There is an amazing bit of trickery going on in our world, right before your eyes. Most people never see it happening. Yet, they wonder why there is such confusion between generations. Let me show you a bit of Satan’s magic and how it works!
What is a sin? If you were part of the “greatest generation,” one of those who defended our freedom, your dictionary would have read:
- an offense against the religious or moral law.
- an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible such as a transgression of the law of God.
This definition comes from the American College Dictionary, Harper & Brothers Publishers, text edition, published in 1948. This is the dictionary that would have been used by those returning from their service to our country after World War II. It was direct, first establishing that sin occurs when one departs from a law that has been established by either a religion or a moral norm. The second meaning, often used in dictionaries ties the meaning directly to God’s Law, God’s moral code as the established standard. Most people would not dispute the meaning of sin defined this way.
Now let’s fast forward to a time like now when artificial intelligence can sample human opinion across the world in seconds. Here is what a young student might learn from ChatGPT today:
“The concept of sin is often associated with religion, and the definition of sin can vary depending on religious beliefs and traditions. In many religions, the definition of sin is typically determined by sacred texts or teachings, as well as the interpretation of those texts by religious leaders, scholars, and communities.”
Right out of the gate, sin has been downgraded to just a concept. Sin has no specific meaning or no specific repercussions because people define sin based on their “interpretation” of either sacred text or teachings by virtually anyone who might claim proficiency in such knowledge. Don’t underestimate the sleight of hand here. Suddenly, sin is redefined, not as a transgression against God or even God’s Laws, but merely the opinion of anyone claiming to be an expert. Examples might include the many honor killings of children by their fathers for dishonoring their families we see around the world. There have even been such killings in our country. These interpretations override both God’s Laws and most civil laws. It shows the power of culture and tradition on the interpretation of words like “honor.”
Subtle shifts in the use of language often reflect broader changes in societal attitudes and values, which will impact intergenerational communication and their understanding of sin. When we changed the name of a baby in the womb to a fetus, it became easier to accept abortion as a form of personal rights and birth control. You weren’t killing a baby, just a fetus.
So then, what exactly is a sin? There was no sin in the beginning, at the point of the creation of our world. Adam and Eve, representing humanity, fell victim to Satan’s carefully crafted appeal to go against God. Because of humanity’s free will, sin came forth. Satan said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? Surely you will not die.” (Genesis 3:1-5) Satan merely took an explicit command from God and confused its definition with the insertion of doubt. God’s Will was to be the form of obedience and not following God’s Will became a sin! Sin is, first and foremost, against God and against what He has disclosed of Himself through His Word. And that definition of sin prevails in one fashion or another across the entire scope of Scripture. Our responsibility is to learn God’s Truth. This includes God’s definitions of sinful behavior. God is the only one that can ever define a sin.
When society, with its teachings, religious leaders, educators, and numerous communities gets through with interpreting God’s Word, anything can and will go wrong. When sin becomes nothing more than an inconvenient truth, God’s Truth is replaced with Satan’s lies (Romans 1:21-32). Sin becomes not only acceptable but a lifestyle. Sin can even become a religion and a moral code. BUT YOU CANNOT LEAVE THE REAL GOD OUT OF ANY DEFINITION OF SIN! This brings us then to another “real truth,” humanity needs help badly. Humanity loves to hate, loves to lie, loves to steal, filled with lust, and the list is enough to fill Hollywood’s movie libraries.
(John 3:16-18)1NIV New International Version – ”For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
What then are we asked to do?
- Accept God’s Word (the Bible) as real.
- Not to make our goal to pick apart God’s Word, looking for the “loopholes.” You will not succeed.
- Do pray for help to understand God’s Word and accept it! Then pray for help to follow it!
- Know that you have help to accomplish this.
Through the Holy Spirit, you can grow close to your one true Savior, Jesus. He is the reason why God doesn’t give up on this world of ours. Jesus brought us into reconciliation with His Father, God! Sin is portrayed in Genesis 3 more as humanity’s rebellion. It was not that eating the apple is intrinsically sinful. Sin is doubting God’s Word, mocking God, and criticizing God. The English language is constantly evolving and changing, with new words being added and existing words being used in different ways. The English language even has a long history of borrowing words from other languages, and this trend continues today. Technology and social media are also major factors in influencing how we understand each other. While the English language is a living and constantly evolving system, God’s Word is not! What humanity has always needed is a stable and just standard written by the author of the Universe! That is why we use God’s Word as a marker, a beacon in our world, to find that narrow and small door into eternity. There are over 650 sins listed in God’s Word. History tells us that humans will never be perfect. Good news, however. We don’t have to strive for perfection, just strive for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!
Contemplations
- Where are your doubts and where is your confusion?
- Ideas to Explore: Are you confused by the softening of religious denominations toward sin? Do you think that God will look past sinful behavior? What does repentance mean to you?
- What do you think society’s worst sin is?
- Ideas to Explore: Our attack on our children through pornography, drugs, trafficking, abortion? Our leadership’s pursuit of self-worth? The lack of integrity of our governing bodies? Please add a few of your own favorites to the list.
- Where do you see our nation redefining sin into something no longer sinful?
- Ideas to Explore: Woke culture, Gender confusion, exposure of sinful behavior to children, national debt, telling the truth, our right to religious freedom?
- What do you personally do when you see sin prevailing in society?
- Ideas to Explore: Ignore it? Avoid it? Call it out? Try to stop it. What do you think God does when He sees it?
- Do you believe that God punishes sin?
- Ideas to Explore: Find anywhere in the Bible an example of where God rewarded sinful behavior.
- Why do you think people act as if they will get away with sin?
- Ideas to Explore: They don’t believe in God. They have defined sinful behavior as righteous and not sinful. Ignorance.
- 1NIV New International Version