The scriptures state: “Every lawlessness is sin.” 1 John 5:17 and “sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4, for “I would not have known sin if it had not been for the law; after all, neither would I have known covetousness, if the law had not said, Do not covet!” Romans 7:7.
Khata(Hebrew) Hamartia(Greek) – sin – also means to miss the target, to lose.
Sin is anything that is not from Yahuah AND for Yahuah. When our goal is to have a close relationship with Elohim, everything that pulls us away or disconnects us from Yahuah is our own Khata – a missed shot. Our failure.
Expanding on the definition of sin, quote verse 17 from the 4th chapter of the Epistle of James:
„17 To him, then, who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Sin, then, is not only doing something wrong, but also not doing good deeds. The Scriptures say: „7 Is it not if you do good, you are to be accepted? And if you do not do good, towards the door is a sin.” Genesis 4,7
Man was made in the likeness of the Creator. The Scriptures state: “And Elohim created man in His image.” Genesis 1:27. After the fall of Adam and Eve, this condition changed dramatically: “Therefore as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and thus death passed upon all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12 and “through one man’s disobedience all became sinners.” Romans 5:19
What are the consequences of sin?
Yahuah Elohim reacted to Adam and Eve’s first disobedience as follows: He banished them from Paradise, sentenced them to a hard life and labor in sweat and toil, in pain and bitterness. The earth was henceforth to give birth to thorns and thistles, eventually becoming the grave of men. We read about this in Genesis chapter 3 in verses 7-24.
Is it possible to avoid the consequences of sin?
No! After all, “through one man’s disobedience all became sinners.” Romans 5:19. So we all get sick, suffer, work hard and eventually our bodies die a mortal death, according to the prediction given to Adam: “you shall return to the ground from which you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you shall turn!” Genesis 3:19.
What is the penalty for sin?
“The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23. ” And if anyone was not written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15. “And the share of the fearful, and of the unbelieving, and of the defiled, and of the murderers, and of the fornicators, and of the sorcerers, and of the idolaters, and of all liars, shall be a lake burning with fire and brimstone. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:8.
Is it possible to avoid punishment for sins?
Yahuah Elohim Himself has given everyone this opportunity. The Scriptures state: “And He raised up for us a mighty Savior in the house of David, his servant.” Luke 1:69. “And Elohim gives proof of His love toward us by the fact that, while we were yet sinners, the Messiah died for us.” Romans 5:8. “For He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2. It is the Master Yahusha who saves us from the penalty of sin because “our sicknesses He bore, our sufferings He took upon Himself. And we thought that he was wounded, by Elohim he was reviled and tormented. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our crookednesses. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5. “9 Much more then, having now been declared right by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if, being enemies, we were restored to favour with Elohim through the death of His Son, much more, having been restored to favour, we shall be saved by His life.” Romans 5:9.10.
To whom should sins be confessed?
The Scriptures state: “My sin have I confessed to thee [Elohim], and my guilt have I not hid. I said: I will confess my transgressions to Yahuah; then You have forgiven the guilt of my sin. Let every pious person pray to Thee in time of distress.” Psalms 32:5-6
What is Yahuah’s response to confession of sins? The Scriptures state: “If we confess our sins, Elohim is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins, and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
“5 For there is one Elohim, and one Mediator between Elohim and men, the Man Messiah Yahusha,” – 1 Timothy 2:5
Although every person is bound to Adam through sin, through faith he is also bound to Yahusha, who reconciled sinful humanity to Yahuah Elohim. The Scriptures state: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of Elohim’s grace is eternal life in Yahusha the Messiah, our Master.” Romans 6:23
A stumbling sinner should feel inner discomfort. Like King David, who wrote: “4 For my crookednesses have passed over my head; Like a heavy burden, too heavy for me.” Psalm 38:4
However, there is a rescue for everyone! The Scriptures say: „7 Let the wrong forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahuah, who has compassion on him, and to our Elohim, for He pardons much.” Isaiah 55,7
Moreover, we have Someone who intercedes for us with Yahuah Elohim: “My children, I write this to you so that you may not sin. Even if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate before the Father – Yahusha Messiah the righteous. For He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2
However, in conclusion, it must be made clear that no sin knowingly committed despite the knowledge of the truth is justified!
“26 For if we sin purposely after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a slaughter offering for sins,
27 but some fearsome anticipation of judgment, and a fierce fire which is about to consume the opponents.
28 Anyone who has disregarded the Torah of Mosheh dies without compassion on the witness of two or three witnesses.
29 How much worse punishment do you think shall he deserve who has trampled the Son of Elohim underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was set apart as common, and insulted the Spirit of favour?” Hebrews 10:26-29
1 John 3: 4-9 Shocking, but how true are the words about sinning and holiness:
“4 Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
6 Everyone staying in Him does not sin. Everyone sinning has neither seen Him nor known Him.
7 Little children, let no one lead you astray. The one doing righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.
8 The one doing sin is of the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of Elohim was manifested: to destroy the works of the devil.
9 Everyone having been born of Elohim does not sin, because His seed stays in him, and he is powerless to sin, because he has been born of Elohim.”
1 John 3: 10-24
“10 In this the children of Elohim and the children of the devil are manifest: Everyone not doing righteousness is not of Elohim, neither the one not loving his brother.
11 Because this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
12 not as Qayin who was of the wicked one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his works were wicked but those of his brother were righteous.
13 Do not marvel, my brothers, if the world hates you.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. The one not loving his brother stays in death.
15 Everyone hating his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has everlasting life staying in him.
16 By this we have known love, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his tender affections from him, how does the love of Elohim stay in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall set our hearts at rest before Him,
20 that if our heart condemns us, Elohim is greater than our heart, and knows all.
21 Beloved ones, if our heart does not condemn us, we have boldness toward Elohim.
22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we guard His commands and do what is pleasing in His sight.
23 And this is His command, that we should believe in the Name of His Son Yahusha Messiah and love one another, as He gave us command.
24 And the one guarding His commands stays in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He stays in us, by the Spirit which He gave us.”
