You may have heard the story of Adam and Eve naming the animals. When a horse appeared Adam asked Eve what she thought it should be called. “Horse,” she replied. “Why a horse?” Adam asked. “Because it looks like a horse,” she said. Eve may not have found it easy to define a horse, but she knew one when she saw one!
Sin is sort of that way. Sin may not be all that easy to define, but we recognize it when we see it or experience it. Such terms are defined in two ways: by formal (dictionary) definition and by example. If you were defining a computer to someone who had never heard of one, you might not make it clear to him what a computer is by formal definition, but if you showed him one and demonstrated how it worked, there would be clarity.
The Bible uses both methods in defining sin, albeit the formal definitions may not be all that clear. For example, Romans 14:23 tells us “Whatsoever is not from faith is sin,” but an inquirer might rightly ask what that means. Or when 1 John 3:4 says “Sin is lawlessness,” we still have to explain lawlessness. But when the Scriptures spell out sin by its ugly names there is both clarity and inexcusability.
Jesus may never have actually defined sin, but in Mark 8:21 he names thirteen sins, without actually calling them that, including some unexpected ones, including greed, malice, deceit, envy, pride, folly. He says these come from the heart and corrupt a person. In 1 Corinthians 6:9 Paul lists ten sins that he calls “evil,” and again we have some surprises that make all of us sinners. Along with listing sodomites and the sexually immoral, he names the self-indulgent, drunkards, thieves, misers, slanderers. After listing these gross sins he reveals an amazing thing about the Corinthian believers: “Such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” This is at least one instance of sodomites being cured. Notice the but’s. In this passage but spells grace! Here we have the great liberating truth about sin — God forgives sin! Even the grossest of sins. What abundant mercy!
This is what the Seven Deadly Sins are about, an effort on the part of medieval theologians to spell out the most serious sins. They got one thing wrong. They should have identified them as the seven deadliest sins, for all sins are deadly, biting like a serpent. But it is appropriate to point out that some sins are more serious than others, and bring a severer judgment, such as in John 19:11 where Jesus says that those who delivered him to Pilate have “greater” sin than Pilate. Our Lord repeatedly inferred that pride and hypocrisy were weightier sins.
In this context we might better understand the listing of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Pride — Generally viewed as the source of all sin. The Greeks called it hubris,inordinate self-love; one’s self is one’s universe; fails to recognize good in others, and sees no fault in self.
Wrath — Uncontrolled anger, to the point of rage, hate, revenge.
Greed — Covetousness, avarice; rapacious desire and pursuit of wealth and power; disposition to hurt others to get what one wants.
Sloth — Sins of omission, indifference — “I don’t give a damn” attitude.
Lust — Lechery; excessive desire to satisfy bodily desires, especially sexual desires; out-of-control appetite for money, power, control of others.
Envy — Resentment and ill-will toward another because of his advantages or accomplishments; a dislike of another who has something one wants for self; a disposition to deny others of what is theirs to have for self.
Gluttony — Epicure. Over-indulgence, over-consumption; a glutton is one who greedily eats too much.
The essence of all sin, as we learn from the story of Adam of Eve, is our desire to be God, a desire that our will be sovereign.
Sin is sort of that way. Sin may not be all that easy to define, but we recognize it when we see it or experience it. Such terms are defined in two ways: by formal (dictionary) definition and by example. If you were defining a computer to someone who had never heard of one, you might not make it clear to him what a computer is by formal definition, but if you showed him one and demonstrated how it worked, there would be clarity.
The Bible uses both methods in defining sin, albeit the formal definitions may not be all that clear. For example, Romans 14:23 tells us “Whatsoever is not from faith is sin,” but an inquirer might rightly ask what that means. Or when 1 John 3:4 says “Sin is lawlessness,” we still have to explain lawlessness. But when the Scriptures spell out sin by its ugly names there is both clarity and inexcusability.
Jesus may never have actually defined sin, but in Mark 8:21 he names thirteen sins, without actually calling them that, including some unexpected ones, including greed, malice, deceit, envy, pride, folly. He says these come from the heart and corrupt a person. In 1 Corinthians 6:9 Paul lists ten sins that he calls “evil,” and again we have some surprises that make all of us sinners. Along with listing sodomites and the sexually immoral, he names the self-indulgent, drunkards, thieves, misers, slanderers. After listing these gross sins he reveals an amazing thing about the Corinthian believers: “Such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” This is at least one instance of sodomites being cured. Notice the but’s. In this passage but spells grace! Here we have the great liberating truth about sin — God forgives sin! Even the grossest of sins. What abundant mercy!
This is what the Seven Deadly Sins are about, an effort on the part of medieval theologians to spell out the most serious sins. They got one thing wrong. They should have identified them as the seven deadliest sins, for all sins are deadly, biting like a serpent. But it is appropriate to point out that some sins are more serious than others, and bring a severer judgment, such as in John 19:11 where Jesus says that those who delivered him to Pilate have “greater” sin than Pilate. Our Lord repeatedly inferred that pride and hypocrisy were weightier sins.
In this context we might better understand the listing of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Pride — Generally viewed as the source of all sin. The Greeks called it hubris,inordinate self-love; one’s self is one’s universe; fails to recognize good in others, and sees no fault in self.
Wrath — Uncontrolled anger, to the point of rage, hate, revenge.
Greed — Covetousness, avarice; rapacious desire and pursuit of wealth and power; disposition to hurt others to get what one wants.
Sloth — Sins of omission, indifference — “I don’t give a damn” attitude.
Lust — Lechery; excessive desire to satisfy bodily desires, especially sexual desires; out-of-control appetite for money, power, control of others.
Envy — Resentment and ill-will toward another because of his advantages or accomplishments; a dislike of another who has something one wants for self; a disposition to deny others of what is theirs to have for self.
Gluttony — Epicure. Over-indulgence, over-consumption; a glutton is one who greedily eats too much.
The essence of all sin, as we learn from the story of Adam of Eve, is our desire to be God, a desire that our will be sovereign.
Written by Leroy Garrett, edited by Bruce Lyon
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