Trespasses

March 6

Trespasses

paraptōma

There are several different approaches to the "sin question" as far as man is concerned. There are, of course, people who don’t recognize a "sin problem" at all. Such people view sin as an accident, mistake, or indiscretion. Others view it as merely an "amiable weakness" or simple "immaturity." Liberal theology, led by men such as Robert Schuller, views "the core of sin [as] a lack of self-esteem." In addition to those approaches, there is also a general sense of flippancy about sin nowadays. Worse is the fact that in much modern preaching, even among evangelicals, sin is not dealt with at all.

In stark contrast, there are two Greek words that very graphically reveal God’s view of sin. Both of these words, in fact, appear together in Eph_2:1, where Paul declares that we "were dead in trespasses and sins."

We’ll examine the word sin tomorrow, but the word trespasses is paraptōma (G3900), which consists of para (G3844), "along side of," and piptō (G4098), "to fall." The word, therefore, pictures a deviation to one side or the other. It was used at times by the ancient Greeks to describe an error, a mistake in judgment, or a blunder. But that idea is never even implied in the NT. Rather the NT usage strongly emphasizes a deliberate act with its serious consequences. In fact, the key to understanding this is to realize that trespasses speaks of a willful deviation from God’s requirement.

Rom_5:15-20 uses the word offence (paraptōma) several times to describe clearly Adam’s sin as a willful deviation from God’s command: "through the offence of one many be dead . . . by one man’s offence death reigned by one . . . by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation . . . Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."

What’s the application? Simply that we are all willful sinners. We, just as Adam, Achan, Saul, and Israel, deliberately disobey God’s commands. We don’t just make mistakes; we don’t just commit indiscretions; we don’t just "trip up." We are willful sinners. We sin not because "the devil made us do it," not because it’s our spouse’s fault, not because we had a bad childhood. We sin because we choose to sin; we deviate from the commands of God.

Thank God for His forgiveness! (see January 25).

Scriptures for Study: In Gal_6:1, what two things should we do for a fellow Christian who is "overtaken in a fault" (paraptōma)? What does Jas_5:16 add?

 
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