Why Is Sin Sinful?

Have you ever known anyone who didn’t like the idea that a specific sin was called sin?

You might have heard someone say, “I don’t see anything wrong with it.” That may be because of simple ignorance. (Ignorance just means that a person is without knowledge.)

Sometimes people acknowledge sin, but explain that it was actually the right thing to do. For example, they lie to protect a friend. The sin was for a good reason, so it is dismissed without the normal consequences. This is called justification. Something bad is turned into something good by using lots of words.

At other times people explain why a sin is not really sin. They may claim that they were forced into a situation or they were born with a genetic tendency, so they should not be held responsible. This is called rationalization. It is another use of lots of words to explain one’s sin.

Sin is still sin…

• Even if a person uses a different standard;
• Even if a person is ignorant;
• Even if a person justifies the sin; and
• Even if a person rationalizes the sin.

Sometimes people speak and act as if God arbitrarily concocted a list of things to call sin. It is like odd house rules that some children have grown up with. For example, my grandfather would not allow his children to use a regular deck of playing cards or dice. I knew a fellow who was forbidden to shoot a game of pool. Another friend was told to never play pinball (a pre-video game device).

While some or all of these may sound arbitrary, I know that there were legitimate reasons. Yet, unless you understanding the reasons, the prohibition of these activities sounds silly with no meaningful connection to reality: “How could there possibly be anything wrong with rolling dice!?”

Some people see various sins in the Bible the same way—arbitrary. So, they are likely to deny the sinfulness of sin, plead ignorance, justify or rationalize the sin. However, the Apostle Paul reveals something about all sin. He wrote that all ungodliness and unrighteousness (sin) suppresses the truth. (Romans 1:18)

Why is sin sinful?
Sin is a lie against truth. Sin opposes reality.
What does that mean?

Sin stands in opposition to the nature of God and His work in creation. At the end of the creation sequence God saw that it was very good. (Genesis 1:31) You might say that God and creation were in harmony. Although God had created something that was inferior to Him, it was not bad or evil, but compatible.

However, when Adam and Eve sinned, they took it upon themselves to decide what was good for them. They suppressed the truth that existed by virtue of God’s existence and creation. They elevated themselves above God.

When Cain killed Abel, he placed himself in the seat of judgment over another human being. He made a decision to take a life, yet without having been the one who gave life. His action suppressed the truth of the sanctity of life and the truth that God is creator of life and judge of all.

People often become angry when sin is revealed because they desire to do the thing they desire. They selfishly wish to be their own god. So, in one way or another, all sin suppresses the truth of God and His design of the created world.

Sin is a lie against the truth.

Mark Stinnett

March 26, 2023