HAMARTIOLOGY: THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF SIN- BY PASTOR ELKAN

_“For all have sinned...”_ – Rom 3:23

Sin lies at the core of the Gospel message. Indeed, it is the whole point of the Gospel. Without sin then there is no need for a Gospel; and Jesus cannot be called a “Saviour” if there’s nothing He is saving us from; (See Mat 1:21).

 

Thus, sin must be an important element of every proper theology. But what is “sin” really? “Sin” is always the least explained of all the elements in the Gospel message; because it seems to be the most obvious, and self-evident.   

Nevertheless, a doctrinal study of sin is vital because, just as with most ideas, the _Bible’s_ definition of sin doesn’t always coincide with Man’s. We need to see sin as God sees it; not as tradition and intuition has taught us to see it. 

Ironically, religion has been a major stumbling block to our proper understanding of sin. All religions – including a significant part of what is called “Christianity” today – is Man’s attempt to deal with the sin problem _his own way,_ instead of submitting to God’s prescription. And one way religion executes that is by creating its own definition of “sin”.

Human religion loves to rail against sin; because condemnation of sin implies piety and holiness. But beneath religion’s outrage at sin – beneath its furious censure at iniquity, its meticulous enumeration and categorisations of transgressions, its positive disdain at immorality, and its frequent invocations of judgment and infernal damnation of the sinful – lies a thinly-veiled attempt to sidestep the question. 

No religion can save a person from sin, and only in drawing attention _away_ from what sin truly is does religion keep people in ignorant bondage.

The Greek word used by the New Testament writers for “sin” is _“ hamartia”_ which literally means “to miss the mark”, or to “not hit the target”. Thus, sin in scripture transcends mere actions. Scriptures instead views sin as a state: of imperfection or incompleteness, a deficiency rather than a presence… a void that no prayer, pilgrimage, charity, abstinence or act of penitence can fill. 

_“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; – Rom 3:23._

AMEN...

PASTOR GREG ELKAN