The document discusses the true definition of sin according to scripture. It analyzes Jesus' parable of the wedding supper to show that sin is ultimately disobedience to God's authority, not just acts like adultery or theft. The parable illustrates people making excuses for not obeying God's call, and Jesus saying they would be barred from his kingdom. The document also examines another parable of Jesus about two sons, one who initially refused but later obeyed his father, to further demonstrate that sin is disobeying God, even if one outwardly appears righteous.

1. Under Cover

2. The True Definition of SIN
The same is true of many people in the
church. Too often we lack the core
understanding of what sin really is. To move
forward, we must look at how scriptures
define it. The bible declares, “Sin is
lawlessness” 1 John 3:4.

3. The True Definition of SIN
The Greek word for lawlessness, is anomia.
Thayer’s Greek dictionary defines this word
the condition without law, because of
ignorance of it or because of violating it.

4. Simply put lawlessness is not to submit to the
law or authority of God. Vines Dictionary
states that this word gives the real meaning of
the word sin. Vine goes on to say that this
definition of sin sets forth its essential
character as the rejection of the law or will, of
God and the substitution of the will of self.

5. To confirm this definition, lets look at a
parable of Jesus. He was eating with some
people, and one of them said, “Blessed is He
who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God!”
O
Luke 14:15

6. The Lord looks advantage of the man’s
comment to tell who would eat the table of
the marriage supper of the Lamb. He started
by saying, a certain man gave a great supper
and invited many, and sent his servant at
supper time to say to those who were invited,
Come for all things are now ready. - Luke
14:16-17

7. The man giving the supper represents the
Father, and the servant is Jesus himself. The
use of the singular servant reinforces this
interpretation, scripture specifically states,
“God who at various times and at various
spoke in time past to the fathers, by the
prophets has in these last days spoken to us
by His son. Hebrews 1:1-2

8. Jesus is our spokesman. Those who preach,
teach, or write in this new testament times
are commanded to speak as the Lord’s oracles.
We must hear what He is saying to us and
accurately communicate it. In this parable the
Father’s will is spoken: “Come for all things are
now ready. This announcement is directed
toward those who are already invited, that is
those who are in the church, not unbelievers

9. Who have never heard the gospel. However
this people begin to make excuses for not
heeding to the call: “Come.” The first one say “
I have a fifth of vodka and a kicking party to go
to this weekend and I really want to be there.
Please have me excused.

10. The second one says “ I have fallen in love
with my secretary and we are going to take a
trip together this week and check into a
Hawaiian resort to fill our week with love.
Please don’t say anything to my wife, she
thinks I am going on a business trip. So I can’t
come.

11. Is that what they say? If you read your bible you
will find there responses are very different.
Let’s examine each one.

12. “ The first said to [the servant], I have both a
piece of ground.” Now I have a question
before we go any further: is buying a piece of
ground a sin? If it is, a lot of us are in trouble
the answer is no. We all know that. Let’s look
again at what he said: “I have bought a piece
of ground and I must go and see it. I ask you
to have me excused.” v.18

13. As I stated, buying land is not sin, but when
interest in possessions becomes more
important than immediate submission to the
word of God. It falls under the core definition
of sin. It is lawlessness, it does not submit to
God’s authority.

14. The next fellow wasn’t embarking on a
gambling trip. He said, “I have bought five
yoke of oxen, and I am going to text them, I
ask you to have me excused.” Is buying oxen
or any necessary equipment for our livelihood
a sin? Of course not but when industry or
business becomes more important than

15. Instantly obeying the word or will of God. It is
sin! Remember, Adam did not gamble in the
garden of Eden. He simply did not submit to
what God said.

16. The last one said, “I have married a wife and
therefore I can not come.” v.20 Is taking a wife
a sin? Of course not? If it was, most of us will
be in big trouble when the desire to please a
mate becomes more important than
submitting to the will of God it is sin.

17. Again recall the Garden. Eve was decieved (2
Cor.11:3), but it was different story for Adam:
Adam was not deceived. 1 Timothy 2:14
Referring to the nature of Adam sin the
scriptures say, for just as through the
disobedience of the one man the many were
made sinners. Romans 5:19

18. Adam disobeyed because his wife had already
eaten and she wanted him to do the same. He
choose her over submitting to the authority of
God. As a result of Adam’s disobedience many
were made sinners or we can say it like this:
“Many were made lawless or disobedient to
the authority of God.”

19. This is true sin. In the case of this parable,
Jesus showed how the man chose his wife at
the expense of not obeying the word of God.

