Sin – Part 4 of 7

By Tom Buckle

Sin Is Ultimately Against God

All attempts to define sin are inadequate because the main ingredients of sin in all of its different word forms are directed against God. We can rightly teach that all sins are directed towards the first commandment and are ultimately traced to it. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3Exodus 20:3
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3 You shall have no other gods before me.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). Deuteronomy’s quote of the commandment is more definitive and later used by Jesus: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5Deuteronomy 6:5
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5 and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

Sin is a disruption of a relationship between persons. Theologian C. E Brown’s writing on this subject illustrates this commandment. Brown writes, “If there were only one man in the entire world it would be impossible for that man to commit nearly every sin one could name. He could not steal, he could not lie and he could not be guilty of murder. The only sins he could commit would be sins against God because there would still be a relation between him and God. Such thoughts as this will show us that the soul of man comes first before human law, and the being of God comes first before any law regulating the relation of his creatures to him. The relation of man to God comes before any other law. It is the basis of all law.”

God insists on being number one in your life. He does not want anything to come in-between Him and you. He wants your devotion, your trust and companionship. He is your “frame of reference” in values and in the way you live.

Jesus repeats two commandments to show how loving God is connected to loving your neighbor. (37)“’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ (38) “This is the first and great commandment. (39) “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39Matthew 22:37-39
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37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). This second commandment is a hard one to put into practice. Invariably, someone will disturb your peace and the flesh will want to rise up and assert feelings of contempt to the offender. It is in these instances of being offended that you will call upon God and refocus on His mercy and forgiveness offered to you. You will extend forgiveness to the offender, remembering God’s merciful forgiveness offered to you. Because of God’s forgiveness to you, it is important for you to try and see others as God sees them, lest you fall into conflict and sin.

One of the best examples to show that sin is really against God is found in David, King of Israel. After the prophet Nathan confronted David about his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband to cover up his sin, David acknowledges his sin and cries out in repentance to God. In his plea for forgiveness he says, “Against you only, have I sinned and done this evil in Your sight . . .” (Psalm 51:4Psalm 51:4
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4 Against you, and you only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in your sight; That you may be proved right when you speak, And justified when you judge.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). As with other passages in the Bible clarifies that whatever our sin, it is ultimately against God.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia’s definition of sin is one that King David fully understood. “Sin is to be defined primarily in relation to God. It is disobedience, unbelief, ignorance, the positive assertion of usurped autonomy, and the wicked deviation from, or violation of, God’s righteous will and law. The breach of a right relationship with God carries with it the disruption of a right relationship with others and the disintegration of self. But this is the derivative, for it is because of sin against God that there is sin against others and oneself.” (Vol. 4, p. 456). David acknowledges that his sin was against God and pleaded for God’s mercy and forgiveness.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8Romans 5:8
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8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

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