Ask a Christian, “How do you view sin?” and he will immediately discuss matters pertaining to moral implications and ethical values. Ask a Jewish woman, “How do you view sin?” and she identifies quickly sin as being the actions that which you either do or don't do in relationship to the standards that are already established in the code of ethics, Torah. This very same word has two completely different meanings.
At the end of the conversation, which will you decide? Will you side with the notion that sin is dependent upon whatever enters your thoughts and what you perceive with your feelings? Or, will you reason that sin is something that is tangible and observable? Ultimately, the choice is yours to make.
At the end of the conversation, which will you decide? Will you side with the notion that sin is dependent upon whatever enters your thoughts and what you perceive with your feelings? Or, will you reason that sin is something that is tangible and observable? Ultimately, the choice is yours to make.
See The Difference?
Among Jews Unlike Christians who believe that all of mankind are born into this condition of sin, "Jews believe that individuals are responsible for their own actions and that sinning occurs when someone does something wrong" (Web 2013). Sin is not dependent upon what you think or what you feel; sin is dependent upon what you do or don’t do in accordance to the in the code of ethics we call Torah (Pelaia 2013). “According to Wisdom, sin is a harmful deed. According to Prophecy, sin is death. Torah sees sin as folly, but Elohim sees it as an opportunity” (Tauber 2011). How is it that Elohim see sin as an opportunity? In this fourth perspective, sin is perceived as an opportunity to perform teshuvah. “To achieve teshuvah, we first have to experience the act of transgression as a negative thing. We have to agonize over the utter devastation it has wrecked on our soul. We have to recognize, disavow and renounce its folly. Only then can we can go back and change what we did” (Tauber 2011). Is it then possible to avoid sin? Yes, it is. As a safeguard against sin, Rabbi advised, "Know what is above thee—an eye that sees, an ear that listens, and a record of all thy deeds," Gamaliel taught that the study of the Torah combined with some worldly occupation makes one forget to sin, but that the study of the Torah alone without some manual labor increases the tendency thereto (Ab. ii. 1, 2). That is, sin is avoidable by bearing in mind that Elohim is everywhere observing our deeds. At least for us, sin is avoidable because it is written that "[a] way is left open for [both] the sinner, and one who is willing to lead a pure life is helped" (1 Samuel 2:9). Rabbi Johanan said that one who has passed most of his life without sin is sure to end it so, for "He will keep the feet of the saints" (Yoma 38b). [Jewish Encyclopedia 1906] Sin is not dependent upon your thoughts or feelings; it's defined by what you do or don't do in comparison to the standards stipulated in Torah. In fact, the act of stumbling your way through life without Torah is sin by its own right, a condition we call lawlessness. Bibliography 1. "JewishEncyclopedia.com." SIN -. JewishEncyclopedia.Com, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. 2. Pelaia, Ariela. "Do Jews Believe in Sin?" About.com Judaism. Ask.com, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. 3. Tauber, Yanki. "What Is Sin?" - Chassidic Thought. Chabad.org, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. | Among Christians Don Stewart, Bible Commentator on "The Bible Explorer," explains on Blueletterbible that sin, in its broadest definition, is any lack of conformity to G-d's character as is revealed in the living and written word" (Stewart 2013). Stewart cites Scriptures: "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4, KJV). Even though Stewart specifically cites Scriptures that stipulates that sin is the condition in which a person lives life without the law (i.e., lawlessness), he inadvertedly made sin appear as something else other than what was quoted to that which is just as equatable to the condition of lawlessness, deviance to immoral values. Where did this interpretation of sin, deviance to immoral values and noncomformity to G-d's character, comes from? This doctrine, a compilation of belief structures, goes explained. In fact, Stewart’s belief structure is an abridged version of St. Augustine’s definition along with its process wherewith the immoral value, though undefined, is enacted. According to Thomas Aquinas, 13th century Dominican theologian, he informs in (Summa Theologica 2.1. Q. 72 Art. 7) St. Augustine’s instruction, “For Augustine (De Trin. xii, 12) describes three stages of sin, of which the first is ‘when the carnal sense offers a bait,’ which is the sin of thought; the second stage is reached ‘when one is satisfied with the mere pleasure of thought;’ and the third stage, ‘when consent is given to the deed.’” (Web 2013) What, then, does Augustine's Doctrine allow? Augustine's Doctrine allow for sin to be something that is both intangible and subject to open interpretation. By making sin subjective to moral values as opposed to a set code, any given person is capable of claiming any act, feeling or given thought to be deemed a sin. As a result, any given Christian can easily be snared into a biblical debate as to what’s considered to be a sin and what is not since the definition of sin is open to public discourse. Bibliography 1. Stewart, Don. "Sponsors." Blue Letter Bible. Blueletterbible.com, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. 2. "Three Stages of Sin According to St. Augustine, The." The Three Stages of Sin According to St. Augustine. Montclair University, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. |
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Winslow, New Jersey, USA
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Winslow, New Jersey, USA
All Rights Reserved.
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