What Sin Is According to the New Testament

We have identified the ten realms of moral transgression. As the Lord said, the moral commandments have to do with loving God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves. Thus we see that morality has to do with relationships.

Sin is misbehavior in one or more of the following areas:

The love and worship of God.

Idolatry.

Reverence for God’s Name.

Service to God.

Respect and obedience to authority.

Peaceful conduct.

Honesty.

Relationships.

Truthfulness and mercy concerning others.

Contentment.

It does not matter what Divine covenant we are under, improper behavior in terms of these requirements is sin.

The Ten Commandments tell us what sin is. But how does the new covenant deal with sin? I think this is an area of great confusion among us Christians.

First of all, we, while still very imperfect, are told in the New Testament how to behave. Because our adamic nature is opposed to God’s moral law we have to be careful to live in the Spirit of God, and also to pray fervently without ceasing, if we are to be able to keep the commandments given by the Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles. Their commandments cover the areas set forth in the Ten Commandments.

However, such Spirit-enabled obedience to the commandments found in the New Testament is not the new covenant. The new covenant is the forming of Christ in us until we by nature obey the eternal law of God. The point is (a point much neglected in our day it appears) is that we will not gain the new, sin-free nature except as we make every effort in our adamic nature to keep the word of Christ and His Apostles. Our moral transformation depends on our obedience to the numerous exhortations and injunctions found in the New Testament.

As Peter says, we are to attend to the Scripture until the Day Star, which is Christ, arises in our heart.

First: Does the New Testament command us to love and worship God alone? Are we commanded under the new covenant to have no gods other than the Lord, or has this requirement passed away?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1—NIV)

Under the new covenant God will accept nothing less than the offering of our body as a living sacrifice. This means we are to worship God even though in His wisdom He removes all we hold dear. To love God supremely is the first and greatest of the commandments and to not surrender every aspect of our life to God is sin.

Much of our Christian life consists of God removing the idols that stand between us and Jesus Christ. There must be nothing we are not willing to give to God. Every treasure must be on the altar, whether a thing, relationship, or circumstance.

To hold back anything from the Lord is unthinkable. We are committing sin when we do not love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

We cannot obey this commandment in our adamic nature. But we can finally come to obey it if we will be careful to live in the Spirit of God and to pray always that we may gain victory over the breaking of God’s laws.

Second: Does the New Testament command us to refrain from creating an idol?

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Matthew 19:21,22—NIV)

In many instances, particularly in America perhaps, money is our god. We spend much of our life, some of us, amassing more money than we need. We may not realize it but we believe if we have enough money we shall be safe and happy whether or not God keeps us.

Money is a god, an idol. No person can serve both God and money.

There are other idols among us, such as a relationship, an accomplishment of some sort, our possessions, an artistic talent, fame. Often our drive for achievement is based in our desire to create an idol we can worship.

To create an idol is sin under all covenants..

Third: Does the New Testament command us to revere God’s name, not to use it lightly?

Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, "Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord." But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; Or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37—NIV)

Swearing is of Satan! It comes from the evil one!

Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned. (James 5:12—NIV)

James tells us the tongue is difficult to control. We always should be considering what we are saying, and all we say should have meaning. Jesting and foolishness have no place in the Kingdom of God.

Whenever we speak out in a passionate outburst we may use God’s name to reinforce what we are stating, not because we truly want the Lord’s Presence and advice. This is unacceptable in the Kingdom of God. It is sin.

Control of the tongue is a mark of maturity. We must do what we can, with the help of the Spirit of God, until our carnal nature has been weakened and Christ has grown in us to some extent.

To use God’s name lightly is sin.

Fourth: Does the New Testament command us to cease from our own works and to strive to do only that which Christ desires?

Let us think for a moment about the meaning behind the Sabbath commandment.

"If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, Then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 58:13,14—NIV)

We understand from the above that the heart of the fourth commandment is not that of not working on Saturday. The heart of it is as follows:

Not doing as you please.

Delighting in God’s way.

Not going your own way.

Not speaking idle words.

The Lord Jesus is our example. He lived and moved in the rest of God, that is, in the center of God’s Person and will. This is the full application of the commandment to keep the Sabbath.

We personally have seen how the Orthodox will not throw a light switch or press an elevator button on Saturday so as not to desecrate the Sabbath. Such behavior is not part of God’s eternal Character. It is God’s will that His creatures live always in His Person and will, delighting themselves in Him; not that they be concerned about pressing the button of an elevator on Saturday.

