The literal meanings of the Hebrew and Greek words variously rendered “sin,” “sinner,” etc. disclose the true nature of sin in its manifold manifestations.

Sin is

1.    transgression, an overstepping of the law, the divine boundary between good and evil (Ps. 51:1; Rom. 2:23);

2.    iniquity, an act inherently wrong, whether expressly forbidden or not (Rom. 1:21-23);

3.    error, a departure from right (Rom. 1:18; 1 Jn. 3:4);

4.    missing the mark, a failure to meet the divine standard (Rom. 3:23);

5.    trespass, the intrusion of self-will into the sphere of divine authority (Eph. 2:1);

6.    lawlessness, or spiritual anarchy (1 Tim. 1:9); and

7.    unbelief, or an insult to the divine veracity (Jn. 16:9).

Sin

1.    originated with Satan (Isa. 14:12-14);

2.    entered the world through Adam (Rom. 5:12);

3.    was, and is, universal, Christ alone excepted (Rom. 3:23; 1 Pet. 2:22);

4.    incurs the penalties of spiritual and physical death (Gen. 2:17; 3:19; Ezek. 18:4,20; Rom. 6:23); and

5.    has no remedy but in the sacrificial death of Christ (Acts 4:12; Heb. 9:26) made available by faith (Acts 13:38-39).

1. an act, the violation of, or want of obedience to, the revealed will of God;
2. a state, absence of righteousness; and
3. a nature, enmity toward God. 

About Salvation

The Hebrew and Greek words for “salvation” imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness: “Salvation” is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and process: as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification.

Salvation is in three tenses:

1.    The Christian has been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin (Lk. 7:50; 1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:15; Eph. 2:5, 8; 2 Tim. 1:9) and is safe.

2.    The Christian is being saved from the habit and dominion of sin (Rom. 6:14; 8:2; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 2:19-20; Phil. 1:19; 2:12-13; 2 Th. 2:13).  

3.    The Christian will be saved at the Lord’s return, from all the bodily infirmities that are the result of sin and God’s curse upon the sinful world (Rom. 8:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:42-44), and brought into entire conformity to Christ (Rom. 13:11; Heb. 10:36; 1 Pet. 1:5; 1 Jn. 3:2). Salvation is by grace through faith, is a free gift and wholly without works (Rom. 3:27-28; 4:1-8; 6:23; Eph. 2:8). The divine order is: first salvation, then works (Eph. 2:9-10; Titus 3:5-8).

Justification, summary (Rom. 3:28)

The word “Justified” and “righteousness” are translation of similar Greek words (verb, dikaioo, to declare righteous, to justify; noun, dikaisoune, righteousness; adjective, dikaios, righteous). The believing sinner is justified, that is, treated as righteous because Christ, “who knew no sin,” bore his sins on the cross, being made “sin for us… that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). 

Justification is an act of divine reckoning and does not mean to make a person righteous.

Justification

• originates in grace (Rom. 3:24; Titus 3:4-5);

• is through the redemptive and propitiatory work of Christ who fulfilled the law (Rom. 3:24-25; 5:9);

• is by faith, not works (Rom. 3:28-30; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:8,24); and

• may be difined as the judicial act of God whereby He justly declares and treats as righteous the one who believes in Jesus Christ. The justified believer has been declared by the judge Himself (Rom 3:31) to have nothing laid to his charge (Rom. 8:1,33-34)