COURSE NAME:  Sin from A Biblical Perspective  Every student of the Bible should be familiar with what the Scriptures actually teach concerning the issue of sin.  This concise but comprehensive course will open the student's mind to this foundational issue.

WELCOME TO A TUITION-FREE INDEPENDENT LEARNING COURSE.  It is not necessary to enroll at a student or pay tuition. You may begin this study immediately.  However, after you have completed the course, you may elect the option of receiving a Certificate of Recognition to officially document your learning experience.

Before you begin, please note:

• FIRST: This is a comprehensive tuition-free study. You may complete the entire course without cost. After completing the course of study, you will be given the option of receiving recognition.

• SECOND: This study is totally self-contained. You will only need your personal Bible.

• THIRD: This is an independent learning experience, and is therefore self-directed and self-paced.  Move through it the way you find most helpful.

• FOURTH: Even though it is free a free course, this is a serious study of the Bible.

Ten Instructions to Help Guide You

1. Begin each study with prayer. You need to understand what the Bible teaches. God has promised to help you. God keeps his promises. Pray with faith. Put John 16:13 to the test.

2. Utilize any method of study (time of day, place of study, etc.) that will produce good results.

3. First, read all the Underlined Statements but not the Scripture. This is the Subject you are studying.

4. Read carefully! Be sure you know the meaning of each word. Reading aloud may help.

5. Now, read all the Bible verses after the Underlined Statements. As you read, write down any thoughts that you want to add. Write a summary of what the Holy Spirit enables you to learn. Since there are no tests to complete, the more carefully you read, and the more completely you write your summary, the more you will learn.

6. Mark your Bible. Make notations in the margin if that is possible, or in the notes section of an electronic Bible.

7. Meditate! Continue to think about what the Bible teaches. Memorize some verses.

8. Live what the Bible teaches. Obey the Word of God. As you obey what you learn, God will teach you more.

9. Share what you learn. As you teach and tell others what you have learned, God will help you to understand more clearly. You will help others and strengthen yourself.

10. Never give up. With God's help you can be a more faithful and effective Christian witness and worker.

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).

SIN FROM A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

Definitions of sin:

A. Secular (Webster’s) definitions: an offense against God; transgression of the law of God; a vitiated state of human nature in which self is estranged from God.

B. Scriptural definitions: Coming short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23; Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4); for whatsoever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Sin may be either an act or a condition. Therefore sin is either an act or a condition that falls short of or is contrary to God's holy character and will.

C. The New Testament uses many words (check these examples by number in the Greek section of Strong's Exhaustive Concordance) to describe kinds and degrees of sin:

1. hamartia (170) - general principle, state, or act, Matthew 9:6; Romans 4:8-10; 1 John 3:8,
2. hamartema (4) - sin in general, Romans 3:25,
3. asebeia (6) - lack of reverence, Romans 1:18,
4. adeikia (25) - iniquity of sin, Luke 13:27,
5. anomia (15) - lawlessness, 1 John 3:4,
6. paranomia (1) - transgression, 2 Peter 2:16,
7. parabasis (7) - sinning consciously, 1 Timothy 2:14,
8. parapyoma (24) - an offense, Galatians 1:6,
9. parakoe (3) - paying no heed, Matthew 18:17,
10. poneria (7) - wickedness, Matthew 22:18,
11. kakia (11) - depravity, Romans 1:21,
12. kakoethia (1) - evil in thought, Romans 1:24,
13. agoenia (1) - thoughtless, Hebrews 9:17,
14. hettema (2) - defeat, Romans 11:12; 1 Corinthians 6:7.

D.  On the basis of these and other references to sin make your own definition: 

E. The Bible reveals the beginning of sin:
1. In Satan, Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19.
2. In Adam and Eve, Genesis 3; Romans 5:12.
3. In all humans, James 1:14-16; Romans 1:17-23.

F. The Bible shows the unsaved are related to the devil, John 8:44; Colossians 1:13

G. The Bible lists the harmful results of sin for time and eternity:
...For time,
1. To the sinner, Romans 7:8-11; Isaiah 57:20,21; Psalm 51:2,7,
2. To the sinner’s progeny, Exodus 20:5,
3. To the sinner’s flocks, Joshua 6:21,
4. To the sinner’s material wealth, Numbers 16:23-33,
5. To the sinner’s populated country, Leviticus 18:24-28 ; Jeremiah 12:17; Joshua 7:12
6. To the sinner’s life-harvest, Galatians 6:7,8.
...For eternity,
1. Final judgment, Revelation 20:11-13,
2. Lake of fire, second death, Revelation 20: 14,15.

