how to explain sinning in this respect
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In our post-abortion seminars, our lessons on forgiveness usually bring me around to talking about this (what I’m going to explain in a sec), and now i’m not sure if I’m saying it right or not.
I usually explain that we sin against God—we are breaking his standard when we sin. Another person’s sin might hurt me, and therefore, he should ask me to forgive him, but he doesn’t really “sin against me,” as he is breaking God’s law and not mine.
is that right?
Because I got to thinking about the phrase in the Lord’s Prayer:
Matthew 6:9-13
NIV, KJV, NASV: And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors
Luke 11:2-4
KjV And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us
NIV Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us
so do we sin against each other? if so, do we sin against a person in the same way we sin against God? Have you ever explained this?
I usually explain that we sin against God—we are breaking his standard when we sin. Another person’s sin might hurt me, and therefore, he should ask me to forgive him, but he doesn’t really “sin against me,” as he is breaking God’s law and not mine.
is that right?
Because I got to thinking about the phrase in the Lord’s Prayer:
Matthew 6:9-13
NIV, KJV, NASV: And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors
Luke 11:2-4
KjV And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us
NIV Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us
so do we sin against each other? if so, do we sin against a person in the same way we sin against God? Have you ever explained this?
You can sin against people, even yourself:
Matthew 18:21-22 21 ¶ Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
1 Corinthians 8:11-13 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
All sins are against God, but some sins are also against other people. That is why worshiping God with a clean heart involves seeking restoration with others:
Matthew 5:21-24 21 ¶ “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 18:21-22 21 ¶ Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
1 Corinthians 8:11-13 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
All sins are against God, but some sins are also against other people. That is why worshiping God with a clean heart involves seeking restoration with others:
Matthew 5:21-24 21 ¶ “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
My Blog: http://dearreaderblog.com
Cor meum tibi offero Domine prompte et sincere. ~ John Calvin
so as I’ve been thinking over your response, i have two questions:
david said “against you and you only have i sinned.” is that significant in this issue?
and then, does being able to sin against others and oneself change the definition of sin as “missing the mark” (ie, God’s mark)?
i never thought about all this before, how interesting.
david said “against you and you only have i sinned.” is that significant in this issue?
and then, does being able to sin against others and oneself change the definition of sin as “missing the mark” (ie, God’s mark)?
i never thought about all this before, how interesting.
In English, we use “sin” as the most generic word for wrong-doing. That’s fine, as long as we realize that the Bible uses many different words, and sometimes metaphors, to describe our “sin.” So, we can’t just take the meaning of one Hebrew or Greek word and make it the definition for sin.
Here’s a decent list of “sin” words: http://www.theopedia.com/Greek_and_Hebrew_words_for_Sin [For more thorough study, even if you’re not familiar with Greek or Hebrew, check out those entries in Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, or in the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, or in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.]
I think you’re right to note that all of our sin is ultimately against God. I think Psalm 51:4 is using hyperbole; David is somewhat overstating the case to point out that this sin isn’t just against Uriah or Bathsheba. Plenty of other passages in the OT use that word for sins against other people.
Within the moral framework that God has established, we have duties toward other people, and others have rights we must respect. When we fail to perform those duties or violate those rights, we sin both against them and against the God who established ethical norms.
Here’s a decent list of “sin” words: http://www.theopedia.com/Greek_and_Hebrew_words_for_Sin [For more thorough study, even if you’re not familiar with Greek or Hebrew, check out those entries in Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, or in the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, or in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.]
I think you’re right to note that all of our sin is ultimately against God. I think Psalm 51:4 is using hyperbole; David is somewhat overstating the case to point out that this sin isn’t just against Uriah or Bathsheba. Plenty of other passages in the OT use that word for sins against other people.
Within the moral framework that God has established, we have duties toward other people, and others have rights we must respect. When we fail to perform those duties or violate those rights, we sin both against them and against the God who established ethical norms.
My Blog: http://dearreaderblog.com
Cor meum tibi offero Domine prompte et sincere. ~ John Calvin
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