Information Related to "The Bible's Broader Concepts of Sin"
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The Hebrew and Greek words translated "sin" throughout the Bible focus largely on two concepts. The first is transgression.
To transgress means "to step across" or "to go beyond a set boundary or limit." This concept can be compared to an athletic playing field with lines delineating the boundaries within which the game is played. When a player crosses over those boundary lines, he has committed a "transgression" and gone out of bounds. Limits are set that define the playing area, and the players are to stay within the limits of that area.
Most of the other words translated "sin" in the Bible involve a second concept, "to miss the mark." Again, to use a sports analogy, if a player aims for the goal and misses, how many points does he get? None. He missed the goal; he missed the mark he was aiming at.
This view of sin includes the concept of our going in one direction but straying off course and not continuing in the intended direction, with the result that we don't make it to the goal. We miss.
This concept also encompasses the idea of failing to measure up to a standard. For example, most academic courses and tests are graded according to a minimum standard. If we don't meet that standard, we fail that test or course. By not meeting that standard we "miss the mark" and don't pass.
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