Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!aplcen!samsung!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: ipse2!amalton@relay.eu.net (Andrew Malton) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: sin (was Re: Satan) Message-ID: Date: 3 Dec 89 17:36:17 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Manchester, UK Lines: 37 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article Andrew Plotkin said that > The debate over "what is sin?" is, I think, an attempt to systematically > determine answers to the question "what specific actions are sins?" If > we knew what the definition of "sin" was, we would know precisely what > we could do that God would not punish, and what we could not. (This is > -not- the same as the "what is necessary/sufficient for salvation?" > question, but certainly is related.) and then later asserts > this sort of question cannot be ignored. The moderator says that > [the definition of] sin often depends upon intention and >context, so it isn't ... a specific list of actions. I think I'm coming in at the end of this discussion. But please: while we followers of Jesus are wearing our snakeskins, yes, let's think a little about what `sin' means. While we're wearing our dove feathers, though, let's remember: to cling to definitions of sin is to place ourselves under law, where Christ is of no value to us. In your innocence, sin is like this: you fail to come up to your beloved Parent's hopes of you. But never mind, you have an elder Brother (the first-fruits and first-born) who also loves you very much and promises to fix up your boo-boo and stand by you guiding, forever until the end. Saint Paul simply got on with his work, and didn't even judge himself. He really did `ignore this sort of question'. Do any of us really want to relax in systematic confidence that `God [will] not punish' some action? By no means. I'd rather talk to my brother about it, and decide, and do it, and if it goes wrong then we'll go and chat with Dad/Mum/God together and sort things out. For the sure knowledge that this is how our life together is in the family of God, shout praise to God whenever you can. -- Andrew