Is it possible that the “knowledge of good and evil” was the beginning of our sin conscience? Prior to that man and woman had no knowledge or understanding of sin, I daresay, no creative, in-born sin nature. Is it possible the “fruit” of the tree created sin in them and made sin genetic? Like a disease.
Genesis 2:16-17 – And the Lord God commanded man saying, “you shall surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Romans 5:12-21 [paraphrasing] – Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. …for if many died through one man’s trespass… for the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation… because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man… as one trespass led to condemnation for all men… by one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners… now the law came in to increase the trespass, where sin increased… sin reigned in death [sin ruled by means of death].
Romans 7:5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.
Romans 7:8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.
Romans 7:11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
Romans 7:13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
Romans 7:17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Romans 7:23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Beginning with Eve, to Adam, to Cain, down through the generations, to this very day, humankind has had an innate understanding of good and evil. That is why sin is most simply defined in James 4:17 – “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” This is what makes sin both subjective and difficult to characterize. If I have the knowledge of what is right and don’t act accordingly, whatever action involved is therefore categorically sin. However, if I have no knowledge or even prompting of conscience of what is right, then the actions are not sin to me.
I would also postulate that sin is anything that is contradictory to God and His ways.
Matthew 22:35-40 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Eve was lured away from God by the tempting unknown: fruit. Adam was lured away from God by the temptation of Eve (to be like her, to join her, to partake as well).
Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
James 1:14-15 But each person is tempted when he is lured [drawn away] and enticed [entrapped] by his own desire [longing, lust (overwhelming desire or craving)]. Then, desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Notice the individualization in James, “each person” “own desire”. Again, this is what makes sin both subjective and not universally categorized. A certain music choice may lure someone away from God. The very same song could enhance one’s relationship with God.
Here are the Hebrew, Greek, and Merriam-Webster online dictionary definitions of “sin”.
Sin: H2403 offense
H2401 offense
H2398 to miss
H7686 [sin through ignorance] to stray
H817 guilt
G266 offense
G264 to miss the mark
Merriam-Webster.com
Sin – an offense against God’s law
Offense – an act of displeasing
The Cycle of Sin – James 1:14-15 But each person is tempted when he is lured [drawn away] and enticed [entrapped] by his own desire [longing, lust (overwhelming desire or craving)]. Then, desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
I have no doubt there are many who are contentious with what I’m proposing here today, probably even with your own scripture references to defy mine. I will concede this is a new area of study for me and though I do believe I’m tapping into something, I know I don’t know all the answers. Though, I do believe this aligns with what I’ve learned of God’s character throughout my many years of study. God is a personal God. We each need to hear and know His voice for ourselves. Otherwise, we’re too easily led astray by someone else’s thoughts and opinions.
Romans 7:11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Philippians 2:12b-13 work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
John 10:3-5 [paraphrased] The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out… for they know His voice, a stranger they will not follow.
This may seem a gloomy subject. Stayed tuned for part 2!