WHAT IS SIN?
George Burnside
“In order to let Jesus into our hearts, we must stop sinning. The only definition for sin that we have in the Bible is that it is the transgression of the law. The law is far reaching in its claims, and we must bring our hearts into harmony with it.” Signs of Times, March 3, 1890.
“Now, we want to understand what sin is; that it is the transgression of God's law. This is the only definition given in the Scriptures. Therefore we see that those who claim to be led of God, and go right away from him and his law, do not search the Scriptures.” Review and Herald, April 3, 1888
“What are we doing? Do we say," Believe, believe on Christ, and that is all? If we have not the faith that works by love, and purifies the soul from every stain of sin, then we have a spurious faith. Christ is not the minister of sin. And what is sin? The only definition given in God's word is, "Sin is the transgression of the law;" and the apostle Paul' declares, "Where no law is, there is no transgression." Signs of Times, November 24, 1887
“Only Definition of Sin, ‘Sin is the transgression of the law.’ This is the only definition of sin. Without the law there can be no transgression. ‘By the law is the knowledge of sin!’ The standard of righteousness is exceeding broad, prohibiting every evil thing.” SDA Bible Commentary, Volume 7, page 951.
“Sin is an intruder, for whose presence no reason can be given. It is mysterious, unaccountable; to excuse it is to defend it. Could excuse for it be found, or cause be shown for its existence, it would cease to be sin. Our only definition of sin is that given in the word of God; it is ‘the transgression of the law;’ it is the outworking of a principle at war with the great law of love which is the foundation of the divine government.” Great Controversy, page 493.
It is impossible to explain the origin of sin, or to give a reason for its existence. It is an intruder, for whose existence no reason can be given. It is mysterious, unaccountable; to excuse it, is to defend it. Could it be excused, could a cause be shown for its existence, it would cease to be sin. Our only definition of sin is that given in the word of God; it is the transgression of the law." 4 Spiritual Gifts, page 316.
The commandments of God are comprehensive and far reaching; in a few words they unfold the whole duty of man. "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. You shall love thy neighbor as thyself" (Mark 12:30, 31). In these words the length and breadth, the depth and height, of the law of God is comprehended; for Paul declares, ‘Love is the fulfilling of the law’ (Romans 13:10). The only definition we find in the Bible for sin is that sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). 1 Selected Messages, pages 320.
The Ten Commandments
Exodus 20:1-17
And God spoke all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
1
You shall have no other gods before me.
2
Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: You shall not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
3
You shall not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain. For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.
4
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shall you labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shall not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
5
Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God gives thee.
6
You shall not kill.
7
You shall not commit adultery.
8
You shall not steal.
9
You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10
You shall not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.
The Ten Commandments in the Gospels
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
Then said Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shall thou serve. Matthew 4:10.
Matthew 6:24 Matthew 22:37 Matthew 19:17 Matthew 4:10 Matthew 14:33 Matthew 10:37,38
Matthew 10:32,33 Matthew 6:33 Mark 12:24-32 Mark 8:33 Luke 2:14 Luke 4:8
Luke 12:8,9 Luke 1:16 Luke 11:2 Luke 12:31 John 19:15 John 17:3
John 11:25 John 4:24
2. You shall not make any graven images
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. John 4:24
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD in vain
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of
man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him,
neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Matthew 12:31, 32
Matthew 27:29 Matthew 6:9,10 Matthew 15:19 Matthew 12:31,32 Matthew 27:39-43
Mark 15:18,19 Mark 14:65 Mark 7:22 Mark 3:28,29 Luke 11:2
Luke 22:64,65 Luke 23:36,37 Luke 12:10 Luke 23:39 John 19:3
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy
And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of
man is Lord also of the Sabbath. Mark 2:27-28.
Matthew 12:2 Matthew 12:5 Matthew 12:8 Matthew 12:10 Matthew 12:11 Matthew 12:12
Matthew 24:20 Matthew 28:1 Matthew 12:1 Mark 3:4 Mark 16:9 Mark 16:2
Mark 16:1 Mark 6:2 Mark 1:21 Mark 2:28 Mark 2:27 Mark 2:24
Mark 2:23 Mark 3:2 Mark 15:42 Luke 4:31 Luke 13:10 Luke 6:9
Luke 6:7 Luke 6:6 Luke 6:5 Luke 6:1 Luke 4:16 Luke 13:15
Luke 13:16 Luke 6:2 Luke 14:1 Luke 14:3 Luke 14:5 Luke 18:12
Luke 23:54 Luke 23:56 Luke 24:1 Luke 13:14 John 19:31 John 20:1
John 9:16 John 9:14 John 7:22 John 5:18 John 5:10 John 5:9
John 7:23 John 20:19
5. Honor your father and mother
Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. Matthew 19:19
Matthew 19:18,19 Matthew 15:3,4 Matthew 12:31 Mark 10:19
6. You shall not kill
He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shall do no murder, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not bear false witness. Matthew 19:18.
