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Once someone asked Sir Alexander Fleming, the famous discoverer of Penicillin, about the greatest discovery of his life, he humbly answered: “I discovered I am a sinner”.
What a powerful and moving statement voiced by a genius. It is only a corroboration that no matter how great, famous or prominent you are in the worldly matters, and no matter if one was born with a silver spoon or a handful of dirt in his mouth, the fact remains that he is a sinner and since sinners can not save themselves, they are in urgent need for a savior.
This is a faithful saying worthy of acceptance and strife, and totally corresponds with what the Apostle Paul declared that: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1Tim 1:15).
Christ’ statement: “No one is good but God” (Mark 10:18) makes no exception including Jesus, and confirms that no good in any of us, except by the Grace of God and through the stripes of Jesus. We are called to “good works”, not that good works in themselves will save us, as only Jesus can save by His shed Blood and through the conviction of the Holy Spirit. “Many are called but few are chosen” (Matt 22:14), those chosen ones who love the Lord with all their heart, mind, body and soul.
Sin came into our world with the fall of Adam, our earthly father, and consequently he suffered with Eve two “Deaths”: the first an immediate spiritual one, the second was a physical one multitude of years later. Hence, we are spiritually dead at the moment of our physical birth, and become born again through baptism and the confession of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The curse shall remain until the last person perishes or the Second Coming of Christ.
Sin in itself is a violation and transgression primarily against the Love of God and mainly against the Divine commandments, decrees, laws and ordinances of the Almighty God, the Creator, who planted them in each creature’s inner soul, by which we consciously know and can distinguish between right and wrong, even if nobody teaches us. … “I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.” (Heb 10:16)
First and foremost, sin is “The Secrets of Men” (Rom. 2:16) related to “Unbelief” and “Disbelief” in the existence of God, His Word, His Commandments, His Doctrines, His Power, His Sovereignty, His Rewards, His Punishments, His Love and His Peace, His Creation and His Providence, Heaven and Hell. St. Paul admonishes us in his Epistle to the Hebrews: “Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin …Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the Living God” (3:13&12); as well as: “In whom the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”. (IICor. 4:4)
Mankind like their father Adam opted to believe in and follow the Devil. They like to blame their sins and misfortunes on him. The difference between mankind and the devil, the later believes in the existence and sovereignty of God and tremble, (
Jam.
2:19) when the first lukewarmly wavers between belief and unbelief.
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh CANNOT please God.” (
Rom.
8:7-8)
Pride is at the origin of sin, presumptuousness and ignorance are its spearhead, lures and illusions are its shield, insolence and wickedness are its forces, achievements and accomplishments are its canons, temptations and seducements are its slippery set ups.
The saying: “Every forbidden is desirable” fits the description of sin. Nevertheless, not every desirable is a sin, but some may fall into the category of: is it profitable? Such as a little wine make the heart rejoice but too much even if we do not get drunk is a sin.
