Memory Text: “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).What is sin?
We have the text in 1 John 3:4 "Sin is transgressing God's law"
But here we have additional information as to what sin is.
Sin means we "come short of the glory of God".
"The glory of God, the perfection of Christian character, is to be the aim, the purpose of our life. {DG 169.2}
Our heavenly Father cares for man, who is the image and glory of God. He longs to see His children reveal a character after His similitude. As the sunbeam imparts to the flowers their varied and delicate tints, so does God impart to the soul the beauty of His own character. {DA 313.2}
Paul then goes on to describe sin in more detail:
Sin is ---
1:18 "all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men".--ungodliness means not having a character after God's similitude.
--unrighteousness means not doing that which is right.
,
suppress the truth in unrighteousness,sin is suppressing truth in order to do that which is not right.
19 because what may be known of God is manifest among them, for God has shown it to them.God had endowed them with reason and conscience, He has given every man a measure of faith, they only need to reflect on the wisdom and power that went into the creation, to recognize many of the attributes of God.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, The knowledge of the Creator God was available, and they see the things He had created.
so that they are without excuse
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.Paul does not excuse the pagans but rather says they are "without excuse".
Sin is not only active breaking of God's law, it is also
ignoring the evidence so that they don't need to change.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
Sin is being wise in one's own eyes. It sets self up as being wiser and more knowledgeable than God.
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping thingsInstead of acknowledging the Creator's hand and wisdom in His creation, they instead worship the creation.
Sin is a downward spiral.
God's ideal for mankind is to create in them the "image of God" -- characters reflecting His righteousness.
Sin --
Ingratitude and a love for unrighteousness and self exaltation pervert mankind so thoroughly that they repress truth in order to exalt evil. Instead of moving upward with the glorious God, into the similitude of His character, they now worship created objects, indeed he now worships his own figment of reason, which can never lift, and which is foolishness, leading to ever lower levels of sin.