Matthew 21:38 Matthew 27:22,23 Matthew 27:20 Matthew 27:3-5 Matthew 27:1
Matthew 26:59 Matthew 5:21 Matthew 26:14-16 Matthew 26:4 Matthew 24:9
Matthew 27:35 Matthew 23:31 Matthew 26:66 Matthew 20:18,19 Matthew 17:23
Matthew 14:8,10 Matthew 11:12 Matthew 10:28 Matthew 10:21 Matthew 22:6
Matthew 19:18 Matthew 15:19 Matthew 23:34,35 Matthew 26:52 Mark 12:5
Mark 7:21 Mark 10:19 Mark 3:6 Mark 6:16 Mark 6:19
Mark 10:33,34 Mark 12:7,8 Mark 13:12 Mark 15:20 Mark 9:31
Mark 15:24 Mark 14:1 Mark 15:13-15 Mark 14:64 Mark 14:55
Mark 14:21 Mark 14:10,11 Mark 6:24-27 Luke 22:2 Luke 10:30
Luke 18:20 Luke 9:9 Luke 24:7 Luke 23:33 Luke 23:23
Luke 22:5,6 Luke 20:19 Luke 20:14 Luke 19:47 Luke 18:33
Luke 13:31 Luke 11:47-51 Luke 9:22 Luke 4:29 Luke 12:4,5
John 19:6,7 John 16:2 John 8:44 John 13:2 John 7:19,20
John 19:15 John 7:1 John 8:37 John 12:10 John 11:50
7. You shall not commit adultery
He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shall do no murder, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not bear false witness. Matthew 19:18.
Matthew 12:39 Matthew 19:9,18 Matthew 15:19 Matthew 5:27-32 Matthew 14:4
Matthew 5:8 Matthew 16:4 Mark 6:18 Mark 8:38 Mark 10:2-12
Mark 7:21 Mark 10:19 Luke 16:18 Luke 7:37 Luke 15:30
John 8:3,4
8. You shall not steal
He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shall do no murder, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not bear false witness. Matthew 19:18.
Matthew 19:18 Matthew 23:14 Matthew 21:38 Matthew 21:12,13 Matthew 6:19,20
Matthew 15:19 Mark 7:22 Mark 10:19 Mark 12:40 Mark 11:17
Luke 18:20 Luke 19:46 Luke 3:13 Luke 19:8 Luke 10:30
Luke 20:14 John 2:16
9. You shall not bear false witness
He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shall do no murder, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not bear false witness. Matthew 19:18.
Matthew 7:15 Matthew 27:63 Matthew 26:69-75 Matthew 26:34,35 Matthew 6:24,25
Matthew 26:14,16 Matthew 24:23,24 Matthew 28:13 Matthew 11:18,19 Matthew 27:12,1
Matthew 24:10,11 Matthew 26:59,60 Matthew 19:18 Matthew 5:11 Matthew 5:33
Matthew 15:19 Matthew 24:4 Matthew 26:48 Mark 13:21,22 Mark 10:19
Mark 13:22 Mark 3:22 Mark 7:22 Mark 13:12 Mark 14:1
Mark 14:10,11 Mark 14:21 Mark 14:30,31 Mark 14:41 Mark 14:66-72
Mark 15:3,4 Mark 14:56,57 Mark 13:5,6 Luke 22:5,6 Luke 22:54-62
Luke 19:8 Luke 20:20 Luke 6:22 Luke 22:21 Luke 21:16
Luke 6:16 Luke 7:33,34 Luke 11:15-20 Luke 21:8 Luke 22:34
Luke 23:2 John 3:19-21 John 13:2
John 8:44,55 John 10:20 John 18:25-27 John 6:71
John 18:17 John 13:38
10. You shall not covet
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. Mark 7:22
Matthew 26:14-16 Matthew 19:22 Matthew 21:38 Matthew 5:28
Mark 4:19 Mark 7:22 Mark 12:7,8 Mark 14:10,11
Mark 10:22 Luke 11:39 Luke 12:16-21 Luke 12:15
Luke 16:14 Luke 16:19-22 Luke 18:23 Luke 19:8
Luke 20:14 Luke 22:5,6 John 8:44 John 2:16