SIN (Heb. hattathe, awon, pesha, ra, Gr. adikia, hamartia, hamartema, parabasis, paraptoma, poneria). The biblical writers portray sin in a variety of terms.

It is only as they are conscious of God's holiness that they are truly aware of their sin (1 Kings 17:18; Ps 51:4-6; Isa 6).

The first book of the OT reveals how human beings were created by God without sin but chose to act contrary to his revealed will and thereby caused sin to become an endemic feature of human existence (Gen 3; Ps 14:1-3).

Sin is revolt against the holiness and sovereign will of God.

Therefore, it is both a condition of the heart/mind/will/affections (Isa 29:13; Jer 17:9) and the practical outworking of that condition in thoughts, words, and deeds that offend God and transgress his holy law (Gen 6:5; Isa 59:12-13).

There is no person in Israel or the whole world who is not a sinner.

However, those who have a right relationship with God, receive his forgiveness, and walk in his ways are sometimes described as righteous (Gen 6:9) and blameless (Job 1:1; Ps 18:20-24).

This is not because they are free from sin, but because the true direction of their lives is to serve and please God in the way he requires.

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