Sin is more than making mistakes. It is not an accident that causes harm to someone else. And yet, many of us have heard sin defined as such. Too often, we hold back from even saying the word “Sin” because it just seems so heavy and serious and offensive.
A while back, I wrote an article for The Gospel Coalition entitled, “Parents, Tell Your Kids They Are Sinners.” Let me tell you, there were a lot of comments both positive and negative. Some people even accused me of emotional and spiritual child-abuse, because, “How could anyone tell their children such terrible things.” But if I want my kids to become Christians, they need to know their need for Christ… which means they need to know they are sinners in need of a Savior.
The Bible talks about sin, and if we don’t then we’re holding back on God’s Word. Even worse, if we do not talk about sin, then how can we proclaim the gospel which frees us from the chains of sin and death?
But what is sin, and how does temptation work? That’s what the rest of this post explores.