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23—NIV)

To enter the Divine Sabbath is to deny ourselves, take up our cross each day, and follow the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus kept the Law of Moses perfectly. If a blemish had been found in Him He could not have served as the Passover Lamb.

Yet Jesus healed on the Sabbath. He worked on the Sabbath and the religious leaders took careful note of this. But Jesus was not breaking the fourth commandment by healing on the Sabbath because He was doing His Father’s will and delighting in it.

Under the Law of Moses we were commanded to cease from our own works on the seventh day of the week. The new covenant is much more demanding than this. We are to cease from our own works altogether and seek the will of Christ at every moment of every day.

The Lord Jesus lived, moved, and had His Being in the perfect will of God. This was true at all times. We also are to dwell in the center of God’s will at all times and in every situation.

Those who set aside the seventh day as particularly holy do so to please the Lord. But I think a better way is to make each succeeding day holier than the preceding. The problem with religious activities of any sort is they tend to remove our gaze from the Lord Jesus and dwell on that which we can conduct apart from the Lord. I would rather be in constant contact with Christ so when I rest I rest in Him and when I work I work in Him.

If Jesus guides us into a religious observance, then we are in the rest of God. If however the Lord does not guide us into a specific religious activity, but leads us in another direction, then we must continue with the Lord in order to remain in the rest of God.

A rigid adherence to the letter of the fourth commandment brought the leading Jews into conflict with the Lord Jesus on several occasions. But the Lord always flowed with the flowings of the Godhead, and this should be our goal also.

When we are walking according to the Spirit of God the righteousness of the Ten Commandments is assigned to us.

In the Book of Hebrews we are commanded to press into the rest of God.

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. (Hebrews 4:1—NIV)

Some have interpreted this verse to mean we must make every effort not to work on Saturday, the Sabbath day.

However, the text prevents this interpretation. Please notice the following:

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. (Hebrews 4:8—NIV)

In the above verse the rest of God is associated with the land of Canaan. Obviously, it is not saying Joshua enabled the Israelites to not throw a light switch on Saturday. Rather the rest of God is the fullness of the inheritance to which the Lord is bringing us.

The entire context of the Book of Hebrews reveals that the rest of God has to do with being made perfect in the Lord’s will.

God had planned something better for us so only together with us would they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 11:40-12:1,2—NIV)

In order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:4—NIV)

To follow our own course in any endeavor, whether religious or secular, without taking up our cross and following Christ, will bring us into conflict with His will.

Fifth: Does the New Testament command us to be respectful and obedient to authority?

Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. (Romans 13:5—NIV)

We American have a difficult time accepting authority, perhaps because our nation was born in revolution. We are proud, arrogant, knowing nothing at all really.

The concept of democracy and the exercise of opinion polls have given us the idea that we are running the government. Our schools do not teach students respect for the law, in some instances. Our psychologists talk about "taking control," meaning we are to be subject only to our own desires and whims. This is a destructive social attitude and will lead to our downfall unless the Lord in His goodness pours out His Spirit on our nation.

No, we are not the great ones we think we are. We need generous helpings of humility and a willingness to submit ourselves to authority and to law if we expect God to help us and be with us.

God’s people must humble themselves in our day. We must learn to walk humbly with God.

We will not be obedient to God until we are willing to be obedient to those who have the rule over us.

To not be respectful and obedient to authority is sin.

Sixth: Does the New Testament command us to avoid strife and live peaceably with all people?

Idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions And envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:20,21—NIV)

To not avoid strife, to not live peaceably with all people, is sin.

Seventh: Does the New Testament command us to flee from relationships not ordained by the Lord?

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. (I Corinthians 6:18—NIV)

To embrace relationships not ordained by the Lord is sin.

Eighth: Does the New Testament command us to be honest?

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (Ephesians 4:28—NIV)

To be dishonest, to steal, is sin.

Ninth: Does the New Testament command us to cease from gossip and slander and to speak the truth concerning other people in a merciful, compassionate manner?

For I am afraid when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. (II Corinthians 12:20—NIV)

To engage in gossip and slander, even to criticize others, is sin.

Tenth: Does the New Testament command us to be content with the state in which we find ourselves?

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. (Philippians 4:11—NIV)

To not be content with God’s will for our life is sin.

When we sin we are to confess our sin, turning away from it with all our might, denouncing it, renouncing it, fleeing from temptation. When we do this God is faithful and righteous to forgive our sin. Then He sets about to cleanse us from all unrighteousness so the sin is never practiced again.

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