DO WE HAVE TO SIN?

Some are contending that since God foreknew that man would sin and have need of a Savior, Eph.1:4, and because Rom.3:23 declares that, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God," that man has to sin. In this article we will compare that idea with the teachings of the Bible.

It's true that God foreknew that man would sin, but that doesn't mean man has to sin. God knew beforehand that Jesus would die upon the cross, Isa.53:5, but Jesus didn't have to die, in the sense that He had no choice in the matter. The Bible tells us that Jesus "for the joy set before him endured the cross," Heb.12:2. Jesus chose to die for our sins because of what his death would accomplish. In the same sence man sins, by choice. The Bible says, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death," Js.1:14-15.

Consider the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, recorded in Acts 5. They plotted together and lied about how much money they gave. Did they have to commit that sin? Evidently not, because Peter said to Ananias, "Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men but unto God," Acts 5:4. In other words, Peter told Ananias, "Ananias, you didn't have to act as you did. You didn't have to sell the possession. Neither did you have to give any of the money after you sold it. You had a choice and when you chose to lie about your giving,, you sinned against God." Just as Ananius made the choice to sin, so do we. We don't have to sin but we choose to do so.

But, someone might argue, " It's the first sin that you have to commit. After that you have a choice." What about Adam and Eve? They were the first man and woman to disobey God. Did they have to? Did they have no choice? Who would teach that they did? Every Bible student knows that they sinned in the Garden of Eden because they made that choice!

If we have to sin, certain Bible verses make no sense at all. If we can't keep from sinning, why are we encouraged, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you," Js.4:7? If we have to sin, why did Jesus say to the woman taken in adultery, "Go and sin no more," Jn.8:11? These verses, and many others, prove that man does not have to sin.

If we have to sin, think of what a grim, dark picture that paints of God-how cruel and unjust that makes Him to be! Speaking of God the Psalmist wrote, "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face," Ps.89:14. But, God cannot be a just God if He gives us a law which we have to break and then punishes us because we break the law. Suppose the state law imposed a speed limit which you couldn't keep and , then, fined you for violating the law. Would that be an act of justice? Certainly not.! Neither can God treat us justly if He gives us a law which we cannot keep and punishes us for breaking that law!

If we have no choice in the matter and have to sin, why is it that we don't sin every time we are tempted? The answer is, "We don't have to sin. We have a choice." Joshua placed a choice before the people of Israel when he said to them, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve," Josh.24:15. Their choice was between serving the true God of Heaven or the idols and false gods of the nations around them

One reason Jesus had for coming into the world was to prove that man can live with out sinning-that God is just in punishing sin . The Bible has this to say about our Lord, "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin," Heb.4:15. Peter tells us that Jesus "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth," 1 Pet.2;22. Thus, inspired writers want us to know that even though the devil tempted our Lord in every way, He never faltered and disobeyed His heavenly Father. Remaining pure and sinless qualified Jesus to be offered as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Because Jesus proved that man does not have to sin, God does not act unjustly when He threatens to punish those who commit sin. Every man sins of his own free will. He sins, not because he has to, but because he wants to. Satan entices him through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and he yields to the temptation. Man is wholly to blame for his sin. We cannot attempt to blame God for our shortcomings as did Adam in the Garden of Eden, Gen.3:12.