(Please check part 2 of this post: Unraveling Hamartiology: The Origin of Sin – Part 2)

Introduction

At the heart of Christianity lies the profound doctrine of sin, a concept intricately woven into the fabric of its message of redemption through Christ. Christian hamartiology, derived from the Greek roots “hamartia” and “-logia,” delves into the study of sin. It characterizes sin as an offensive act against God, a violation of Christian biblical law, and an injury to others. St. Augustine of Hippo’s classical definition portrays sin as an opposition to the eternal law of God. Christian hamartiology, closely intertwined with natural law, moral theology, and Christian ethics, forms a critical branch of Christian theology.

What Is Hamartiology?

Definitions

The doctrine of sin is central to Christianity since the basic message of Christianity is about redemption in Christ. Christian hamartiology (from Greek: ἁμαρτία, hamartia, “missing the mark, error” and -λογια, -logia, “study”), is a branch of Christian theology which is the study of sin and describes sin as an act of offence against God by despising His persons and Christian biblical law, and by injuring others. In Christian views, it is an evil human act, which violates the rational nature of man as well as God’s nature and His eternal law. According to the classical definition of St. Augustine of Hippo sin is “a word, deed, or desire in opposition to the eternal law of God. “Christian hamartiology is closely related to concepts of natural law, moral theology and Christian ethics (but are not the same).

Among some scholars, sin is understood mostly as a legal infraction or contract violation of non-binding philosophical frameworks and perspectives of Christian ethics, and so salvation tends to be viewed in legal terms.

Hamartiology is the study of sin. Hamartiology deals with how sin originated, how it affects humanity, and what it will result in after death. To sin essentially means to “miss the mark.” We all miss God’s mark of righteousness (Romans 3:23). Hamartiology, then, explains WHY we miss the mark, HOW we miss the mark, and the consequences of missing the mark. These are some important questions in Hamartiology:

• What is the definition of sin? Sin is described in the Bible as the transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18).
• Did we all inherit sin from Adam and Eve? Romans 5:12 speaks to this, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men because all sinned.”
• Are all sins equal to God? There are degrees to sin—some sins are worse than others. At the same time, in regard to both eternal consequences and salvation, all sins are the same. Every sin will lead to eternal condemnation (Romans 6:23).
• How can I know if something is a sin? There are things that the Bible specifically mentions and declares to be sins. The more difficult issue is in determining what is sinful in areas that the Bible does not directly address.
• It might seem that studying a depressing subject like sin would be counter-productive for the Christian. After all, aren’t we saved from sin by the blood of Christ? Yes! (But before we can understand salvation, we must first understand why we need salvation.)
• That is where Hamartiology comes in. It explains that we are all sinners— (by inheritance, by imputation, and by our personal choice). It shows us why God must condemn us for our sins. Hamartiology points to the solution for sin—the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When we truly come to grips with our sinful natures, we begin to fathom the depth and breadth of the nature of our great God who, on the one hand, condemns sinners to hell in righteous judgment, then, on the other hand, satisfies His requirement for perfection. Only when we understand the depth of sin can we understand the height of God’s love for sinners. A key Scripture on Hamartiology is Romans 3:23-24, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Hamartiology comes from the Greek word hamartos meaning sin. Hamartiology, therefore, is the study of sin. From a biblical perspective, the study includes how sin was introduced into the world, how it impacts the world today, the solution to the sin problem of humanity, the judgment of sin, and the removal of sin at the end of time.

Before delving into the various aspects of sin, Hamartiology first works to provide a biblical definition of sin. In short, sin is defined as “missing the mark” of God’s righteousness, through transgression of His laws or rebellion against His rule. The Bible clearly states that all humans (except Jesus Christ as both human and divine) have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). While some people sin more than others, “there is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10 NIV).

Another important area of study is the sin nature. This is the question of original sin and whether every person is born a sinner. The Bible teaches this is the case: “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” (Romans 5:12). David acknowledged inborn sin, writing, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5).

Further, there is the important question of the value placed upon individual sins. In other words, are all sins equal to God? The short answer is that all sin is equal before God in terms of separating people from Him. Apart from the saving work of Christ, all sin leads to eternal condemnation (Romans 6:23). However, different sins and amounts of sin have more severe consequences in this lifetime than others. For example, murder results in much difficulty for everyone who knows the victim and the one who omitted the crime, in addition to the punishment the criminal receives.

Angry words, on the other hand, do not have such severe consequences. However, both murder and anger are sins before God. Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire”. (Matthew 5:21-22).

Another consideration regarding Hamartiology is judgment for sin. All deserve judgment, yet Christ saves those who trust in Him for eternal life and forgiveness of sins (John 3:16). Believers who sin may be judged by the Lord, yet do not lose the free gift of salvation (Romans 8:37-39; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Those who do not trust in Christ receive eternal punishment in the afterlife (Matthew 25:46; Thessalonians 1:9). In the end, God will remove the curse and the existence of sin will end. Revelation 22:3 teaches, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.”

Ultimately, sin separates people from God, yet God has provided access to Him and forgiveness of sin through His Son Jesus Christ. The solution to the human problem of sin is redemption through Christ (Romans 5:12-21; Romans 7:21-25; Colossians 2:13-15). Sin will continue to exist until the end, at which time judgment will occur (Revelation 21) and the curse of sin will be removed as God’s children experience eternal joy in the presence of the Lord.

Conclusion

In delving into the various aspects of sin, hamartiology provides a biblical definition of sin as the deviation from God’s righteousness. It acknowledges the universality of sin, affirming that all humans, except Jesus Christ, fall short of God’s glory. The study explores the sinful nature, recognizing the biblical teaching of original sin. Hamartiology addresses the question of whether all sins are equal before God, emphasizing that without the saving work of Christ, all sins lead to eternal condemnation. The consideration of judgment for sin reveals God’s saving grace for those who trust in Christ, ensuring eternal life and forgiveness.

To be continued…