Sin is often described as falling short or missing the mark. The biblical definition of sin is found in 1 John 3:4 as transgressing or breaking the laws of God. Sin has hindered mankind's relationship with God and is the root cause of failed relationships in human society. The choices we make outside of what is written according to the word of God causes one to violate what is instructed by God; therefore, the individual is totally responsible for his or her own actions. God gave us freewill from the beginning and nothing has changed today; therefore, choose this day, life and good, or death and evil. For the wages of sin is death!
What's so bad about sin!
Paul put it this way!
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Galatians 6:7-8 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/gal.6.7-8.KJV
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 8:5-9, 12-14 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.8.5-14.KJV
What are the works of the flesh, and can they coexist with the spirit of God, which is none other than the word of God?
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:16-17, 19-26 KJV
Speaking of humanity, Paul also put it this way!
Say on!
Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Romans 3:10-18 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.3.10-18.KJV
What is the fear of the Lord
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the froward mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 8:13 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.8.13.KJV
Sin Leads to broken relationships, violence, and misery. It cuts us off from God. Sin makes us inconsiderate of others and inhumane.
Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
Isaiah 59:1-4, 7-8, 12 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/isa.59.1-12.KJV
Sin is like a trap; it may look harmless until the consequences begin to appear. Then the sinner is trapped, caught up by his own foolishness. Sin not only harms others, but it also destroys the sinner's character and often endangers his life. There is no such thing as harmless sin, in the end, sin makes everyone a loser.
How then do we overcome sin?
Repentance: A deep, radical change of both perspective and commitment, resulting in a moral and spiritual transformation.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:37-38 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/act.2.37-38.KJV
Well, what about my past sins, I mean the one's I committed before being baptized?
for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Romans 3:23-26 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.3.23-26.KJV
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 3:19 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/act.3.19.KJV
Well, I'm saved by grace; therefore, I can continue in sin. I can commit adultery, steal, gossip, false accusers, despisers of those that are good, and be a lover of pleasures more than a lover of God.
Read!
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?
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Romans 6:1-6, 12-13 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.6.1-13.KJV
Psalm 1 makes a clear distinction between living God's way with the outcome of living sinfully.
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Psalm 1:1-6 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.1.1-6.KJV
You see, the Lord knows who is his and who is not!
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.
And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
2 Timothy 2:19-21 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/2ti.2.19-21.KJV
