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Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc.
Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007
Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007
For most of us, coming to faith in Messiah involved hearing and believing
several different conversion – type verses or phrases such as: “All have
sinned and fallen short of the glory of G-d…” “The wages of sin is death…”
Yeshua came to save the sinners from their sin… We who were sinners are
now saved by grace. At the bare minimum, we were presented with the
reality that we had sinned against G-d. Sin is a church word, rarely
mentioned outside of a faith context. Even within a faith context, however,
people understand sin to mean many different things. The original
development of this word was derived from the Hebrew word hatta. Its
understood meaning “to miss the mark” invoked a picture of an archer
taking aim and firing an arrow, only to miss his intended target. Sin is some
kind of wrongdoing, error, fault or mistake. The term became synonymous
with transgression. If sin is doing the wrong thing, then what is the right
thing? There must be a correct target or bull’s eye. If sin is so serious that
it condemns us to death, then there must be some way to know if something
we are doing is wrong (a sin) or right (not a sin). If G-d’s system is truly just,
there must be some clear definition of a standard of righteous living. When
a man stands before the righteous Judge and is condemned as guilty
because of his sins, there will be a very specific standard against which he
will be judged. John 5:45-47 The Bible states quite clearly what the
standard is The Apostle john writes “Whoever commits sin also commits
lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” 1 John 3:4. The Greek word for
lawlessness is ahomia. It comes from the prefix a- meaning without and
nomos meaning law. Nomos most often refers to the books of law, which
were written by Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and
Deuteronomy. These books contain teachings, stories, and
commandments including the 10 commandments. According to John, sin is
defined as disobedience of G-d’s law. This means that when G-d
condemns a person because of his sins, the person is judged guilty on
account of breaking the commandments found in the law of G-d.
Romans 4:15 In Paul’s words, if there were no commandments to break,
then no one could be guilty. Without a goal, there is nothing for which to
aim. But G-d did give commandments, and so it is possible to miss the
mark and to sin. These conscious choices cause G-d’s judgment to be
upon us. Most scholars agree that G-d’s system of laws, instructions and
regulations have been present since creation. Paul also says “the sting of
death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” 1 Cor 15:56. We are
condemned to death because of our sins. Go to Romans 7:7 Here our sins
are judged according to the law. Similarly, if a man is convicted of a crime
by an earthly judge, it is the laws and ordinances that empower the
prosecutor to accuse him, the jury to convict him, and the judge to sentence
him. That does not mean that these laws are bad. On the contrary, they are
good and necessary, and contribute to a to a healthy society. Romans 7:12
It is clear that Scripture defines sin as any failure to fully obey the
commandments in G-d’s law. It’s a good thing the story does not end here,
because we all fail to fully obey G-d’s commandments. Only the Messiah
Yeshua Himself fully obeyed every applicable commandment found in the
law. In His death he paid the penalty that was due us for breaking the law,
and by our faith in Him we receive the gift of eternal life. Thank G-d our
eternal status does not depend on our ability to perform all the
commandments. Before we receive His payment our sinful lives were
compared to the law and the law’s prescribed punishment is death. Now
the law’s punishment does not apply to us, the grace of G-d does. We were
once in bondage, but now we are free. Yet the freedom we receive in
Messiah is not freedom from the laws G-d gave (G-d’s teaching and
instruction give to His people for their benefit). Rather, the freedom we
receive in Messiah is the freedom from sin, which results in death. Once we
are freed from our sin through Yeshua, we should not feel free to continue to
commit sins on the account that through G-d’s grace they are forgiven.
Romans 6:15 Now that we are new creations, we are finally able to begin
obeying G-d’s commandments out of love. Romans 6:12-14 In Messiah,
we are free from our bondage to sin; we no longer have to allow our
inclination to be that of sin. He has given us the power and ability to train
ourselves unto righteousness. Sin is the direct opposite of
righteousness. In Messiah, we are able to serve G-d as instruments of
righteousness, and through His life in us, we are able to choose to obey His
commandments. In fact, if we continue to lead a life of habitual sin, it would
appear that we are still in bondage. If we remain in bondage to sin, then we
must not be new creations. If you are obedient to G-d’s commandments,
then you are a slave to G-d. Romans 6:16 Now that we have ventured into
the Hebraic understanding of the word sin, let us also take a look at the
Hebrew word for law. The Hebrew word is Torah, which literally means
“teaching, guidance or instruction.” The word Torah comes from the verb
root yarah which means to shoot an arrow. In Hebrew thought, the success
and failure of living a life of sin or righteousness is defined in terms
compared to archery, yet their definitions are completely opposite each
other. Sinning is missing the mark, falling short of the target; righteous living
is hitting the mark with perfect accuracy, not falling to obtain the goal at
which we are aiming. G-d’s righteous standard is the commandments of
the law. This is the goal at which our lives are to aim. Scripture defines sin
as any failure to obey those commandments. The penalty for breaking the
commandments is death. But the penalty has been paid for those we put
their faith in Yeshua. Those who receive G-d’s gift of grace have a new
relationship to the law. Before, it condemned us, but now it serves as an
instrument of righteous teaching, not serving to condemn, but serving to re
remind us to obey His commandments in love.
