Term Paper on "Why Is Sin a Problem?"

Term Paper 8 pages (3292 words) Sources: 8

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Ignoring Sin:

A Look at Sin in the Life of the Believer

The problem of sin is twofold. First, it disrupts the life of a person from right relationship with God; secondly, it damages a person's earthly relationships. Paul said in Romans 3:23, 'for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." This is a universal statement. The problem with sin is not so much that people sin, rather it is that the consequences of sin that have been dismissed as irrelevant, unlikely and of no consequence. Socrates is credited with saying, "The unexamined life is not worth living" (Socrates 2010). The purpose of this paper is to examine the biblical and earthly consequences of ignoring the problem of sin.

If there is one thing that is not the will of God it is sin. Regardless of the circumstances, sin is never the will of God. In fact, sin is the very antithesis of the will of God. It was Jesus Christ who remedied sin through the Redemption. Through His redemption is the provision for every condition of sin as well as the sin nature itself. Jesus Christ won victory, forgiveness and finality over all sin.

Still, though, the Christian sins. The Reformed Arminian view is this sin will not separate us from Christ. In fact, the rejection of faith in Christ (i.e. apostasy) is the sole sin to provide such separation (Pinson 2002). How then, is the believer to approach sin? If the sin does not break our relationship with Christ, is it serious? Stephen Ashby answers the question, "Sin in the life of the believer is a serious matter" (Pinson 2002). As such, sin must not be "glossed over" in the life of the believer.

There seems to be two extreme views of sin in the life of the believer. The first is the idea that "Christians cannot sin." Persons in this camp argue that real Christians cannot sin because a Christian is Christ-like and Christ had no sin. If one claims to be a Christian and is sinning, he is a liar. A sinning Christian is an oxymoron. John Wesley insisted that through God's grace the living presence of sin could be conquered and he preached that people must remain steadfast in the faith (Johnson and Webber 1989). Wesley followers insist on living a sinless life in order to remain in the family of Christ. The doctrine tends to surface from a hyper-Arminian or holiness denomination. Their greatest concern is for purity of life -- a life without sin. Necessarily, the doctrine insists on absolute purity to be a Christian.

Persons of these beliefs can quote many scriptures to support their position -- verses such as 1 John 3:6 and 9, "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him… Vs. 9..Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." Additionally, they purport, "if a Christian should sin, he is no longer a Christian. A sinner lives like he always has -- in sin and disobedience, and the other has a changed life: he has stopped sinning."

The 'cannot sin' crowd often is unsure of where to draw the line with sin. It is as if the believer is walking a tightrope -- knowing that the smallest deviation from the rope will result in death. Even the Wesleyan Arminian J. Stephen Harper struggles with this issue in his "A Wesleyan Arminian View" in Four Views on Eternal Security. "So the first thing to see is that the act of committing sin is not in itself ground for the loss of salvation…The loss of salvation is much more related to experiences that are profound and prolonged. Wesley saw two primary pathways that could result in a permanent fall from grace: unconfessed sin and the actual expression of apostasy" (Pinson 2002). Does or does not sin constitute death in Christ? Harper fails to address the issue clearly.

The second extreme view is that "Christians must sin." This group teaches that sin is natural and a normal part of being human. We were born sinners -- it is in our blood, or it is our nature to sin. Edward Fudge states, "God requires absolute obedience, and not one of us has presented it" (Fudge 1992). They argue that Paul confessed he was the "chiefest of sinners" yet certainly he was a Christian. Verses in 1 John are crucial to them as well…1 John 1:8,10 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. & #8230;Vs. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." Robert Shank, in Life in the Son, declares "Sin, we may tell ourselves, is an inevitable fact of human life and conduct, even for Christians" (Shank, Life in the Son 1989).

Consequently, the tendency with this group is to treat sin as something normal -- that is, something about which we should have no concern. A casual attitude toward sin develops and is often fueled by writers such as Lewis Sperry Chafer. In 'Major Bible Themes' he writes: "Through the present priestly advocacy of Christ in Heaven there is absolute safety and security for the Father's child even while he is sinning. An advocate is one who espouses and pleads the cause of another in the open courts. As Advocate, Christ is now appearing in Heaven for His own when they sin" (Chafer 1926). Chafer uses two specific verses for his basis: Hebrews 9:24 "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: and 1 John 2:1 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

The extreme danger in this view is to treat sin much too casually. If the focus is totally on Christ as Advocate and none on daily life, one will become complacent in one's practices and attitudes of Christianity. Consequently, if one "must sin," what is the point of trying to stop? Is the blood of Jesus Christ strong enough to take care of one's sins?

There may be a third option. That option is that Christians can sin…but they do not have to do so. The Bible is full of great examples of sinners who just happen to be Christians. Peter denied Christ; John was judgmental; James was hot-headed. To say that Christians cannot sin simply does not conform with scripture. Christians can and do sin. Additionally, when the Christian does sin, he doesn't "fall from grace" either. Robert E. Picirilli states, "…we must not make sinful acts, in themselves, the cause of falling from grace" (Picirilli 2002). Ashby clarifies the issue with his statement, "…short of that solitary act of apostasy, the believer is to be found in union with Christ and thus stands justified in the merits of Christ alone" (Pinson 2002).

Then, what shall we do with sin? Or, as the Apostle Paul would state, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" Romans 6:1 Paul is introducing the doctrine of sanctification J.D. O'Donnell indicates that growth in Christ is our sanctification. The Treatise says, "Sanctification is the continuing of God's grace by which the Christian may constantly grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (O'Donnell 1974). Paul, of course, goes on to answer his question, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Romans 6:1,2

There are three crucial truths to understand about sin. First, we must recognize that sin does not condemn us. Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." The term 'condemnation' has two aspects: 1) the term refers to the decision a judge makes when he finds a person guilty of a crime -- he condemns the guilty, 2) the meaning also includes the sentence imposed on the guilty. Paul is stating that God's verdict on those who are in Christ Jesus is "not guilty." Consequently, if the verdict is pronounced "not guilty," there is no room left for punishment -- only freedom. In a strictly judicial sense, Paul is, in effect, saying that God has nothing against those who are in Christ Jesus; he has no reason to punish them and no reason to be displeased with them.

The pronouncement of "not guilty" is not just on the last day -- the judgment day. In fact, Paul says "there is now… READ MORE

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