SACRIFICE

SIN 29

AND THE

`inexcusable' (Rom. 1:19-32). With this, his Jewish readers would agree, probably with vehemence. But in chapter

2 he turns to the Jew, who, with all his boasted knowledge and privilege, was equally inexcusable (Rom. 2:1), so

that whether a Gentile, in nature's darkness, or a Jew, in the light of revealed truth, it could still be written, `There is

none righteous, no, not one'; consequently every mouth `was stopped' and `all the world may become guilty before

God' (Rom. 3:19). This universality of sin is not only true in the sense that `there is none that doeth good', but in

the deeper and more radical sense, that `by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed

upon all men, for that all have sinned' (Rom. 5:12).

In Romans 1:1 to 5:11, the apostle deals with sins, i.e., individual transgressions of law, but in Romans 5:12 to

8:39, he deals rather with sin, the fallen condition of the whole race, irrespective of personal transgressions. Sin is a

crime against which the wrath of God is revealed. Sin is also a disease that made the apostle say, `O wretched man

that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' (Rom. 7:24).

A form of sound words therefore will include the doctrine of the universality of sin.

The essential character of sin is next before us. We have already indicated that both the Greek and Hebrew

words for `sin' mean `to miss the mark'. The apostle, who was a Hebrew and who also spoke Greek, knew this, and

crystallizes its meaning in the two languages by saying `come short', hustereo.

Husterema is translated `penury' (Luke 21:4); `want' (2 Cor. 8:14); `lack' (Phil. 2:30); and `that which is behind'

(Col. 1:24).

Sin is essentially failure. Where it is defined in the New Testament, the definitions are negatives, `what it is

NOT'.

Sin is INiquity or Lawlessness (1 John 3:4).

Sin is UNrighteousness (1 John 5:17).

Sin is whatsoever is NOT of faith (Rom. 14:23).

It is well to use such terms as `sin', `crime', `vice', etc., with discrimination.

(1) Vice . . . is against our own nature.

(2) Crime . . . is against collective humanity.

(3) Sin . . . . is against the righteous will and holy love of God.

It is impossible to rest satisfied with the words, `Sin comes short of', as a definition; the sentence must be

completed; we must say `what' sin comes short of. Sin comes short of the glory of God. At first this may not be

obvious, but examination yields its fruit.

`The glory of God'.- The Greek word for `glory', doxa, has come into our own language in such words as

doxology. Mere splendour or magnificence are but adjuncts; the essential meaning of doxa, `glory', is the passing of

a test. Doxa is allied to such words as dokimazo, `to try', dokime, `approve' and dokimos, `prove and test'. For

`The trial of your faith ... more precious than of gold ... though it be tried with fire ... found unto ... glory' (1 Pet.

`Lest ... I myself should be (become) a castaway' i.e unrefined, unfit, dross (1 Cor. 9:27).

When heaven opened and the voice was heard saying, `This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased',

eudokeo is the word used, indicating that the Saviour had been proved, and that nothing but pure gold was found in

Him. The human race, however, has been put to the acid test, and has `come short'.

Here then is Paul's summary of the question of sin. To consider it in its fulness is beyond the scope of this book.

The relationship of sin to the flesh, the law, the conscience, and death must all be studied before a full understanding

is possible. What we have seen, however, is fundamental. Sin embraces all; sin is radical failure, sin cannot pass

the acid test of God's glory and approval. It therefore goes without saying that no one can hope for salvation as a

result of his own self-righteousness, faith, obedience, service, promises or prayers. All stand condemned, and if