In this day and age most of society implicitly and/or explicitly rejects the premise which has been clearly set forth in the Holy Bible that “all have sinned.”  Rather most folk seem to prefer to meander towards the tendency to want to believe that some people are naturally good and others have, probably through no fault of their own, unfortunately been influenced to be bad.  We use “science” today to say the fault probably lies in our genes.  However the human race is suffering as a result of the sin of Adam, or it is suffering for no reason at all.

In the 2,000 years of church history following the time of Jesus’ physical presence in this world many theologians and scholars have set forth their thoughts in an attempt to define sin.  Some have defined it quite broadly making it out that practically everything that a human being does which is not specifically an act of devotion toward God is sin.  The problem with that definition is that it degrades the problem of sin which is, God is holy and He will not permit those who are hostile to Him and offensive to His absolute purity to dwell in His presence.

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8:24)

God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment (2^nd Peter 2:4)

An overly broad definition of sin can also cause those who are trying to trust and obey Christ Jesus to feel very insecure in their faith walk.  Another definition, which was offered by the renowned theologian John Wesley: “Sin is a willful transgression of a known law of God.” This is a far more scripturally sound explanation of what sin is even if, perhaps, a bit too narrow a description.  Temptation is not sin, it can lead to sin, but it is not in and of itself sin.

Sin came into the world through the disobedience of our first parents, and spiritual death by sin.  The enormity of such an offense is nearly impossible for us to truly comprehend.  Consider the fact that we are told that Adam was able to converse with his creator on a regular basis and then he chose to disobey a plainly articulated command with concise consequences.  Man lost the favor and friendship of God and incurred His holy displeasure and righteous indignation.  Fallen man became separated from God.  It is easy to write or read those words, but who is competent to fathom their fearful import!

The concept of Adam as the head of the human race and that his actions determined the natural direction for all his posterity is clearly taught in the Holy Bible.  Sin, the willful disobedience, snapped the golden cord which had united man to his maker.  Even as God confronted Adam regarding his disobedience He began articulating the methodology of the remedy He had predetermined that He would use before He had ever begun His creative work.  If we follow Adam’s path we will experience eternal separation from God; if we follow Jesus’ path we may experience eternal companionship with God on a superior basis to even that which Adam enjoyed before the fall.

Therefore, even as through one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed on all men inasmuch as all sinned:

Therefore as by one offense sentence came on all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came to all men to justification of life.

  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:12, 18-19)

Such repetition and emphasis intimates the basic importance of the truth here revealed and also hints at our slowness or rather reluctance to receive the same.  Interestingly enough, the meaning of these declarations too plain for any unprejudiced mind to misunderstand.  “In Adam all die.” (1^st Cor 15:22)  Every member of the human race enters into this world a guilty sinner, alienated from The Supreme Being before he ever commits a single transgression on his own.

Yes, dear reader, it is a bleak picture being painted thus far and we still have more groundwork to be laid out before we can truly get to the bright colors of hope and victory which are coming our way if we allow the confusing clutter to be cleared from our pathway by this bleak portion.  From whence came this clutter?  The enemy of our soul who has been seeking to work us woe from way back at the beginning of human history.