20. Now hear what Jesus said about those men
who made very polite excuses but did not
submit themselves to the calling voice and
authority of God: “For I say to you that none
of those men who were invited shall taste my
supper.” Luke 14:24

21. How sobering! Those men would not be
permitted to dine at the wedding supper to
which they had previously held honorary
invitations. They were barred from the
marriage supper of the Lamb, not because of
sexual misconduct, or drug, or alcohol abuse,
but because of simple disobedience to the
word of God.

22. Why should this surprise us? If we think it
through, was it not Adam’s disobedience that
brought the greatest consequence of
judgment on mankind?

23. Isn’t it interesting there is no mention in this
parable of drug addicts, prostitutes, pimps,
alcoholics, murderers or thieves, right?
Wrong!

24. If you read on, you will notice the servant
reported to the Master and relayed all the
excuses. The master of the house instructed
the servant, go out into the highways and
hedges, and compel them to come in, that my
house many be filled. – Luke 14:23

25. The people of the highways and hedges in
Scripture represent the prostitute, pimps,
thieves, gang members, murderers, alcoholics,
and so on! Wow, they are in the parable but in
a good sense!

26. The Lord knows that in these last days, many
of these people realize their lives are empty
and have brought them nothing but sorrow
and they tire of kicking against the goads.
When they hear the call of the master, they
will respond with instant obedience. In
contrast, those who were invited, who attend
church and consider themselves godly, but

27. Obey God only when it is convenient or
doesn’t interfere with their schedules,
agendas, blessings, or pleasure, will find
themselves with Adam, shut out from God’s
glorious presence.

28. I will, Sir.
Sin reveals its true definition in the parable of
the wedding supper as disobedience to God’s
authority. Jesus made it clear in yet another
parable, in which He opened with the
question, what do you think with those
opening words He attempted to get His
outwardly righteous listeners to look deeper
and glimpse the truth within their answer.

29. I will, Sir.
Jesus spoke of a man with two sons. The
father went to his first son and told him, “Son,
go and work today in the vineyard.”

30. I will, Sir.
The son replied, “ I will not.” However, later he
changed his mind and left what he was doing
and worked in the vineyard.

31. I will, Sir.
Then the father approached the second son
and asked the same thing of him. The son
answered his father, “I will, sir.” Sounded like a
great son, and he certainly spoke with respect
to his father. Yet Jesus said, “He did not go.”

32. I will, Sir.
Then Jesus asked all-important, but easy-toanswer question, “Which of the two did what
his father wanted?”

33. I will, Sir.
The group He was addressing answered
correctly: “The first.”

34. I will, Sir.
The Jesus went right to the heart of the
matter and said, “I tell you the truth, the tax
collectors and the prostitutes are entering the
kingdom of God ahead of you.” (Matthew
21:28-31)

35. I will, Sir.
Now it is obvious any parent would prefer his
son to say, “Yes, sir, I will go,” and actually go
with joy, not only obeying the command, but
having a willing attitude as well. Yet this
parable showed this leaders that the core
meaning of sin is ultimately disobedience to
the authority of God. It is not confined to
adultery, murder, thief, and so forth.

36. I will, Sir.
The leaders were proud and confident in
themselves because they weren’t ensnared in
what they considered “gross sins.” However,
with their limited definition of sin, they were
easily deceived into committing what they
professed to avoid so diligently – sin or
disobedience to divine authority.

37. What about the “Big Ones”?
We can walk the Bible and find this same
message repeatedly. You might be thinking,
what about lying getting drunk, committing
adultery, stealing, committing murder? Aren’t
these sins? Absolutely!

38. What about the “Big Ones”?
They go against His authority as well. God is
the same One who tells to away lying, and “let
each one of you speak truth with his
neighbour” (Eph. 4:24-25) As far as getting
drunk with wine, “He commands, “Do not be
drunk with wine” (Ephesians 5:8).

39. What about the “Big Ones”?
Regarding adultery, He warns, “Flee sexual
immorality.” (1 Cor. 6:18)

40. What about the “Big Ones”?
What about stealing? We are instructed, “If
you are a thief, stop stealing.” (Ephesians 4:28)

41. What about the “Big Ones”?
In regard to murder, and you know that no
murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (I
John 3:15)

42. What about the “Big Ones”?
The New Testament emphasizes that people
who practice these things will not inherit the
kingdom of God (1 Corintians 6:9-11;
Galatians 5:19-21; Revelations 21:8)

43. What about the “Big Ones”?
Yet let’s not lose sight of the fact that all
manner of sin destroys, not just the ones we
have labeled “the big ones”

44. What about the “Big Ones”?
Yet let’s not lose sight of the fact that all
manner of sin destroys, not just the ones we
have labeled “the big ones”