Sin is sometimes considered no big deal because on the surface it seems to only have an impact on the individual. But sin can have a broader scope, affecting loved ones and even society as a whole.

All of us are born with a sin nature, our every inclination is rebellion against God and it is natural for us to want to follow our desires regardless of what God says about it. Evan as Christians our old sin nature continues to irritate and itch until at last we are driven to scratch the itch. God's word warns us to keep a short leash on sin.

What is sin?

Sin, as described in the Bible, is any action, thought, or motive opposed to God's directives. For instance, adultery, having sexual relations outside of marriage, is a sin. Not speaking the truth, which is lying, also constitutes sin. Jesus even went so far as to say that if a person is angry with another person or if a man looks with lust at a woman other than his wife, that there is sin. The book of Romans tells us that if we do anything without faith, we sin. As can be seen by these few points, sin is more than a wrong thought or action but God places wrong motives under the category of 'sin' too.

What causes us to go astray from God’s commands?

As humans we tend to shy away from responsibility when we can. When we are caught doing something we shouldn't be doing our first instinct is to look for an escape. “It wasn't my fault”, “I didn't do it”, or the ever popular, “The devil made me do it.” Excuses become our escape pod, anything not to face the truth. In reality, we sin when our minds wander to subjects they should not think about. From there we toy with these ideas and perhaps recall some momentary pleasures we had from them at one time.

The enticing voice in our heads telling us that the flames are beautiful, the pretty colors are so vivid. “Go ahead,” temptation whispers, “touch it; just this one time. It won't hurt you.” We don't realize that we can be burned. And so long as we maintain the perceived happiness of these intruding thoughts the more beguiling the voice becomes until we act on the promptings and sin draws us, once again, into its black maw.

The greatest ally of sin is free time. When we are not actively engaged in some meaningful activity such as a hobby, spending time with family or friends but instead have time to burn, we get bored. Our minds rail against stagnation and will conjure thoughts to occupy t when not used. These thoughts are not productive and lead from temptation to sin if not checked at the door of the mind.

But sin affects more than just the sinner. Left unchecked, sin can spread like a raging fire, from the sinner to family, friends, and to society. How does this occur?

God created people as His last, great creation. He created them to be His regents here on Earth, to rule over all the rest of creation and to be in close fellowship with God Himself. There is nothing else in all of creation that has God's affection like humans. We are the only created thing to be created in His image, having souls, minds, and emotions. Above all else, we are His joy. We were created to be in relationship with Him and with others.

But one of the greatest gifts He gave to us was the freedom of choice. He could have designed us to “love” Him but would that be true love? If a person is forced to “love” that is not true love. Love is willing and gives freely, so to live an existence where there is no choice but to “love”, love no longer exists. But God does love His creation and willingly built into us the ability to choose. Our fore-parents exercised their right to choose and chose the wrong pathway. Sin entered the world for all succeeding generations. Their sin, a bite from an apple, did not only affect them but it cascaded into all succeeding generations. As their sin touched the lives of untold billions, so our sins can affect those around us too.

When we sin we are acting for ourselves and when we act for ourselves, when we “take care of number one”, we demonstrate disregard for others and their feelings. In our selfish acts of sin we trample the ones Christ died for; the ones He cherishes.

Let's look at some specific sins and how they can impact those around us.

Pride – Pride tells the world what we have accomplished or pride leads us to feel like we don't need anyone else’s assistance. Pride says, “I can do this by myself!” And when we accomplish great things we sing to the world the praises of our excellent accomplishments. Or when trouble invades our lives our first tendency is to feel shame. Because this trouble came, somehow we feel we were not up to the challenge. Failure shows the world that we couldn't tackle the problem. God's desire is for us to use our abilities for His glory and realize that they came from Him. We acknowledge that He is the source of our strength

and when we face problems we can't overcome, we go to Him, humbly confessing our lack and God’s provision. We hurt others by shunning their help when we are down and out. God's plan is for us to help one another and, in our pride, we turn away those who would help us, perhaps even at God's prompting, we deprive them of a blessing.

