Simple Theology: Sin
How would you describe sin in one word? Some churches talk a lot about it, while others barely mention it. Discover the core meaning of the word and how to have a balanced understanding of it.
Transcript
SERIES REVIEW
We’re in the middle of a series called Simple Theology, where each week we try to define a core theological concept using only one word. We also give you some time after the sermon to talk about it at your tables, so I wanted to remind you of the questions so you can think ahead of time.
Summarize the sermon in 1-2 words.
What do you hear the Holy Spirit saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
How can we help you?
SIN AS ONE WORD
So far, we’ve defined God as “other” and the Trinity as “unity.” This week, we’re going to tackle sin.
There are a lot of words in Scripture for sin. Here are 10 of the more common ones.
Some emphasize the causes of sin:
1. Ignorance
2. Error
3. Inattention
Others emphasize the character of sin:
4. Missing the Mark
5. Transgression
6. Abomination
7. Iniquity
Still, others emphasize the results of sin:
8. Evil
9. Guilt
10. Trouble
But there is one word that I think captures the biblical witness on the idea of sin really well. It’s not comprehensive, but it’s close.
That word is rebellion. If there’s one thing that I want you to understand today: When you sin, you aren’t just “doing something bad.” You’re rebelling against God.
To help explain this, I want to talk about:
The DEFINITION of rebellion
The SOURCE of rebellion
The RESULT of rebellion
The REMEDY to rebellion
THE DEFINITION OF REBELLION
Let’s start with a definition of sin as rebellion. You might think of sin simply in terms of moral behaviors—killing, lying, stealing, charging $5,000 for Taylor Swift tickets. But the Bible also defines sin as an attitude of rebellion against God.
Rebellion is opposition to authority. We all understand rebellion. Whether it’s a military coup in the Middle East, the attempted January 6 insurrection, or even our own rebelling against our parents. Rebellion is opposition to authority.
Sin is opposition to God as our Lord and King. It’s opposition to following his commands. It’s opposition to his leadership over our lives.
Isaiah 66 has a great description of sin as rebellion in God’s judgment against Israel:
“3 They have chosen their own ways; they delight in their abominations… 4 For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”
In these 35 words, we find three compelling definitions:
Sin as rebellion means choosing your own ways over God’s ways.
Sin as rebellion means loving something God hates.
Sin as rebellion means not listening to God.
THE SOURCE OF REBELLION
Now, let’s talk about the source of our rebellion. Where does it come from? What makes us choose our own ways and not listen to God?
For that answer, we turn to King Saul and his rebellion against God. In 1 Samuel 15, we see God’s condemnation of Saul for doing the three things we just talked about:
Choosing his own way over God’s way.
Loving something God hates.
Not listening to God.
In the middle of this chapter is a verse that provides incredible insight into the source of our rebellion against God.
“23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you [Saul] have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”
This is a good example of Hebrew parallelism, where the author makes a single point with two parallel and synonymous statements. This verse draws a connection between rebellion and arrogance.
The Hebrew word translated as “arrogance” carries with it the idea of force or coercion. Our sin as rebellion always begins with arrogance and coercion. You’re either:
So prideful that you think your way is better than God’s,
You’re trying to force good for yourself at the cost of other people.
You’re trying to manipulate God into blessing you (like Saul was).
Our sin as rebellion always begins with arrogance and coercion.
THE RESULT OF REBELLION
We’ve had a definition of rebellion, the source of rebellion, and now the result of rebellion.
The Bible is full of people rebelling against God in sin. We see the story over and over again. In every story, one thing is the same: the result of rebellion is always loss.
Satan lost heaven.
Adam and Eve lost their innocence and paradise.
Cain lost his brother.
Moses lost the promised land.
Achan lost his whole family.
King Saul lost his crown.
The Israelites lost their homeland.
The Pharisees lost their faith.
The rich young ruler lost eternal life.
Peter lost his devotion.
Judas lost his will to live.
Ananias and Saphira lost their lives.
The Seven Sons of Sceva lost their clothes.
The false teachers lost their churches.
The arguing Corinthians lost their unity.
And the list could go on and on.
When you sin, you always lose something:
Peace
Integrity
Respect
Love of a spouse
Union with Christ
Sometimes even a job, friendship, or marriage
Sin has a cost, and you pay it every time. You always lose something. That’s the result of rebellion against God.
THE REMEDY TO REBELLION
I want to close with the remedy to sin as rebellion against God. What’s the alternative? What’s the solution to our rebellious pride?
The answer can be found in the story of Moses and the Israelites about the enter the Promised Land. In Moses’ retelling of Israel’s disobedience in Deuteronomy 9:23, he says,
“23 And when the LORD sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, he said, ‘Go up and take possession of the land I have given you.’ But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You did not trust him or obey him.” Trust and obey.
Trust and obey God. That’s the remedy to sin and rebellion.
Trust that God is good and that His commands are good.
Trust that God’s way is better than your way.
Trust that the thing you want at that moment is not worth it because you will lose something.
Trust that God takes sin very seriously.
And when you trust God, really trust Him, obeying becomes a lot easier. Being a Christian is not just believing in God or following God, it’s also obeying God.
Trust and obey. There’s no other way.
Trust is built through experience and action. As we obey God's commands, we see His faithfulness, and our trust in Him grows. And we realize that obedience isn't about legalistic rule-following, but about living a life of love, justice, and compassion.
If you want to decrease the power of sin in your life, trust and obey. There’s no other way.
CLOSING HYMN – TRUST AND OBEY
I want to close with a classic hymn that teaches this very thing. It’s called Trust and Obey. It’s just a simply lyric video. Sing along if you know it. Sit back and enjoy if you don’t.