several different conversion – type verses or phrases such as: “All have
sinned and fallen short of the glory of G-d…” “The wages of sin is death…”
Yeshua came to save the sinners from their sin… We who were sinners are
now saved by grace. At the bare minimum, we were presented with the
reality that we had sinned against G-d. Sin is a church word, rarely
mentioned outside of a faith context. Even within a faith context, however,
people understand sin to mean many different things. The original
development of this word was derived from the Hebrew word hatta. Its
understood meaning “to miss the mark” invoked a picture of an archer
taking aim and firing an arrow, only to miss his intended target. Sin is some
kind of wrongdoing, error, fault or mistake. The term became synonymous
with transgression. If sin is doing the wrong thing, then what is the right
thing? There must be a correct target or bull’s eye. If sin is so serious that
it condemns us to death, then there must be some way to know if something
we are doing is wrong (a sin) or right (not a sin). If G-d’s system is truly just,
there must be some clear definition of a standard of righteous living. When
a man stands before the righteous Judge and is condemned as guilty
because of his sins, there will be a very specific standard against which he
will be judged. John 5:45-47 The Bible states quite clearly what the
standard is The Apostle john writes “Whoever commits sin also commits
lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” 1 John 3:4. The Greek word for
lawlessness is ahomia. It comes from the prefix a- meaning without and
nomos meaning law. Nomos most often refers to the books of law, which
were written by Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and
Deuteronomy. These books contain teachings, stories, and
commandments including the 10 commandments. According to John, sin is
defined as disobedience of G-d’s law. This means that when G-d
condemns a person because of his sins, the person is judged guilty on
account of breaking the commandments found in the law of G-d.
Romans 4:15 In Paul’s words, if there were no commandments to break,
then no one could be guilty. Without a goal, there is nothing for which to
aim. But G-d did give commandments, and so it is possible to miss the
mark and to sin. These conscious choices cause G-d’s judgment to be
upon us. Most scholars agree that G-d’s system of laws, instructions and
regulations have been present since creation. Paul also says “the sting of
death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” 1 Cor 15:56. We are
condemned to death because of our sins. Go to Romans 7:7 Here our sins
are judged according to the law. Similarly, if a man is convicted of a crime
by an earthly judge, it is the laws and ordinances that empower the
prosecutor to accuse him, the jury to convict him, and the judge to sentence
him. That does not mean that these laws are bad. On the contrary, they are
good and necessary, and contribute to a to a healthy society. Romans 7:12
It is clear that Scripture defines sin as any failure to fully obey the
commandments in G-d’s law. It’s a good thing the story does not end here,
because we all fail to fully obey G-d’s commandments. Only the Messiah
Yeshua Himself fully obeyed every applicable commandment found in the
law. In His death he paid the penalty that was due us for breaking the law,
and by our faith in Him we receive the gift of eternal life. Thank G-d our
eternal status does not depend on our ability to perform all the
commandments. Before we receive His payment our sinful lives were
compared to the law and the law’s prescribed punishment is death. Now
the law’s punishment does not apply to us, the grace of G-d does. We were
once in bondage, but now we are free. Yet the freedom we receive in
Messiah is not freedom from the laws G-d gave (G-d’s teaching and
instruction give to His people for their benefit). Rather, the freedom we
receive in Messiah is the freedom from sin, which results in death. Once we
are freed from our sin through Yeshua, we should not feel free to continue to
commit sins on the account that through G-d’s grace they are forgiven.
Romans 6:15 Now that we are new creations, we are finally able to begin
obeying G-d’s commandments out of love. Romans 6:12-14 In Messiah,
we are free from our bondage to sin; we no longer have to allow our
inclination to be that of sin. He has given us the power and ability to train
ourselves unto righteousness. Sin is the direct opposite of
righteousness. In Messiah, we are able to serve G-d as instruments of
righteousness, and through His life in us, we are able to choose to obey His
commandments. In fact, if we continue to lead a life of habitual sin, it would
appear that we are still in bondage. If we remain in bondage to sin, then we
must not be new creations. If you are obedient to G-d’s commandments,
then you are a slave to G-d. Romans 6:16 Now that we have ventured into
the Hebraic understanding of the word sin, let us also take a look at the
Hebrew word for law. The Hebrew word is Torah, which literally means
“teaching, guidance or instruction.” The word Torah comes from the verb
root yarah which means to shoot an arrow. In Hebrew thought, the success
and failure of living a life of sin or righteousness is defined in terms
compared to archery, yet their definitions are completely opposite each
other. Sinning is missing the mark, falling short of the target; righteous living
is hitting the mark with perfect accuracy, not falling to obtain the goal at
which we are aiming. G-d’s righteous standard is the commandments of
the law. This is the goal at which our lives are to aim. Scripture defines sin
as any failure to obey those commandments. The penalty for breaking the
commandments is death. But the penalty has been paid for those we put
their faith in Yeshua. Those who receive G-d’s gift of grace have a new
relationship to the law. Before, it condemned us, but now it serves as an
instrument of righteous teaching, not serving to condemn, but serving to re
remind us to obey His commandments in love.
| RIGHT AND WRONG BY RABBI ESTHER BOUCHER |
Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc. Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007/2008