1. The document discusses different approaches to understanding the concept of sin, from those who see it as not really a problem to those who see it as ignorance or suppression of individuality. 2. It then outlines the biblical doctrine of sin, including that sin is a lack of conformity to God's character, that humans have a sinful nature inherited from Adam, and that sin is imputed or reckoned to our account. 3. Key aspects of sin discussed are personal sin, the sinful nature of man, and the legal reality that we are still sinners in need of salvation through Jesus Christ.

1. MAN & SIN
PART 2

2. SIN: ITS
CHARACTER AND
UNIVERSALITY

3. IS SIN A PROBLEM?
J. Rodman Williams suggests there
are a number of approaches to sin:
1. Basically there is no problem - a
few defects but essentially all is fine
- we don’t need to believe any dark
view of human nature - if we believe
it is ok it will be
2. Man is on the way up - not yet
as good as he should be because
man is not yet mature - consider his
evolutionary background and this is
not surprising

4. 3. Man is not sufficiently enlightened -
ignorance is the problem, he does not
yet know enough about what is good for
him and society, how to improve it all,
dangers of war etc.
4. The problem is man’s suppression
of his own individuality and needs - be
unencumbered by authority patterns,
taboos, representative guilt etc.
5. The problem is negative talk or
attitude to life - think, feel, act
positively in all situations and we will
overcome problems - don’t talk of sin,
we are going forward

5. A. HUMAN SPECULATION ON SIN
Sin is a major factor in human
experience and in the Bible’s
teaching.
The world is not comfortable
talking about sin and often
suggests it is simply a
misconception.
Gnosticism and some oriental
religions suggest sin is the
opposite of what God is and is
related to the physical (not
spiritual) world.

6. This can lead to ideas
of asceticism and denial
of the body.
Epicureanism advocates
indulging the body
All this denies sin and
what the Bible teaches
about it.

7. B. THE BIBLICAL
DOCTRINE OF SIN
“Sin is any want of conformity to
the character of God - in act,
disposition or state” Chafer
Sin is sin because it is against what
God is - for example, Ex 20:3-17
Sin is always against God - Ps 51:
4
A person who sins is unlike God
and therefore subject to judgement
4 aspects of the doctrine of sin in
the Bible:

8. 1. Personal sin, Rom 3:23,
includes every aspect of daily life
that fails to conform to the
character of God
It includes the idea of rebellion
and disobedience but essentially
includes acts of omission or
commission (committing an
offence)
Man comes short or misses the
mark of God’s standard
At least 8 OT and 12 NT words for
sin

9. 2. The sin nature of man
is revealed in the Bible -
Rom 5:19
Adams sin caused him to
become a different being,
degenerate and
depraved. This was
judged by Christ on the
cross Rom 6:10
For the death he died he
died to sin, once for all,
but the life he lives he
lives to God.

10. Total depravity - is not that
every man is as bad as he
could be but that the whole
nature of man is corrupted
by sin. This includes will
(Rom 1:28), intellect (2 Cor
4:4), conscience (1 Tim 4:2)
and heart
Eph 2:3 - carrying out the
desires of the body and the
mind, and were by nature
children of wrath, like the
rest of mankind.

11. No child has ever been
born sinless - apart from
Christ - we all inherit it
from our parents (Adam) -
thus men sin because they
have a sinful nature - the
only remedy is found in
Christ.

12. 3. Sin is presented as
reckoned to our account -
Rom 5:12-18 - 3 imputations
A. Adam’s sin to us - the basis
of original sin
B. Imputing the sin of man to
christ - the basis for salvation
C. Imputation of the
righteousness of God to those
who believe in Christ - the
basis for the doctrine of
justification.

13. Imputation is:
a. Actual, even though this
happened before God could
rightly declare the sin ours
b. Judicial - a legal position
because of our own personal
sins.
On the basis of Rom 5:12
Chafer states it is actual -
Therefore, just as sin came
into the world through one
man, and death through sin,
and so death spread to all
men because all sinned

14. 4. Legally we are still in sin,
sinners!
Rom 3:9 - What then? Are we
Jews any better off? No, not at
all. For we have already charged
that all, both Jews and Greeks,
are under sin,
Under sin means there is
nothing of merit in us that might
contribute towards salvation
Such state can only be
remedied by the merit of Jesus
Christ.