H. The Bible teaches that sin is universal to mankind: Psalm 14; Romans 3:10-19.

I. The Bible gives many specific examples of sin and its consequences:
1. Adam and Eve,
2. The people in Noah’s generation,
3. The nations of Israel and Judah,
4. The sin of Judas,
5. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira

J. The Bible lists specific sins that carnal believers commit, examples:
1. Against each other, 1 Corinthians 3:3; Defraud 6:8; stumbling- blocks 8:1-13.
2. Against the Holy Spirit,
a. Resist, Acts 7:57,
b. Vex, Isaiah 63:10,
c. Grieve, Ephesians 4:30,
d. Quench, 1 Thessalonians 5:19
e. Lie to, Acts 5:3,9,
f. Do despite to, Hebrews 10:29,
g. Blaspheme, Matthew 12:32

K. The Bible lists sins that unbelievers commit, examples: John 3:19,20; Mark 7:21-23; Galatians 5:19-21.

L. The Bible teaches that sin is progressive in its degrading effects:
Degeneration, Romans 1: 20-32; Joseph’s brothers from jealousy (Genesis 37:4) to conspiracy (Genesis 3&:18) to murder (Genesis 37:20); the sins of David from lust to murder ( 2 Samuel 11).

M. The Bible teaches that the effects of sin may vary
    1. For the Christian who sins:
a. Weakness, sickness, or death, 1 Corinthians 11:30,
b. Chastening from God, 1 Corinthians 11:32,
c. Study the consequences of David’s sin, 2 Samuel 12:10-14
    2. For the unsaved who sins:
a. Study the life of Manasseh, 2 Chronicles 33.
b. Study the life of Herod, Acts 12: 1-3; 20-23.
c. Ultimately death. Romans 6:23.

N. The Bible teaches that sin and unredeemed sinners are excluded from heaven, Revelation 21:8, 27.

O. The Bible teaches that sin is not compulsory:
1. Humans sin is in spite of God’s provision, 1 John 2:1,2
2. God will provide an escape from temptation, 1 Corinthians 10:13.

P. The Bible teaches how God provides for salvation from sin (victory over sin as an over comer, Romans 8:37),
1. To forgive (save) the repentant unbeliever, Luke 18: 11-14; 19:1-10; 15,
2. To forgive and cleanse the disobedient believer, 1 John 1:9

Q. The Bible teaches that Jesus took our sins (price of our victory) in is own body, 1 Peter 2:24: Acts 8: 29-39; Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 4:25; Isaiah 53.

R. The Bible teaches our salvation from sin (victory) is three-fold,
1. Saved instantly and eternally from penalty and guilt of sin, Romans 3:21-28; Hebrews 9:24; 10:10-17,
2. Saved progressively experientially from the power of sin, Romans 12:1,2;2 Corinthians 3:17,18;1 John 3:3,5-7,
3. Saved finally and eternally from presence of sin, 1 Thessalonians4:13-18; Revelation 21,22.

S. The Bible teaches that victory over sin for the Christian requires confessing and forsaking sin, 1 John 1:9.

T. The Bible teaches the basis for victory over sin is the grace of God manifested in the shed blood of Christ, Romans 8: 31-39; 1 John 1:7.

U. The Bible teaches that godly people can protect a sinful culture from the immediate judgment of God:
1. The classic Old Testament example of this truth is God’s offer to save Sodom and Gomorrah if there were ten righteous people, Genesis 18:23- 19:29,
2. The classic New Testament example is the withholding of judgment upon the present evil world until after the Rapture, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-14; 2 Peter 3:9.

V. The Bible teaches that there is an end to the offer of God to forgive the continuing sins of the stubborn rejecters of His grace, Proverbs 1:24-31; 29:1; Jeremiah 7:16; 11: 11; 15:1.

...end of course

CONGRATULATIONS!

If you have completed the course as instructed, you have achieved an extremely important milestone in your walk with the Lord.  We rejoice with you, and trust that God will use you in an even greater way to minister to a world that is in desperate need of the life-changing Gospel of our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  May the Holy Spirit go before you and make every crooked place straight!  (Isaiah 45:2)

YOU CAN NOW APPLY FOR THE OPTIONAL CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.

Now that you have completed this course,  you have the option of receiving official recognition.   You can receive a Ten Unit Certificate of Recognition (CR), by affirming that you completed the course as instructed, and by paying a $20.00 processing fee.  Continuing education is always recommended by ministry organizations as a means of assuring that team members are keeping up with self-improvement.  Even more common is the Biblical teaching that every Christian ought to be a life-long student of the Word of God.

Complete the Form Below to Request Your Certificate of Recognition
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PLEASE NOTE:  Upon receipt of the $20.00 CR processing payment, your official Certificate of Recognition
will be sent to your email address within five business days.  If you have questions: 
Contact Master's International University of Divinity.

YOU COULD QUALIFY FOR AN ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT BENEFIT.

You may also be able to turn CR credits into advanced standing credits.  By completing five (5) of our Independent Learning courses, you may apply to receive one (1) advanced standing credit that could count toward earning an Associate or Bachelor degree at Master's.  Request further details by completing the form at Contact Master's International University of Divinity if this is of interest to you.