The sea rarely gives up the dead, or that’s what Phil Harris thought when he tried to throw former business partner Glenn Coggeshell overboard.

 

What Is Sin?

Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of questions online about sin. People are asking: What is sin? Are we born with it? Can we avoid it? Where did it begin? These are timeless questions—questions that pierce the heart of what it means to walk with God.

Many Christians are familiar with the so-called “seven deadly sins”—pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. While these are often taught as foundational vices, it’s important to know: this exact list is not found in the Bible, but rather comes from early Christian tradition. Scripture, however, does condemn specific sins in no uncertain terms—murder, theft, adultery, lying, idolatry, blasphemy—sins that fracture our relationship with God and with one another.

Are We Born Sinners?

Some say we are born in sin—that it's our nature from birth. But if that’s so, was Jesus born a sinner?

Luke 1:35 (KJV) tells us:

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Jesus was sinless. So if He came in the form of man, and yet was without sin, this should challenge the idea that sin is inherent to being born. The truth may lie not in birth but in choice—in action, in intention, in knowing to do good and doing otherwise.

Jesus said:

“Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 18:3

A child doesn’t know sin. A child trusts. A child is pure. That statement from Christ reveals something critical: we are not condemned from the womb, but we step into sin through disobedience and willful rejection of God’s commands.

The First Sin — The Garden

In Genesis 2:16–17, God warns Adam:

“Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

And yet, we read in Genesis 3 that Eve, tempted by the serpent, took of that tree and gave to Adam. But let’s look deeper.

What was truly lost that day wasn’t just obedience—it was innocence. It was the holy union that God had created, a pure bond between Himself and mankind. I believe the first sin was stealing innocence, the very intimacy God had with Adam and Eve. Their nakedness was not just physical—it was spiritual transparency. They knew no shame until that moment.

“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together…” — Genesis 3:7

They covered what was once innocent. Shame had entered. A virus, so to speak, had infected the garden. Not a physical one, but a spiritual disease called sin.

Created in His Image—But Not Alone

In Genesis 1:26–27, we read:

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Many say “us” refers to the Trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And that is one understanding. But I believe there's more to see here. Could this have also included the angelic host—beings present at creation?

Before the fall of Lucifer, before iniquity was found in him (Ezekiel 28:15), perhaps the angels were involved in the framework of this world. And Lucifer, who would later become Satan, was among them. When God set aside Eden, He created a place of rest, and He formed Adam—different from mankind outside the garden. Adam was a chosen vessel.

Much like Moses, who was drawn from the waters (Exodus 2:10), Adam was “drawn” from the dust into a sanctuary untouched by the corruption spreading across the earth. Just as God raised Moses within Pharaoh’s house to later deliver Israel, Adam was placed in a garden as part of God’s long plan to deliver mankind—not just Israel—but all of humanity—through the bloodline of Christ.

The First Mention of Sin

Interestingly, the word “sin” doesn’t appear in Genesis 3. It first shows up in Genesis 4, when God speaks to Cain:

“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” — Genesis 4:7

God warns Cain that sin is waiting. He hadn’t sinned yet, but was close. What follows, of course, is Cain murdering his brother—a clear violation of God's law before the Law of Moses was even given.

Exodus 20:13 confirms:

“Thou shalt not kill.”

Cain’s sin wasn’t just killing Abel. It was cutting off the divine timeline of generations that could’ve come from his brother—robbing God’s plans of unfolding, at least in that line.

The Ten Commandments: A Mirror of Sin

God later formalizes His definition of sin in Exodus 20, giving Moses the Ten Commandments. These laws expose sin and set a holy standard. They begin with loyalty to God and end with the desires of the heart.

“Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” — Exodus 20:20

God gave the Law to reveal sin—not to condemn us forever—but to prepare us for grace.

What About Eve?

Often, blame is cast on Eve. But let’s remember—Satan deceived a third of the angels who had seen the glory of God. If he could deceive them, it’s not surprising that he deceived Eve.

Eve’s sin was disobedience, yes—but the root of it was deception. And Adam, not deceived, still chose to follow. This echoes the warning in Romans 5:12:

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

This wasn’t about a fruit—it was about a loss of divine trust, of intimacy, of purity.

Sin Is Separation

Sin at its root is separation from God. Hiding from Him. Covering ourselves instead of coming to Him. It’s when we try to fix spiritual wounds with fig leaves instead of repentance.

Even Jesus, in dealing with the woman caught in adultery, did not condemn her, but said:

“Go, and sin no more.” — John 8:11

He didn't excuse her sin. But He gave her a way back.

So… What Is Sin?

Sin is knowing what is right, but choosing what is wrong. Sin is when we violate the love, trust, and holiness of God by our actions, our thoughts, and our hearts.

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” — James 4:17

And none of us are without it.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” — Romans 3:23

But through Christ, sin no longer has the final word.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8

In this broken world, where sin is like a virus—subtle, contagious, and often hidden—Jesus is the cure. He entered this world not just to expose sin, but to carry it. To break its power.

Let us not hide like Adam and Eve. Let us come to the cross, and confess our sins openly, knowing that:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” — 1 John 1:9

May we all learn to walk in that light.