What Is Sin? A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Treatment

What Is Sin? A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Treatment

Introduction: Defining the Problem

Sin is more than just “doing bad things.” Biblically, sin is missing the mark—falling short of God’s holiness and will. It is lawlessness (1 John 3:4), rebellion (Isaiah 1:2), and unbelief (Romans 14:23). But it’s also deeper than behavior—it's a condition of the heart.

The Greek word often used in the New Testament is ἁμαρτία (hamartia, Strong’s G266), meaning “to miss the mark.” It’s the failure to live in perfect alignment with God’s character. That includes actions, motives, omissions, and even misplaced affections.

The Root of Sin: Romans and the Fall

Paul outlines the spread and consequences of sin in the early chapters of Romans:

• “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, NLT)

• “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23, NLT)

But this isn’t the end of the story. Romans 5 explains how sin entered through Adam and how righteousness is offered through Jesus.

“Just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12, LEB)

Jesus’ View on Sin

Jesus did not excuse sin—He called people out of it. In John 8, when the woman caught in adultery was brought before Him, He didn’t say “Try to do better” or “Work on it.” He said plainly: “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). That wasn’t a suggestion—it was a command. Then, just moments later, Jesus made His view of sin crystal clear: “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin” (John 8:34). But He didn’t leave it there. He continued:

“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free” (John 8:36). In other words, sin enslaves—but Jesus sets people free not just from the guilt of sin, but from its power. His expectation wasn’t management—it was deliverance.

John 5:14"Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you."

John 8:11"Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."

Luke 13:3"And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God."

Matthew 4:17"Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."

John 8:34–36"I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin... So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free."

Can Christians Stop Sinning?

Many stop at 1 John 1:8–10, which says:

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves... If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, so that he will forgive us... If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar.”

But this is written to rebuke denial of sin—not license for ongoing sin.

Before we move on to the verses that clarify the believer’s call to holiness, let’s take a closer look at the language in two commonly cited passages: 1 John 1:8 and Romans 3:23.

In 1 John 1:8, it says:

“If we say that we do not have sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (LEB)

The Greek phrase here is ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔχομεν (hamartían ouk échomen)—literally, “we do not have sin.” The verb ἔχομεν (échomen, from ἔχω, Strong’s G2192) means to have, possess, or hold. This is not referring to committing acts of sin, but to the indwelling sin nature—the inherited condition of humanity. This is not speaking of doing sin, but having sin — referring to the sin nature that dwells in all humans since Adam. John isn’t saying that believers must continue sinning; he’s pointing out that denying we have ever had a sin nature is a lie.

Let’s now examine 1 John 1:10, a verse often quoted to imply that Christians are perpetually sinful:

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (LEB)

The Greek verb here is ἡμαρτήκαμεν (hēmartékamen, from ἁμαρτάνω, Strong’s G264), which is the perfect active indicative. This form expresses a completed action in the past with lasting result or relevance. In other words, John is not warning against denying ongoing sinning—he’s warning against denying that we ever sinned.

It’s a statement about our past reality, not a declaration about present conduct. The verse condemns those who act as if they’ve never been guilty before God—essentially denying the need for salvation at all.

This matches the pattern in Romans 3:23:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (LEB)

The verb ἥμαρτον (hēmarton) is in the aorist tense, the standard Greek form for completed past action. Paul is stating that all people have sinned—past tense—and that this sin is what placed them in need of grace.

Together, these verses point to a universal human condition prior to salvation—not an inevitable, ongoing pattern for those in Christ. They highlight the necessity of redemption, not the perpetuity of rebellion. The grammar shows it clearly: “sinned,” not “keep on sinning.”

Keep reading, and you’ll find the New Testament doesn't stop at our past—it moves boldly into our new nature in Christ.

If We Keep reading into chapter 2:

“I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.” (1 John 2:1)

Then, if we keep reading in chapters 3 – 5

1 John 3:4

“Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”

Greek: πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν – pas ho poiōn tēn hamartian

Meaning: Ongoing, habitual sin is a violation of God's law—anomia (lawlessness).

1 John 3:6

“Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him.”

Greek: πᾶς ὁ μένων ἐν αὐτῷ οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει – pas ho menōn en autō ouch hamartanei

Grammatical note: Present active indicative – continuous action.

