What is Sin?
William Branham taught that "sin is unbelief"? Is that what the Bible teaches?
What is sin?
In the New Testament, we learn that sin is:
- Lawlessness - 1 John 3:4
- Wrongdoing - 1 John 5:17
- Anything that does not come from faith - Rom 14:23
- Knowing good and not doing it - James 4:17
Different words that are translated into English as "sin"
There are a number of Greek words that are translated as "sin":
Missing the mark - Harmatia
The most common term in scripture for sin is the Greek term, harmatia. It was a word from archery, meaning to miss the target. The original suggestion of “missing” an aim or a way, contained both in the Hebrew and the Greek may be detected in such a phrase as Romans 3:23 (“all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”) This Greek word describes an archer who missed a target. This meaning is illustrated where the term describes left-handed select men who could sling a stone at a hair and not miss (Jud. 20:16, NASB). The same word is found in Prov. 19:2, “Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And he who makes haste with his feet errs (or misses a mark).” [1]
Harmatia is used in two ways. (1) It describes the state of all who sin. In this sense it is used as a spiritual holding place, thus sin is regarded as imprisonment. Paul wrote, “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe” (Gal. 3:22). Paul asked, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Rom. 6:1). (2) It describes the actions and thoughts of man to do or think wrong rather than right. One who is perverted in mind is said to sin, “being condemned of himself” (Tit. 3:11). One who commits sexual immorality sins “against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:18). Sin is the active transgression of law, says John (1 Jn. 3:4).
Transgression (parabasis) and Trespass (paraptōma)
These words are, for all intents and purposes, synonyms in the truest sense. Transgression is the stepping over the boundary line. Trespass signifies blundering into forbidden territory. Transgression and trespass presuppose a law. John said, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 Jn. 3:4). Luke tells us that Judas, “by transgression fell” (Acts 1:25). James adds, “If thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law” (Jas. 2:11). Jesus asked the hypercritical Pharisees, “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” (Mt. 15:3). Paroptoma is translated by “blunder,” and “fall” (Rom. 11:11, 12).
Lawlessness - anomia
Lawlessness is the violation of law. W. E. Vine said,
In 1 John 3:4 the R.V. adheres to the real meaning of the word, “every one that doeth sin (a practice, not the committal of an act) doeth also lawlessness: and sin is lawlessness.” This definition of sin sets forth its essential character as the rejection of the law, or will, of God and the substitution of the will of self. (357)
Lawlessness is also translated iniquity. Workers of iniquity (Mt. 7:23) are those who disregard the law. Ungodliness (asebeia). Thayer defines this word as “want of reverence towards God, impiety, ungodliness,” and cites Rom. 1:18; 2 Tim. 2:16 and Titus 2:12 as examples. Paul refers to the “ungodliness of Jacob” (Rom. 11:26), as Jacob’s sin from which Israel must turn away. “Works of ungodliness” are sinful deeds and Jude uses the term exhaustively. “To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 15).
Unrighteous - adika
This word is primarily dealing with personal relations between people. It focuses on how one treats a neighbor or a brother. To do our fellow man wrong is to act unrighteously toward him. John says “All unrighteousness is sin” (1 Jn. 5:17).
What is iniquity?
Iniquity in the KJV New Testament is translated from the following Greek Words:
- Anomia - lawlessness or lawless deed
- Adikēma - wrong, crime, misdeed
- Adikia - unrighteousness or injustice
- Ponēria - wickedness or maliciousness
- Paranomia - lawlessness or evildoing
Debt - opheleima
Jesus taught the disciple to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Mt. 6:12). It is used only once in the sense of sin. That Jesus meant sin in this instance is seen in that Luke’s account uses the word harmartia (Lk. 11:4). The only other occurrence of the word in the New Testament is where Paul said, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt” (Rom. 4:4).[2]
Paul, however, writes in Romans 14:23, “Everything that does not come from faith is sin.” The word “faith” in the Bible means to “trust in, rely upon.” Sin, then, is not a matter of lying, cheating, being immoral, or any other act. These are only the results of an attitude of sin. Sin, rather, is any lack of conformity to the will of God, anything we do that does not come from our trust or reliance on God. Attitudes such as worry, irritability, and depression are symptoms of our lack of trust in God. Therefore, a good definition of sin is doing what we want instead of what God wants - both in attitude and action.[3]
Is it a sin for a woman to wear pants?
There is nothing in the New Testament that would forbid a woman to wear pants.
We read in Deuteronomy 22:5 that:
- A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this.[4]
However, we also understand that this Mosaic law was not included in the list of commands that Gentile churches were required to honor. We also understand that this command was part of the old covenant which is now obsolete.
In the New Testament, the subject of how women are to dress is communicated by Paul, “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety …” (1 Timothy 2:9). Consequently, the only restriction on women’s clothing is this: Whatever women wear, it should be modest, decent, and appropriate.[5]
Quotes of William Branham
Well, what is sin? See? Drinking whiskey is not, and smoking cigarettes, and committing adultery is not sin. That’s just the attributes of sin. You do that because you’re sinners. That’s what you life bears. Smoke… Just like I said tonight outside, “How much this is nice, the whole thing’s nice.” And you’re a sinner, because you believe not. “He that believeth not is condemned already.” You’re a sinner, because you don’t believe.[6]
What is sin? Sin is “unbelief.” Unbelief in (what?) the Word; unbelief in God, which is the Word.[7]
- Look in the Bible, you see where, what age we’re living in then, when you see these great things being made manifest. When God promised to do it, He always does it at the end of each age when the church is come to the turning place, and is turned from the Word back to sin and worldliness. Worldliness is sin. The Bible said, “If you love the world or the things of the world, the love of God’s not even in you.”[8]
Footnotes
- ↑ Bob Buchanon, “What Is Sin,” in The Bible Doctrine of Sin, ed. Ferrell Jenkins, Florida College Annual Lectures (Temple Terrace, FL: Florida College Bookstore, 1997), 5.
- ↑ Bob Buchanon, “What Is Sin,” in The Bible Doctrine of Sin, ed. Ferrell Jenkins, Florida College Annual Lectures (Temple Terrace, FL: Florida College Bookstore, 1997), 7–8.
- ↑ Bill Bright, 5 Steps of Christian Growth: Leader’s Guide (Orlando, FL: NewLife Publications, 1994), 46.
- ↑ The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Dt 22:5.
- ↑ June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys on Spiritual Abuse: Religion at Its Worst (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), 46.
- ↑ William Branham, 54-0216 - Jairus And Divine Healing, para.13
- ↑ William Branham, 65-1125 - The Invisible Union Of The Bride Of Christ, para. 273
- ↑ William Branham, 65-1206 - Modern Events Are Made Clear By Prophecy, para. 79