What is sin?

  So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. 

James 4:16–17 (ESV)

James here is telling us that sin is not just the things that you do that you know are wrong, but also not doing the things that you know are right. Have you ever considered that? 

Being apathetic, noncommittal or neglecting to do the right thing is just as sinful as doing something you know is wrong. Think about the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. I am sure most would say that the men who walked passed and did nothing were wrong. They did not show good character, kindness, faith or love by ignoring the plight of the injured man. The priest and levite walked passed, they were men of faith so they knew better. They would have read the scriptures and understood that God instructs them to love their neighbour, yet they still went their own way, ‘so whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.’ Those two men were ignorant and they sinned by doing nothing. I doubt that the priest and levite considered that their lack of action was deliberately sinful. Maybe they were too busy, distracted or scared to help. However, did they know the right thing to do and fail to do it? 

It is easy to sin this way for all of us, no matter how much you love God and know His word. Have you ever not done what you know is right because you have been afraid, too busy, or not thought it was a big deal? If you have known the right thing to do and not done it, that is sin.  Just like we acknowledge that the levite and priest were wrong, it is wrong for you to overlook doing what you know is right too. I think we have all sinned in this way because it can be scary to do the right thing, or will take too much time, so we neglect to do it instead of being obedient to God. That is the reality. 

All sin is doing the opposite to what God wants. That is whether you knowingly do something you know is wrong or not doing what you know you should. It is so easy to sin isn’t it?!

The Bible tells us, ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23). So it should be no surprise if you realise that you have neglected to do right at times. James has not written this to condemn you, but quite possibly to wake you up to the reality that sin is easy to get into and so thank God for Jesus! Jesus has put to death all sin. The things you have done wrong and the things you should have done but haven’t - his death and resurrection cover all of it! This means that you can be restored to God and to the sin-free state God always intended you to be in. How incredible is that?! All you need do is recognise what Jesus has done, ask God for His forgiveness for when you have got it wrong, accept it, and then ask God for His Holy Spirit to empower you to do what you know is right in future. Sin may be easy to get into, but if you know Jesus has paid the cost for all of it, sin is also easy to be free from. Jam