Scripture For The week Discuss: Romans 3: 23. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
Varying definition has been given to this most loathed three letter word but most often repeated act in human race. The English dictionary vividly defined it as “a violation of God’s will or religious law”.
We have twofold types of sin:-
(1) General Sin: – This is the sin we inherited by being descendants of Adam. We are guilty not by direct and individual commitment. In Psalm 51v5 the bible says “behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceived me“. Everyone that came into this world from Adam are considered guilty of this sin. It is a general sin passed over to humanity through Adam’s disobedience and fall. No man or generation is exempted from this. Even infants are not innocent of this.
(2) Specific Sin: – This is the Specific act of sin committed by an individual, either individually or through the sinful action of a group. This is particular and is in the account of individual person. This is the sin that infants are innocent of because they are not capable of committing it. Specific sin can be further broken down into several forms as follows:
a) Unrighteousness. This means “to do wrong”, “to be unjust”, “to hurt”. Doing what is wrong as stated in Romans 1v29. Unrighteousness is the act of being unrighteous. Righteous simply means doing the right thing at the right time and being free from sin or guilt. Unrighteousness is the opposite of this and it connotes being unjustified in our actions which are wrong. It contradicts the law of God as it relates to human relationship and actions. – Romans 6v1, 1 John 1v9.
b) Trespass. It means to fall when one should have resisted a temptation or maintain a spiritual walk. It connotes inability to abstain from evil by falling to it. it is an act of indulging in sin someone is expected to resist or overcome. It is an act of doing what should have been avoided to the hurt of someone or against God – Matt. 6v12, Gen. 50v17, and Mark 11Vs 25-26.
c) Iniquity. This means lawlessness e.g. Gen15v16 “………the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full”. It also means wickedness – Gen. 44V16, Exodus 20v5. It can further mean a wrongful act such as disobedience to divine instruction, bearing false witness, falsification and stealing. – 2Sam. 24v10, Matt. 7v23, Matt. 13vs41-42.
d) Transgression. It is violating a specific Law. To transgress is to cross a line that God has drawn. it is a specific disobedience of a command e.g. “Thou shall not steal.”Thou shall not covet etc, etc. when such specific commands are disobeyed it amounts to transgression. It is an act of exceeding or overstepping some limit or boundary. Scriptural references are Exodus 34v7, Numbers 14v18, Psalm 32v1 and Heb.9v15
e) Ungodliness. This is impiety, living in rebellion against God and godly standards. It is irreverence for God. – Jude vs15-16, Romans 1v18, 2 Tim. 2v16, Titus 2v12.
OTHER WORDS FOR SIN
i) Debt. Debt owed to God is a sin as stated in Matt. 6v23 “….forgive us our debts”
ii) Disobedience. This is to neglect to hear and heed God’s command. – Romans 5v19, Eph. 2v2, Col. 3v6, Heb. 2v2.
iii) Ignorance. This is sin committed inadvertently. Heb. 9v7. This nevertheless needs atonement by blood as ignorance is no excuse.
Despite the stringent Laws given to the Jews they fell into these various acts of sin on several occasions. The gentiles themselves who have no written Law had all that is in the law in their conscience and was their conventional unwritten laws and practice yet they do the opposite. The scriptures now conclude that both the Jews and Gentile are found guilty of sin and consequently fell short of the glory of God i.e. Righteousness, Holiness, Love, Mercy, Peace, Joy, etc.
It was on this premise that the bible stated categorically in Romans 3v23 “for all (no exemption) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. The need to deliver humanity from the power and shackles of sin and its consequences gave credence for a child to be born and a son be given (Isaiah9v6) to humanity for complete and total deliverance. For this purpose it became imperative that a pure, righteous and sinless blood to purge humanity of sin and rid man of the terrible consequences of sin was required and God Himself has to undertake this by giving His only begotten son who came via a virgin birth and presented Himself as a sacrifice and atonement for our sin by His blood. Hence the bible says in Isaiah 53v6b – “…and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” and again the bible states in 1John 1v7 “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanses us from all sin”. That blood cleanses us from whatever sin we have committed and further exonerates us from the consequences of sin, because part of redemption was to remove the consequences of sin as clearly stated in Isaiah 53v5 and 1Peter 2vs 24-25. The scriptures further expanded on this in Romans 3vs24-25, ” being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation by His blood through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in His forbearance God has passed over the sins that were previously committed”.
Dear reader while it is an undeniable truth that all have sinned, it is also an incontestable truth that God has made a way of escape from sin and its terrible consequences by giving us His son as the only sacrifice and atonement for sin.
…To be contd. next week.
If after reading this piece you desire to surrender your entire life to God please repeat the prayer below.
Dear LORD I present myself to you today accepting that I am a sinner who desperately require your forgiveness. I confess my sin(recount as many as you can remember) and ask from the bottom of my heart your forgiveness by your grace. Purge my conscience from every act of sin with the Blood of your son Jesus Christ.
I accept Jesus Christ as my LORD and SAVIOUR. I pledge to forsake my sins with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you for forgiving me and adopting me as a son/daughter in your kingdom. IN JESUS NAME. AMEN
By faith with this simple prayer God has extended His hand of Love to you as His child.
(Call us or Contact Us for spiritual assistance)
Evangelist Joel Ezeugo: 2348037308777
Brother Alfred 2347038116543
Brother Worthmore 2348060479516