Sin comes in three flavors, each of which targets our flesh, conscience, and spirit to distract and turn us away from God. So, what is sin, anyways?
Many resources define it as a transgression of divine law. This is true, yet seemingly vague to an extent, and is in my opinion generalized to compliment many religions and belief systems. Just another don’t to add to the lists of dos and don’ts we all just love about religion. However, contrary to popular belief, the Bible is anything but a book of dos and don’ts.
Genesis 4:7 – Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.
The first example in God’s Word we see of the word sin is found in Genesis 4:7. God approaches Cain because he sees that Cain is down in the dumps. The LORD is trying to reassure him and advises to keep control of his thoughts to raze the desires to do what is not right.
Define Sin
God is telling him that chatta-ah (condition or guilt of sin, offence as in habitual) is crouching at the door. What, crouching? As in, it’s waiting to find us vulnerable enough for it to pounce on us? As if it’s a cunning beast waiting to take us over and control us? Yes! It all started just a few years prior to this in the Garden of Eden with the serpent (more cunning than the rest of the animals) and the famous Tree of Knowledge.
Another word used in Hebrew used for sin is hata (pr khaw-taw). Depending on the use can mean to miss the goal or path, missing the mark, bringing into guilt, to wander from the way. These range in describing single intentions to gradually veering off course even if unaware.
In the New Testament, the Greek word commonly used in the New Testament is ἁμαρτία (hamartia), which can be translated to missing the mark, being mistaken, being without (as in inheritance), as well as wandering from or violating God’s law.
Consistency of Scripture
Looking between the two languages Hebrew and Greek, not to mention the span of time between the two testaments ranging between 500-2000 years apart depending on the book, they carry almost identical meaning, save for any minute culture differences there were.
The Tree Event
Genesis 3:6 – When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it.
Once the serpent coaxed Eve to looking away from God, she was inundated by three groups of attributes:
- Good for food (satisfy the flesh)
- Attractive to the eye (be drawn to, enticed)
- Desirable for making one wise (wisdom apart from God)
The Post-Fasting Event
Fast forward to the New Testament. Jesus fasted in the wilderness and was very hungry by the time he was done. Knowing this, Satan saw him as in a vulnerable state and placed his bid to tempt the Son of God himself:
Matthew 4:3-10 – The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” But he answered, “it is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the highest point of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Once again it is written: ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go away Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’“
We can see there are three different types of temptations the tempter tried on Jesus:
- Stones to bread (satisfy hunger via supernatural powers, cheat codes)
- Tempt God knowing what was written (arrogance via wisdom)
- Worship the tempter and not God (for personal gain – drawn to worldy possessions)
The Three Flavors
Can you see the correlations between these two events? They can be classified as three different areas of focus. In each we see the focus on satisfying the flesh, good for food and turning stones into bread. We see a desire to give ourselves over to something, as in a need to worship, such as attractive to the eye and worshipping the tempter himself (albeit for personal gain).
The third is not so obvious but will be explained. With the Tree event, Eve thought to herself, Eating this will make me wise and I want to be wise! Paraphrased of course. In the post-fasting event Satan tempted Jesus with doing whatever he wanted knowing that God was going to take care of him. This is more than being akin to saying I got this, I have it all figured out! Relying on our own wisdom, giving ourselves way too much credit.
Body, soul, spirit – 3 parts to our whole. Each part playing different roles, having different perspectives, yet all one being – us. Hmm, sounds like the triune nature of God, doesn’t it? Father, Son, Holy Spirit – these three are one. After all, Genesis tells us that God made man in their own image, right?
Perhaps this just sounds like a lot of religious jargon. Let’s look outside the bible and see what non-Christian sources are saying about the different parts of us. Many religions around the world accept this fact that we are more than meets the eye. Surprisingly, and dare I say refreshingly, some medical experts are incorporating this into their health programs.
Aligning the Parts with Their Weaknesses
Let’s put all this together now. Logically speaking, IF we are made up of three natures as imagers of God, and IF each are unique yet bound together, and IF it only takes one of these to be defiant and rebellious against God, THEN each has its own part to play in obedience.
Clarence Larkin in his book The Greatest Book of Dispensational Truth in the World, copy write 1918, explains these three parts of our being. He goes as far as describing complimentary senses to each of these:
| PHYSICAL | SOUL | SPIRITUAL |
|---|---|---|
| Sight | Imagination | Faith |
| Smell | Conscience | Hope |
| Hear | Memory | Reverence |
| Taste | Reason | Prayer |
| Touch | Affection | Worship |
The way Larkin explains it, our sight is a gateway to our imagination, which in turn is a gateway to our faith. Going down the line this holds true; however, it is not that linear. Each of the five senses in our physical nature can offer influence, albeit not as great, to each of the five in the soul nature, and so on.
Let’s put this puzzle together now that this is all laid out. Sin is defined as going against God, veering off the path, or what have you, that ends in separation from God. It is determined that each of these natures have their own opportunities for such. Each flavor of sin listed both in the tree event and the post-fast event hit against each of these three natures.
Here can be a simplified visual of the connections:
| TREE EVENT | POST-FAST EVENT | NATURE | SIN FLAVOR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good for food | Stones to bread | Physical (Body) | Indulgence |
| Desired for wisdom | Wise in own eyes | Soul | Pride |
| Attractive to eyes | Worldly possessions | Spiritual | Lust |
A Vicious Circle
This is how they work together to ensure our downfall. Without discipline, we generally want to indulge our flesh. When we can’t, we begin to justify our desires which builds up our pride. As our pride becomes strong, we begin to lust after things. At the point our lust becomes great, we want to give in and indulge our flesh. And so on…
Deuteronomy 6:5 – You must love the LORD your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.
Moses is commanding the Israelites of what God has instructed him, that they are to love God with all three parts of their being – body (strength), consciousness (mind), and being (spirit). Jesus in Matthew 22 states that this is the greatest commandment of all!
The three flavors of sin are determined and set to attack and distract from each of our three natures. This is how, together, they work for our full separation from God.
Conclusion
We have three parts, or natures, of our beings – physical, soul, and spirit. Each of these has a means of failing God, indulgence, pride, lust. The three types of sins are the means by which each of these can cause distractions and allow us to miss the mark and veer off the path.
Doing things on our own apart from God. Depending on ourselves and not God. Lifting ourselves up above God. Guaranteed perfect rebellion against God.
John 16:8-11 – And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin and righteousness and judgement – concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; and concerning judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
Even so Lord, let your truth be proclaimed!
The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® https://netbible.com copyright ©1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
