Today’s passage begins:
“Fasting isn’t just about food. It’s about freedom – from sin, selfishness, and indifference.”
Fasting from Sin?
What first came to mind were a few of my, I’ll admit, less than holy habits.
So I started thinking…are my habits actually sins? I’m not talking about mortal sins, the big ones. The the kind that violate God’s law; the 10 Commandments.
I’m referring to actions that seem rather harmless. Are those seemingly insignificant behaviors sins nonetheless?
To be honest, I watch too much TV at night. I doom scroll on social media. I indulge in a glass of wine at the end of the day. I’m easily distracted by news headlines and “clickbait”.
And…I search and shop on Amazon daily (I think my hubby frowns on this one the most).
So are these sins or just laziness? Am I just relaxing or am I looking to fill a void?
I decided to dig a little deeper so I did what so many of us do today, I googled it.
I simply asked: “Define sin, biblically”.
This was the response:
- “In the Bible, sin is defined as violating God’s law, rebelling against His authority, and failing to meet His moral standards (1 John 3:4, Romans 3:23).
- It is described as “missing the mark” of perfect righteousness, encompassing actions, thoughts, and attitudes that separate humanity from God.
- Sin originated with Lucifer and was introduced to humanity by Adam, resulting in an inherent, broken nature in all people.”
Failing to meet His moral standards? See above list!
Missing the mark? See above list!
I don’t think I like where this is going…
So…I asked Chat GPT the same question and the response went a bit further:
Biblical definition of sin:
In the Bible, sin is anything that goes against God’s will, character, or law.
It is often described as:
- Missing the mark – Sin is falling short of God’s standard of holiness.
- Transgression (breaking God’s law) – Sin is violating God’s commandments.
- Rebellion against God – It is willfully turning away from God’s authority.
- Failure to do what is right – Sin is not only doing wrong, but also failing to do good when you know you should.
- A condition of the heart – Biblically, sin is not just actions; it begins internally (thoughts, motives, desires).
In Summary: Biblically, sin is any thought, action, or attitude that contradicts God’s holy nature and will. It separates humanity from God (Isaiah 59:2) and is universal (Romans 3:23).
So…sin is not only doing wrong, but also failing to do good when you know you should.
And…it begins internally.
I have a lot to think about.
