What basic yet thoughtful matter are we going to talk about this time? Well, if I were to phrase it in a simple question, it would be, “What is Sin?” Now, now, now, before your thoughts go anywhere, good, bad, or sideways, and before you go and say, “Just when I was beginning to like this guy….” Let me ask you this. When building a relationship with someone, doesn’t learning who they are involve learning both what that person likes and what he/she can’t stand, you know, what is offensive to him or her? That is, learning both what will grow the relationship and what will actually harm it? So, in terms of a relationship with Jesus, to have a fully balanced and richly satisfying one, we need to look at what he finds offensive and so what will harm our relationship with him. And what he finds offensive is sin, so we need to know what that is, right?
By the way, welcome to our kitchen table, where we share good conversation over good coffee. And if you like these get-togethers and this way of talking things over, please like this video and subscribe to this channel. Thank you. And oh yes, I have an exciting bit of news to share with you at the end of this chat. I can’t wait for you to hear about it. But for now…
So… what is sin? Is it merely actions we can take? You know, such as breaking one of the Ten Commandments or doing one of those things that appear on those lists in the New Testament? Or could sin be something that lies deeper than mere actions taken? Let me ask it this way, “Is sin the opposite of love?”
Now, there are many passages that deal with the evil of sin and its consequences. Iti s a big topic. We just don’t have enough time to explore every aspect of this, nor enough coffee. So I’m going to limit this conversation to how I’ve reached the conclusion that sin is the direct opposite of love.
Let’s start by going someplace I bet you’re not expecting. By reminding us of something Jesus said about the 2 greatest commands ever given to us. Which are to love God with our entire being and our neighbor as ourselves. 1 And specifically, I want to call to memory where he says that all other commands, instructions, and teachings in the Bible are based on these two. 2
Now before you ask, “Ok coffeeman, is this about sin or love?” Well, as all the Bible’s teachings about sin are… well, in the Bible. These too are based on love. Isn’t that intriguing? That teachings on what to avoid are as much based on love as teachings about what we are to do and embrace. So, God loves us enough to teach us how to have a well-rounded and satisfying relationship with him.
And so, right out of the gate, we can see that sin is the opposite of love. I mean, what to avoid and what to do are two opposing things. Right?
Now, let me take this a step further. To do so, let’s look at why love is the basis of all the teachings in the Bible. The passage I’m thinking of is from Romans 13, where Paul shares why love fulfills the law; why it is the basis for it.3 Here he tells us that the commandments not to commit adultery, murder, steal, falsely testify, covet, or any other commandments that there are are summed up in this saying: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ For love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.3 And you know… not harming your neighbor is a good thing to do, right? So love is a good thing to do.
Now, hang with me a second. Cause it’s about to get interesting. Do you remember John saying, in 1 John 4:8, that if we don't love, we don’t even know God?4 Well, this makes love not just the good we need to do, but the ultimate good we need to do. For if we don’t do it, we are prevented from even knowing God. If we love, we know God; if we don’t love, we don’t know him.
Now, before you say, “Ok, I see that those are the opposite of each other, but what has this to do with sin?” Well, it is something that James says about the good we need to do. “To him therefore who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.”5 So, since we know we are to love, and that it is the ultimate good we are to do, then, to choose to not do so, to not love, is the ultimate sin. As such, the choice not to love becomes the basis on which the breaking of any of the Ten Commandments or the committing of one of the things on the lists in the New Testament is built. Even as love is the foundation for the good we need to do, that does not harm. The choice not to love, sin, is the basis for everything that is not good, everything that is harmful.
Now, yes, we can legitimately label breaking one of the Ten Commandments, or doing one of those things on those lists, as sin. This is because such actions are so saturated with it that they are indistinguishable from it. Yet here is the question: would we ever do any of that if we had not first chosen to reject love and pursue our own selfish desires; in other words, if we had not first chosen the way of sin?
Let me develop this a little further. I find this train of thought supported by something Jesus says: that it is what comes out of a person that defiles that person. For it is from out of a person’s own heart that evil comes. Sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, greed, slander, arrogance, folly, and so on, all come from within us.6 And, remember, just a moment ago we saw that these are the very things that Paul said are what love does not do.3 So, these actions come when we do not love. And the choice to not love comes from within. It is this choice not to love, which is to be selfish and to gratify oneself first, that is the foundation of all these sinful acts.
James also addresses this when he says that each of us is tempted when we allow our own desires to entice us and draw us away. And that it is these desires that give birth to sinful actions.7 It is the choice not to love that allows our desires to entice us away and that leads to sinful actions.
Based on this, we could define sin as whatever does not come from loving God and our neighbor. Yes, it is the very opposite of love.
Now, yes, much more could be explored here. Such as how this opens up passages like Mark 8:35, which says that whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will find it. Or even comparing John 3:16, where we are told that, because of love, Jesus came to die and to establish a relationship with all of us who want one, with Isaiah 59:2, which tells how our sins hide God from us, thus preventing the very relationship Jesus came to give. Love seeks to build relationships; sin seeks to hinder, harm, and destroy them. No wonder God finds the choice not to love, that is sin, to be so evil.
But we have covered a good bit of ground, and my coffee is sitting a little too low in my cup to allow more of a chat than this. So, for now we will leave it at this. Sin is the opposite of love, as it is the choice not to love. And it is this choice that is the basis for all the actions we know as sin.
Well, now it’s time for your part of this here conversation. Let me know your thoughts on this in this video’s comments section. Thank you for watching and for sharing.
Oh, and now for that something exciting I told you about, and if you like this type of sharing Jesus with each other, you may find it exciting too. A 30-day devotional that I have put together has just been published. I have the proof here in my hand. This devotional explores what love is and how it is something deeper, stronger, and more stable than mere emotions. It is indeed foundational to the Christian life. It is available wherever you get good books. This is an extra-special announcement: if you order it through the Simple Not Shallow website, I’ll give you a 15% discount. I’ll put a link to this book’s homepage in the description box. You are welcome.
And make sure to check out the Thought of the Day that is posted each morning at 8 am CST on our website, simplenotshallow.com. These thoughts are offered to inspire you and help you contemplate God and your relationship with him throughout the day. The link is also in the description box below. And check out our audio podcast, also linked below. This podcast is hosted by Gerald Yerkes, who brings 54 years of experience as a pastor to each episode. Join him as he shares insights into God, God’s Word, and living the Christian life.
Well, until next time. May your relationship with Jesus continue to grow well-rounded and richly satisfying, and may coffee, into your cup, always flow.
Scriptures Referenced:
1 Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus telling us about the two greatest commands.
2 Matthew 22:40 All Bible teaching is based on love.
3 Romans 13:9,10 Love is the fulfillment of the law, because love does no harm to a neighbor.
4 1John 4:8 If we do not love, we do not know God.
5 James 4:17 (NHEB) “To him therefore who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
6 Mark 7:20-23 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these come from inside and defile a person.
7 James 1:13-15: We are tempted when drawn away by our own desires, lust, and enticed. Following our lust, selfish desires brings forth sin, and sin brings death. So following sin leads away from God. Also see: Galatians 5:17; 1 Peter 2:11; Matthew 5:21, 22; and Matthew 5:27, 28.
Other Passages:
Mark 8:35 whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will find it.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he sent Jesus…
Isaiah 59:2 Our sin hides God from us.