. Sins of ignorance and sins of knowledge. We have already seen that there are sins of ignorance. But
sins against knowledge would be accompanied by greater guilt. The greater the knowledge, the greater the guilt.
"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you" (Lk. 10:13,14). "For as many as have sinned
without law shall also
perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law" (Rom. 2:12).
3. Sins of infirmity and sins of presumption. The Psalmist prayed to be kept from presumptuous sins:
"Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. . ." (Ps. 19:13). In
contrast, Peter illustrates a sin of infirmity. He was determined to be true even if all others denied the Lord; but
he found he did not have the strength he thought was his (Mt. 26:35).
Another way of expressing this contrast is to note the difference between sins of impulse and sins of
deliberation. David's sin against Bathsheba was one of impulse; but his sin against Uriah was one of deliberation,
as he carefully planned for the latter's death.

IX. THE PENALTY OF SIN

A. The Significance of Penalty.
1. Upon the unsaved. Penalty is the pain or loss which is directly inflicted by the Lawgiver in vindication
of His justice, which has been outraged by the violation of law. There are natural consequences of sin: "For the
wages of sin is death...... (Rom. 6:23); "the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ez. 18:20a); "and as it is appointed unto
men once to die, but after this the judgment. . ." (Heb. 9:27). Physical death is one of the natural results of sin,
but there is an "after this" which represents the penalty to follow. We do not doubt that the natural consequences
of sin are part of the penalty. "His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the
cords of his sin" (Prv. 5:22). Immorality takes its toll upon the human body. Ungodliness results in mental and
spiritual deterioration. But this is only part of the penalty. In all penalty there is the holy wrath of the Lawgiver.
The one may be suffered now, but the other is to be experienced in the future. "Depravity and guilt, as
consequences of sin, rest upon mankind now, but penalty in its fulness awaits a future day. 1115
2. Difference between chastisement and punishment. It is important to note that there is a vast difference
between chastisement and punishment. Chastisement, which is corrective, is never sent as a punishment upon
the children of the Lord. Christ bore all the punishment for the believer's sin. Chastisement always proceeds from
love. "O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing" (Jer. 10:24). "For
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth" (Heb. 12:6).
 On the other hand, punishment proceeds from justice: And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall
have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her" (Ez. 28:22); ". . . thus saith the Lord God; I do not
this for your sakes, 0 house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen,
whither ye went" (Ez. 36:22); 'and I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, 0 Lord, which art, and
wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus" (Rv. 16:5); "for true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath
judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his
servants at her hand" (Rv. 19:2). Thus chastisement is intended to be corrective; but penalty, or punishment, is
not intended to reform the offender. It hardly needs to be said, that you cannot reform a murderer by executing
him

B . The Nature of Penalty.

The one word in Scripture which designates the total penalty of sin is "death." It is threefold: physical, spiritual
and eternal.
1. Physical death. Man was created with a capacity for immortality; he did not have to die if he obeyed
God's law. But God told Adam, ". . . in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gn. 2:17), referring
to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam did not immediately die; but from that time on, death was
working in his physical frame. Some nine hundred years later death took its final toll upon his body. It is appointed
unto man once to die . . . (Heb. 9:27). Death is not the cessation of the personality, but the separation of the soul
from the body; "including all those temporal evils and sufferings which result from disturbance of the original
harmony between body and soul, and which are the working of death in us."16
Only through an act of redemption could man again have access to the tree of life. At the time of
resurrection, eternal physical life will be restored to those who receive Christ Jesus as their Savior. At that time
the soul and spirit will be reunited with the body and man will be a complete being again. Thus, for the Christian,
death is no longer the penalty for his sin, since Christ bore that penalty for him. Death becomes a gateway
through which the soul enters into the fullest enjoyment of all of the benefits God has wrought in Christ. (Eph. 2:7).
2. Spiritual death. By spiritual death, we mean the separation of the soul from God; "including all that pain
of conscience, loss of peace, and sorrow of spirit, which result from disturbance of the normal relation between
the soul and God ." Physical death is by no means the chief part of death as the penalty for sin. While Adam did
not die physically the moment he disobeyed God, he did die spiritually. He lost that communion with God which
is the source of all life. He became "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). First Timothy 5:6 relates to the
widow, but perfectly describes Adam's immediate condition also, as well as that of every unredeemed man: "But
she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth." When Jesus said, "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me
shall never die" (Jn. 11:26a); He was speaking of the restoration of spiritual life through His redeeming grace.
3. Eternal death. Eternal death is the culmination and completion of spiritual death, and speaks of eternal
separation of the soul from God.
This is called "the second death." "But the tearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire
and brimstone: which is the second death" (Rv. 21:8). "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from
the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. . ." (2 Thes. 1:9). "Then shall he say unto them on the
left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels . . ." (Mt. 25:41).
"Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall
come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation" Jn. 5:28,29). Chafer discusses the second death:
It is true that the "second death," which is eternal, is a separation from God and that eternal estate is an
immeasurable penalty in the light of the fact that the lost soul must know what grace might have wrought.
The penalty is a definite imposition over and above the natural course of events - a retribution which
corresponds to the punishment required. It is as certain as the character of God that whatever is imposed will
be just and right, and it will be so recognized by all. God will not in this, any more than in any other
undertaking, be the author of that which is evil.