Why Sin Is More Than Missing The Mark

Originally published at https://rethinknow.org.

Have you ever stopped to wonder what sin really is?

You sure hear a lot about it. Some people dismiss it as archaic and outdated. While others hold picket signs protesting the existence of sin in other’s lives. But what exactly is sin?

Of course, we know what some sins are. We could probably come up with a pretty good-sized list of sins. Most who grew up in church could also articulate semblance of a phrase they’ve heard about sin, it’s missing the mark or doing something outside God’s will. More theologically minded people might use words like total depravity or original sin to grasp at its meaning.

But still, most of us are left with a deficient view of what sin really is.

So, what is sin?

Before you think that this is just a theological exercise, it’s not. How you answer this question (or don’t) affects your view of God, your ability to love those around us, your understanding of the cross, how you tell right from wrong, and how you interact with the world around you. This question is important.

To get to the bottom of this question we need to go back before sin entered the picture. We need to look at what happened in the Garden of Eden. But before we get there we need to…