Greed – This sin may be the worst in the list. Greed is an insatiable appetite. Enough is never enough and as increase comes, appetite grows until the conscience becomes calloused and the only light is ‘MORE’! It makes no difference who gets hurt along the way as long as greed is appeased, and it is never satisfied. Once again we see one person hurting others. With greed it may not stop with one person hurting another. Greed may direct a person to rob a bank or convenience store for more gain. This could go so far as to taking a life to get what others have.

Anger – Anger is unique in that it is not necessarily a sin. For anger to be a sin depends on how it is handled. If anger is a tool by which a person gains attention or respect, then it is sin. But there are times when anger is good and even necessary. Jesus Himself was angry at those who were using God's temple for gain and not for its intended purpose.

Envy – Envy is the cousin of greed. Someone has something that we want and our eyes glaze over and our blood quickens through our veins. A tinge of green flushes our skin. We have to have that item! Our thoughts are consumed with the desire for that thing. And like its cousin, greed, envy, if left unchecked, hardens our heart until we don't care how we get what we want, only that we get it!

Hatred – Hatred is the opposite of love. But not all hatred is bad. The Bible tells us that God hates sin. Did you notice that? God hates sin! Not the sinner, God loves all people, but He hates their sin. He is holy and perfect and cannot tolerate any sin whatsoever. Hatred causes us to despise others of our kind, the very ones Christ died for and to despise what God loves is to stand against His nature. Hatred is a consuming fire. Once it has started and fuel is added, it can turn brother against brother, but it can also start wars.

Sin, all sin, is an act of selfishness. Left unchecked sin multiplies and hardens the heart until there is no feeling left. This is not only true for the unbelieving person but also for the Christian as well. Sin impacts our life with God on a personal level but also can propagate to our loved ones and, if still left unattended, to society itself - people hurting other people because of their own sinful desires.

So what is the answer?

First, realize that all have sinned. As Christians we enjoy a relationship with God because we have placed our faith in Christ, but we still live in a fallen world and our old sin nature continues to be a factor in our everyday lives. We are human, we will sin. However, as Christians we are not bound to our sin as we once were. As believers we have knowledge of sin and that is a significant weapon in our struggle against sin; know your enemy.


Second, as mentioned previously, keep sin on a short leash. When temptation becomes too much and sin bites with its poisoned fangs, turn to God, agree with Him (confess) that you have sinned, and ask His pardon. He is faithful and just and He will forgive you and restore fellowship with you.

Third, maintain your relationship with God. Read His word for knowledge of how to live life. This is closely related to the first step but focuses on God Himself.

Part of this special relationship is prayer, or better said, talking to God. God will help you understand His ways so pray regularly for understanding of what you read and for His help in applying His truths to your life.

Taking time to muse on the scriptures is a beneficial exercise in planting God's word in the deep recesses of your mind. Take time to meditate on His word. Take time to think about what He is trying to say and how it could apply to your life for His glory. Through your relationship with Him He has promised to provide the way of escape from every temptation and He promises that no temptation will come into your lives that you cannot conquer with His help.

Fourth, get someone with whom you can be accountable to. The best practice is to start with a friend of the same sex and not your spouse. This last part is because even though you can share anything with a spouse, a friend of the same sex will better be able to understand the temptations you face on a daily basis. For instance, a man talking with a male friend can better understand the temptations faced each day when it comes to the lust of the eyes. Set regular times to meet and not only study God's word together but also to ask the tough questions. Realizing that you will be questioned can help you be more aware of the temptations when they arise.

Fifth, if you are struggling with a particular sin, pay attention to the circumstances surrounding the sin and then avoid those situations when possible. Soon you will be able to recognize when the potential for sin exists and you can steer clear of that situation.

Sin is not just a personal act. When we sin, not only do we hurt our relationship with God but our sin can hurt others too, as we have seen. God cares about us and our struggles. Bring your weaknesses to God and see how willing He is to help us to become more than conquerors!

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Nice article.