Those who “abide” in Christ do not continue sinning.

Those who do are said to have never known Him.

1 John 3:8

“The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.”

Greek: ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστίν – ho poiōn tēn hamartian ek tou diabolou estin

This is a blistering indictment: habitually sinning puts someone in alignment with the devil, not God.

1 John 3:9

“Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.”

Greek: οὐ δύναται ἁμαρτάνειν – ou dynatai hamartanein – “he is not able to go on sinning.”

This is among the clearest and strongest statements in Scripture that the one born of God cannot continue in sin.

1 John 3:10

“Everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, and the one who does not love his brother.”

This verse draws a line in the sand—no middle ground. Those who do not live righteously are not from God.

1 John 5:18

“We know that everyone who is fathered by God does not sin, but the one who is fathered by God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”

Greek: πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει – pas ho gegenēmenos ek tou Theou ouch hamartanei

Perfect tense: one born of God does not sin. Period. 

The expectation of Scripture is clear: Christians can live holy lives.

• Zechariah and Elizabeth were “righteous... walking blamelessly in all the commandments.” (Luke 1:6)

• Job was described as “blameless and upright.” (Job 1:1)

• Paul said “our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves... with integrity.” (2 Corinthians 1:12, LEB)

Philippians 3:6 (LEB)

“With respect to zeal, persecuting the church; with respect to the righteousness in the law, blameless.”

The Greek word translated blameless is:

• ἄμεμπτος (ámemptos, Strong’s G273) — meaning blameless, faultless, above reproach.

Paul is not claiming to be sinless in a divine sense, but within the framework of the Mosaic Law and external observance, he was without blame. This was his former life, which he then counts as garbage compared to knowing Christ (Phil. 3:8). But the word blameless is key because it reveals that Scripture allows for a real, tangible level of righteousness and visible holiness — especially when used elsewhere of Zacharias, Elizabeth, and others.

This undercuts the modern idea that “nobody’s perfect so we’re all constant sinners.” Biblically, there’s precedent for living righteously and being above reproach — not sinless in perfection, but faithful in obedience.

So what gives?

Romans 7 – Misunderstood (Why Romans 7 is Not the Final Word)

Many Christians today find comfort in the idea that Paul, the great apostle, struggled constantly with sin—even after being saved. They cite Romans 7, especially verses 14–25, where Paul says things like: “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate” (Romans 7:15).

This passage is often read as Paul baring his soul, confessing that he, too, is powerless to stop sinning. But this interpretation creates a major problem: it flatly contradicts what Paul says before and after—in Romans 6 and Romans 8.

Let’s walk through it clearly, Scripture by Scripture.

Romans 6: Dead to Sin, Not Struggling With It

Romans 6:2

“Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?”

Paul begins by demolishing the idea that grace means we can live in sin. He insists that our relationship to sin is over. We are not struggling—we are dead to it.

Romans 6:6–7

“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.”

Notice the verbs: were crucified, were set free. Past tense, finished work. This is not a man wrestling with sin—this is a man liberated by Christ.

Romans 6:11

“So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”

The Christian life is not about managing sin—it’s about reckoning it dead and walking in resurrection power.

Romans 6:12–14

“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin... Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”

Paul commands Christians not to let sin rule, not because they are helpless, but because they now have the power to obey.

Romans 6:18

“Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.”

This is a dramatic reversal: the Christian is not enslaved to sin but enslaved to righteousness.

Romans 6:22

“But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.”

The change is total: new allegiance, new fruit, new outcome.

Romans 7: The Voice of a Man Under the Law

The key to Romans 7:14–25 is the context. In verse 9, Paul describes a time when the law came and sin sprang to life—and he died. This is not post-conversion. This is Paul remembering his life before grace.

In verse 14, he says, “The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.”

But in Romans 6, he already said: “We are no longer slaves to sin.”

So who is speaking in Romans 7? It is Paul, yes—but he is taking on the voice of someone still under the law, trying to please God by willpower alone. This rhetorical device is known as prosopopoeia—speaking in the persona of someone else to make a point.

Prosopopoeia (Greek: προσωποποιία, prosōpopoiía) is a rhetorical device in which an author or speaker adopts the voice, persona, or perspective of another person or character—real or imagined—to convey a message, argument, or emotional expression. It literally means "person-making" (prosōpon = "face" or "person," poieō = "to make"). In classical rhetoric, it's often used to dramatize a situation or present contrasting viewpoints.

