What a simple yet heavy question. It is simple because Scripture is full of answers. It is heavy because there are so many layers of truth in those answers. Accepting them and living righteously may also prove more spiritually, psychologically, and emotionally involved than we first thought. Growing and maturing in the Lord is a lifelong endeavor. Let's unpack it together.
What shapes our view of sin?
Personal opinions, traditions, experiences, and culture can all shape our view of what is right and what is sin. But Paul says, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (
Romans 12:2).
So what does it mean to renew our minds? It means our belief system must be rooted in the Word of God, not in this fallen world.
What Scripture says sin is
Let's look at selected verses that define or describe sin. We'll start with
1 John 5:17.
According to
1 John 5:17, "All unrighteousness is sin." Reading on through verse 20 uncovers more layers. My takeaways from
1 John 5:17-20:
• All unrighteousness is sin (v. 17).
• "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (v. 19).
• Jesus is the Son of God, who "hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true" (v. 20).
• Jesus Christ is "the true God, and eternal life" (v. 20). He also said, "I and my Father are one" (
John 10:30).
Other verses that define or describe sin:
- Knowing the good and not doing it: "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17)
- Breaking God's law: "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4)
- Anything not of faith: "for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23)
- Not believing on Jesus: "Of sin, because they believe not on me" (John 16:9)
- Pride and wickedness: "An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin" (Proverbs 21:4)
- Lust in the heart: "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:28).
As the last verse shows, sin is not only outward action. It starts in the heart.
Sin does include big things like stealing and killing, and Scripture also describes it further. For example, John says, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer" (
1 John 3:15). Sin includes pride, ignoring the good we know we should do, and living without faith in God. That is why
Romans 3:23 says "all have sinned." Few people have done the biggest things, but everyone has fallen short in some way.
If this is starting to feel discouraging, stay with me, because the answer ends in good news.
Are we all born sinners?
You cited
Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Then you asked a good follow-up question: does this mean every person is born a sinner? Now that we have seen how Scripture defines sin, let's answer it.
Scripture also speaks to the question of birth directly. David wrote, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me" (
Psalm 51:5). Paul wrote, "by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (
Romans 5:12). So yes, every person is born into sin.
However,
1 John 5:18 clarifies some things for us: "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." We can begin to live free from sin as we live according to God's commands.
1 John 1:8 says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." That verse does not contradict the hope above. John goes on to say, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (
1 John 1:9). He then writes, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (
1 John 2:1).
So the goal is not to sin, but John is also honest that we still sin, and he points us to Christ, our advocate. The answer is not to deny our sin but to confess it and keep walking in obedience, trusting in Christ's forgiveness.
That leads to two questions: if all unrighteousness is sin, what is righteousness, and how do I align my life with it? We will come back to those later.
What about being a good person?
Many of us measure ourselves by whether we are a "good person," and Scripture speaks to that too. A man came to Jesus and called Him "Good Master" (
Matthew 19:16). Jesus corrected him: "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" (
Matthew 19:17).
The exchange has another layer. The man appeared to be a good person. He kept the laws and customs. But when Jesus told him what he still lacked (
Matthew 19:21), he was unwilling to do the very thing that would have yielded him eternal life: "he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions" (
Matthew 19:22).
Being "good" by our own standard is not the same as being righteous before God. Trying to be a good person is not wrong, but it cannot close the gap that
Romans 3:23 describes.
The good news
The very next verse gives the answer. We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (
Romans 3:24). "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (
Romans 5:8). "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (
Ephesians 2:8-9).
So the answer is not to try harder to be good enough. It is to recognize that we all fall short, believe on Jesus, confess our sins, and walk in obedience to what God commands. Righteousness.
Now for a Bible study on righteousness. Happy studying.
