Sin - Part 2 - Definition (Wayne Grudem)

Christian definition of sin:

Wayne Grudem defines sin like this - Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.[1]

The moral standard for right and wrong is God's law. Failing to meet the standard is sin. According to Grudem we sin in Act, Attitude and Nature.

Sinning in Act

This includes everything we do, including our speech. We normally think of God's law as the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20: murder, lying, stealing, ...

Sinning in Attitude

This includes our thoughts and intentions. So often, we do the right thing for the wrong reasons. This for Christians constitutes of sin. This can be hard to accept, even for Christians. 

Thoughts - An argument against this, is: "well, I can't always control what I think! How can I be held accountable for this?" The Bible teaches that it is wrong to covet which is desiring to steal, anger, which is the desire to kill, and lust which is the desire to commit adultery. 

Concerning our attitudes - Tim Keller says something along these lines - a religious person, repent of their sins. A Christian repents of the motives he had for doing the right thing. 

Sinning in Nature

The essence of who we are as people were "sinners". Before we were redeemed by Christ we acted sinfully, had sinful attitudes and were also sinners by nature.

Ephesians 2:3 puts it this way concerning converted Christians, they were "by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind".

The implication is that an unbeliever, when he sleeps and commits no sinful action and is not nurturing a sinful attitude, is still a sinner in God's sight. He is a sinner by nature who does not conform to God's moral law. 

 

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^[1]Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology : An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House, 1994), 490.