Sin

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 8
 
The evil principle (called also the flesh, the old man), which was acquired at the fall. It is defined as lawlessness (1 John 3:44Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4), R.V.); in fact, the two words are interchangeable. The essential principle of sin consists in a dependent being like man casting off his allegiance to God, and acting in independence, according to his own will apart from Divine rule. The death of Christ was to put away sin from before God (Heb. 9:2626For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)); eventually when Christ reigns, the principle will tease to be active anywhere on earth although it will exist in the hearts of unregenerate men, as will be seen at the close (Rev. 20:88And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. (Revelation 20:8)). In the new heaven and earth there will be no sin. This principle ever remains in the believer (1 John 1:88If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)), although he is responsible to keep it inactive. Those that think the root is gene deceive themselves.