Define Sin

[creekster]

As I perused some of the responses to Seattleute's query about disbelief, it occurred to me that one of the problems in analyzing the responses is that there appear to be different ideas of how to define sin. For example, is sin a simple failure, for what ever reason, to follow God's will, or is sin limited to instances of willful disobedience?

What do you think?

[All-American]

In my opinion, sin is knowing God's will and acting otherwise. I'd like to think that He agrees with me.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by creekster

As I perused some of the responses to Seattleute's query about disbelief, it occurred to me that one of the problems in analyzing the responses is that there appear to be different ideas of how to define sin. For example, is sin a simple failure, for what ever reason, to follow God's will, or is sin limited to instances of willful disobedience?

What do you think?

My definition of sin: Sin is any thought, word, or action which is not completely 100% in accordance with what a perfect being would do in your circumstance.

We are all sinning nearly all day long every day. We have need to repent every day.

I believe in a world of grays--very little is black and white. A sin is anything with even the most faintest shade of gray in it. For example in an extreme case, I could be sinning by going to the temple if some other greater form of service was available during that moment and I opted for temple instead.

The good thing is that because of what Christ did, sinning is not a big deal. It's just part of human experience. Christ forgives us if we come to him and repent--which I believe is a lot easier and more timely than most people do, going back to another thread where someone was bummed that their female friend didn't get the crap kicked out of her by the church for committing fornication.

Because of our obsession with works and worthiness, I think we have a real fear of the concept of sin. We need to get over it. We are all sinners.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by All-American

In my opinion, sin is knowing God's will and acting otherwise. I'd like to think that He agrees with me.

Knowing God's will is not a prerequesite to sin. That's very clear in the scriptures and teachings of prophets.

[RockyBalboa]

I think the word sin is derived from a latin word, from which the meaning of that word is "To miss the mark".

Interesting.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by jay santos

Knowing God's will is not a prerequesite to sin. That's very clear in the scriptures and teachings of prophets.

Isn't one who ignorantly trespasses the law a transgressor? This maybe semantics, and I think that "sin" is sometimes used generically to capture both knowing and unknowing trespasses of the law, but I believe there is an important distinction.

With either sin or transgression, the atonement is necessary to satisfy justice. But we also believe that those who are ignorant of the law, but would have obeyed it if they had known it, also inheret the celestial kingdom. I conclude from this that sinners need to repent in this life but not transgressors.

Thoughts?

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

Isn't one who ignorantly trespasses the law a transgressor? This maybe semantics, and I think that "sin" is sometimes used generically to capture both knowing and unknowing trespasses of the law, but I believe there is an important distinction.

With either sin or transgression, the atonement is necessary to satisfy justice. But we also believe that those who are ignorant of the law, but would have obeyed it if they had known it, also inheret the celestial kingdom. I conclude from this that sinners need to repent in this life but not transgressors.

Thoughts?

We are all sinners. No man lived a sinless life other than Jesus. That is clear in the scriptures like no other concept.

So those people in China who never knew the gospel that sinned--they must have sinned unknowingly.

"But we also believe that those who are ignorant of the law, but would have obeyed it if they had known it, also inheret the celestial kingdom."

We believe that? Who does? I don't. Nobody obeys the law. We are all sinners.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by jay santos

We are all sinners. No man lived a sinless life other than Jesus. That is clear in the scriptures like no other concept.

So those people in China who never knew the gospel that sinned--they must have sinned unknowingly.

"But we also believe that those who are ignorant of the law, but would have obeyed it if they had known it, also inheret the celestial kingdom."

We believe that? Who does? I don't. Nobody obeys the law. We are all sinners.

D&C 137: 7

"Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God."

I understand "the gospel" in this scripture to encompass both the knowledge we have relative to the plan, as well as the steps that must be followed to gain the celestial kingdom. Those steps are also known as commandments.

So to say it another way, those who die without knowing the commandments, who would have obeyed them and/or repented had they learned them, are celestial heirs.

If you have a contrary understanding of that scripture I am certainly open to be taught something.

P.S. I made an important revision by adding "and/or repented."

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

D&C 137: 7

"Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God."

I understand "the gospel" in this scripture to encompass both the knowledge we have relative to the plan, as well as the steps that must be followed to gain the celestial kingdom. Those steps are also known as commandments.

So to say it another way, those who die without knowing the commandments, who would have obeyed them had they learned them, are celestial heirs.

If you have a contrary understanding of that scripture I am certainly open to be taught something.

well i'm not teaching anybody anything. just giving my opinion.

i think there's a BIG difference as in HUGE to equate accepting the gospel with sinning or not. everybody i know who has accepted the gospel still goes on sinning on a regular basis. and imho that set of people who died without knowing the gospel but would have received it, still has a lot to repent for when they finally do get it, just like the rest of us.

[il Padrino Ute]

I agree with Jay Santos here. We are all sinners, all the time. We're told to not sin, but being human, we are in a constant state of sin. Our thoughts condemn us. Our actions condmen us. However, through the Atonement, all that we do is forgiven if we are doing all that we can to not sin.

My understanding is that it is our intentions that make the difference. We may not intend to sin - we just do it. However, if we intentionally sin, well, then we have to be held accountable without any help from the Atonement.

As for a definition of sin, I believe it can be defined as anything that God or Christ wouldn't do. Rather broad, but accurate, IMO.