Sin if you choose it

Can you sin if you don't choose whatever sin it is? In a recent interview on TV, someone made the comment that "It can only be a sin if you choose it."

For starters, sin is not limited to things that people do or do not do (sins of commission or sins of omission).  Sin is our natural condition  (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12, 18-19).

Sin is not limited to those thoughts, words or actions that people “choose” to do.  Consider the apostle Paul’s struggles with his sinful nature (Romans 7:7-25).  According to his new self, Paul wanted to distance himself from sin.  Time and again, though, the old self won out and Paul fell into sin.  Sin takes place when people break God’s law (1 John 3:4), no matter what led to their breaking of it.

Then there are our “hidden faults” (Psalm 19:12):  those sins of which we may not even be aware until someone—or God through the Bible—points them out to us.

We are all accountable for our sins.  We cannot blame others for our sins.  While we might have weaknesses for a particular sin, that does not excuse us from falling into that sin.  Being aware of that weakness alerts us to be ever more vigilant in that area of life in resisting sin and living life God’s way.

The good news of the Bible is that Jesus lived up to his name (“…you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins”).  (Matthew 1:21)  In Jesus we have full and free forgiveness for all our sins (Ephesians 1:7)!