Sin & Character

Summary

Endorsements

Concepts

Sin

Sin is a passion for anything more than God.

Passion or desire is the root of sin (James 1:15; I Peter 4:2-3; Romans 7:5). This doesn’t mean that we can’t have healthy passions from what God has gifted us (James 1:16-17), yet “healthy passion” is only towards loving God, also called zeal (Romans 12:11).

Sin is the result of free will’s selfishness.

Even in a world without a tendency to sin, mankind chose to disobey God (Genesis 3:6). Life by definition must sustain itself; otherwise, it will be dead. Humans, like all animals, naturally would kill others to live (Romans 3:10-12,15): the root of selfish ego (James 3:16). This is why Jesus telling us to sacrifice our own lives is so unique and revolutionary (Matthew 16:25).

Sin leads to pain, which is solved only by discipline.

The reason sin is wrong is that it ultimately is a net loss to the person causing it and the people receiving it (Genesis 4:7). Ironically, the only way to solve pain is through the discipline of trials, which cause more pain (Hebrews 12:10-11; James 1:2-4).

Sin Categories

All sin comes from loving the world, specifically the things or evil in it (I John 2:15). There are 3 main categories of sin: lusts of the flesh (gluttony, sexual immorality), lusts of the eyes (envy, jealousy), and the pride of one’s own life (I John 2:16).

Lust & Contentment

Lust makes us feel like we need various pleasures, such as gluttony, greed, and sexual immorality, but God has given us the ability to be content (Philippians 4:11-13). Read more…

Pride & Humility

Our life should not be about fighting for our rights (I Corinthians 9:15,19) but becoming a servant to all (Mark 10:43-45), bearing with the weak (Galatians 6:2). This is because we know we can do nothing good on our own (Isaiah 64:6), and are fully indebted to God in gratitude (I Thessalonians 5:18). Read more…

Fruit of the Spirit

Lust and pride are categories that contain 9 different types of sins, each a sinful version of the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Hate & Love

Unhealthy disgust becomes resentment and hate. All commandments can be simplified by loving God and others, the 2 greatest commandments (Matthew 22:36-40). Read more…

Depression & Joy

Unhealthy sadness becomes depression, but only through sadness can we be healed (Matthew 5:4; Ecclesiastes 7:3) and find a deep source of joy (Philippians 4:4). Read more…

Anxiety & Peace

Unhealthy fear leads to anxiously worrying, but peace leads to courage that erases all shame and guilt (Philippians 4:6-7).

Wrath & Patience

Unhealthy anger turns into wrath, but patience is bearing with the sins of others (Ephesians 4:2,31).

Selfishness & Kindness

Not having our needs met can make us grow selfish, but kindness is thinking more of and about others (Philippians 2:3-4).

Hypocrisy & Goodness

Everyone thinks they are good (Proverbs 21:2), but that’s because we often hypocritically blind ourselves to our own sin (Matthew 7:5). A “good” person honestly seeks pure righteousness through judgment (John 7:24).

Idolatry & Faithfulness

The first commandment ever is to not follow idols (Exodus 20:3), including non-material sources of worth such as the approval of others (Galatians 1:10). Faithfulness is always trusting in God alone (Hebrews 11:6).

Manipulation & Gentleness

Manipulation is punishing others that don’t do what you want (Matthew 5:41), but gentleness is holding people accountable to their own standards (II Timothy 2:25). Read more…

Addiction & Self-control

The weak can’t do what they want (Romans 15:1), but the self-controlled can do anything God wants them to (I Corinthians 9:25).

Spiritual Fruit Comparison

Each sin, or vice, is solved by growing in its respective fruit of the spirit. Each fruit is a healthy manifestation of an emotion, which can be solved by a specific foundational discipline, also known as a sacrament.