In Romans 7:14–25, Paul is not describing his present Christian experience, but rather taking on the voice of Adam—a man under the law, powerless, enslaved to sin. The context supports this: Romans 5 had already introduced Adam as the archetype of disobedience, whose sin brought death to all. Paul is now mocking that voice—the self-justifying, excuse-making inner monologue of fallen man, full of internal contradiction (“I want to do right, but I don’t!”). This isn’t Paul’s Spirit-filled reality; it’s a rhetorical expose of what life looks like apart from Christ.

The wretched man isn’t a regenerate apostle—it’s Adam, and all who live in Adam rather than in Christ.

The point? Law cannot save. Trying to obey God without the Spirit only leads to misery and defeat. That’s why Romans 7 ends in desperation:

“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (Romans 7:24)

And then the answer bursts forth—Romans 8.

Romans 8: Freedom in the Spirit

Romans 8:1–2

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”

Not just forgiven—freed.

Romans 8:4

“He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.”

Paul contrasts two types of people: those who follow the sinful nature (as in Romans 7), and those who walk in the Spirit.

Romans 8:9

“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.”

This is decisive: the believer is not in the flesh.

Romans 8:12–13

“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.”

The Christian not only can overcome sin—but must. And the Spirit enables it.

Romans 8:37

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

This is not the voice of a man enslaved to sin. This is a conqueror.

Conclusion: Romans 7 Is Not the Christian Norm

Paul is not describing his present Christian walk in Romans 7:14–25. That passage is a devastating portrait of life under the law, without the Spirit.

Romans 6 and 8 leave no room for confusion. The normal Christian life is one of freedom from sin’s dominion, victory through the Spirit, and transformation into Christ’s image.

If you are in Christ, you are not a slave to sin. You are not doomed to failure. You are not walking Romans 7.

You are walking in the Spirit.

Modern Application: Recovery vs. Repentance

Even in secular recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), we see undeniable proof that human beings can, with discipline and support, abstain from deeply ingrained and destructive behaviors—sometimes for decades. People who don’t even profess faith in Christ manage to walk away from addiction to alcohol, drugs, pornography, or violence simply because they’ve made a decision and stuck with it.

Now compare that to what often happens in the Church. Some Christians will excuse ongoing sin by saying things like, “Well, we all sin every day,” or, “Nobody’s perfect.” Yet this kind of resignation is actually a contradiction of the power we’ve been given through the Holy Spirit.

If people without the Spirit can walk in sobriety and self-control, how much more should those of us filled with the Spirit of God walk in holiness?

Jesus didn’t die and rise again to leave us powerless. He sent the Holy Spirit to sanctify us, to transform us into His likeness, and to produce in us the fruit of self-control (Galatians 5:23). Holiness isn’t legalism—it’s freedom. It’s not about earning God’s love; it’s about walking in the power of His love to live differently. The grace of God doesn’t excuse sin; it empowers righteousness (Titus 2:11–12).

When the Church tolerates sin that the world is actively walking away from, we aren’t being humble—we’re being unfaithful.

What About Mistakes?

Yes, we all stumble. But intentional sin is different from human weakness. Hebrews 10 warns:

“If we deliberately keep on sinning... there is no longer any sacrifice for sins.” (Hebrews 10:26)

Compare that to James 3:2— “we all stumble in many ways”—the Greek word ptaió (πταίω, Strong’s G4417) meaning to trip or slip, not defy.

Cleansing from Sin: A Work of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit does not just forgive sin—He cleanses and empowers us to resist it:

• “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

• “God’s grace... teaches us to say no to ungodliness.” (Titus 2:11–12)

When we repent and believe, the Spirit indwells and transforms.

False Teachings: Grace as a License

Many modern messages excuse sin:

• “We're just sinners saved by grace.”

• “Nobody’s perfect.”

But the Bible says otherwise:

“Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)“Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

Grace frees us from sin—not excuses it.

Final Thought: Sin Is Serious—But So Is Grace

Sin destroys—but Christ restores. The call is not to try harder, but to be transformed. The same grace that forgives is the grace that empowers.