As we look at this controversial issue about the humanity of Christ, one of the things we need to understand is the Biblical definition of sin. Having the proper understanding of sin is a big key to figuring out Christ’s human nature.

How does the Bible define sin? Whidden has a great list on page 43 of “Ellen White and Current Issues” Symposium, Volume 2 2006. He gives four characteristics of sin.

First, he writes about 1 John 3: 4. From the King James Version, the verse reads, “Sin is the transgression of the law.” As Adventists, we are familiar with this verse. Our history as a denomination was centered around uplifting the law of God, the Ten Commandments especially the Sabbath. Yet this one verse cannot provide our whole understanding of sin. We must also look at the whole of Scripture.

Second, Whidden talks about sin as “an attitude that continues to harbor and excuse feelings of hate, lust, and so forth (Matthew 5: 21-32; James 1: 14, 15).” When you look at Matthew 5: 21-32, part of the Sermon on the Mount, you see that Jesus “expands” the Ten Commandments. For example, he says if you lust in your heart after a woman, you’re committing adultery (a violation of the seventh commandment). And he asserts that being angry with someone is the same as murdering (breaking the sixth commandment). So, we can realize that Jesus makes the law a heart and thought issue instead of just tangible evil actions.

Third, Whidden quotes Romans 14: 23 (KJV), “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” He continues, “This level of sin manifests itself as attitudes of Godless, self-dependence which are the fruit of the refusal to exercise faith in God.” When we depend on ourselves, when we trust in ourselves, when we don’t acknowledge God, we sin. As sinners, we all have those moments when we do something well and we don’t glorify God. Instead, we take the credit and God doesn’t even get a passing thought. In a similar way, we oftentimes try to do something without seeking God’s help. According to Paul, these attitudes are sinful.

Fourth, Whidden writes, “Sin not only comprehends the bad things we do; but… also the natural, deranged mess that we are from birth.” This is a crucial point to understand. We morally broken from birth. Because of this moral weakness, we have tendencies to sin.

Since the post-fall interpreters will disagree with the fourth point, let’s look at some key texts that support this view. Here are a couple verses that come to mind.

Psalm 51: 5
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Eph. 2: 1-3
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked… and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Psalm 51: 5 and Eph. 2: 1-3 simply tell us that we have a sinful nature even from birth.

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?

Notice our problem in Jeremiah 17:9. Our problem is our hearts. Our hearts deceive us. This means we can think we’re doing something morally right with all our soul and being yet we’re oftentimes going against God’s will. The problem is not that we’re refusing to live morally. Scripture tells us that the problem is inward. We’re sick with sin and we can’t heal ourselves.

Luke 18:18-19
And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

In the verses from Luke, we see Jesus conversing with the rich young ruler. Jesus makes an interesting point that no one is good except God. Jesus is showing us that all humans are morally on the same level - that is, none of us are good. We’re all sinners, bent towards evil. There is only one human who is good. That special person is Christ, God in the flesh.

Let me close this blog entry with this quick anecdote I heard from a sermon. The pastor told us about his young son. His son had never seen violence before. Yet one day he hit his older sister because he wanted something from her. Why did he do that? What prompted his evil act?

His sinful heart.

In my next entry about the humanity of Christ, we’ll continue looking at Whidden’s writings. He has some quotes from Ellen White about our inherent sinfulness. On the topic of sin, we’ll see that Ellen White mirrors the principles of the Bible.