SIN: Noun or Verb?

“The Big C.” Cancer, as a word, is so distasteful that we feel more comfortable euphemizing it…as though another name will render the disease less deadly. The medical term is malignant neoplasm. It is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood).1 Cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. These abnormalities may be due to the effects of carcinogens, such as tobacco smoke, radiation, chemicals, or infectious agents. Other cancer-promoting genetic abnormalities may randomly occur through errors in DNA replication, or are inherited, and thus present in all cells from birth.2

In the United States, cancer is responsible for 25% of all deaths. While many forms of cancer are treatable the overall survival rate is 50/50 at best.4 So, no matter what we call it, Cancer feels like a “death sentence.” In fact, in many cases it is. Would we feel better if the physician called it something else? In truth…no matter what we call it…the diagnosis is still frightening, and often fatal.

“Sin” is a word like cancer. It troubles us to the degree that we prefer calling it something else, like “mistake.” We somehow feel less threatened by sin’s existence if we call it something else. The reality is simple…no matter what we call it…it’s just as deadly. Actually, worse than cancer, it’s 100% fatal. I’m particularly troubled by the possibility that euphemizing the term “sin” may lead to underestimating its deadly power. On the other hand, calling it what it is allows us to appropriate the sure hope that is ours in Jesus Christ. This is the point Timothy Keller (The Reason for God) makes in chapter 10. After all, Jesus Christ was crucified and rose from the dead for our sins. I don’t know that He did that for our mistakes.

Most of what troubles us about the notion of sin is that it makes us feel so guilty. Why? Because we understand “Sin” as a verb. Sin, as a verb, alludes to all of our bad behavior…and there is plenty of that. Who wants to be reminded? While the notion of sin is surely verbalized in scripture, it seems helpful to recognize its earliest and most frequent occurrences in scripture appear as a noun. For example…"If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it" (Gen 4:7). In this passage, “Sin”, or chatta'ath (חטאת), is a feminine noun that means “a condition of guilt”. “Guilt”, or avon (עָוֹן), is a masculine noun that means “perversity or depravity. So, to get both genders involved, sin is “a condition of perversity or depravity.”

The noun “Sin” can become a verb. Chatta”ath may be verbalized by shortening it to chatta (אטת). In this sense, “sin” acts a lot like a gerund, or a participle. New Testament references to sin are similar. Amartia (ἁμαρτία) is a feminine noun while amartano (ἁμαρτανω) is a verb. The former mean “a condition of having missed the mark or having been mistaken” The latter means “to miss the mark or to be mistaken”. This is what both confuses us and repels us. We don’t want to be responsible for activities that result in a condition of depravity.

Why is this important? Because virtually all the references to “sin” in the book of Romans are nominative. When Romans 6:23 says “the wages of sin is death (or thanatos θάνατος)” the text uses the nominative (or conditional) for of the word. An exception to this is Romans 3:23 where “all have sinned” is a verb. What is most instructive about this juxtaposition is that either way we are dead. As Romans 5:12 says, "Therefore, just as through one man sin(noun) entered into the world, and death through sin (noun), and so death spread to all men, because all sinned (verb)” We have all been born with a condition of sin and we are all guilty of sinning. However, it is the noun that kills us, not the verb. The verb is simply the evidence of the noun

So…get over it.

But it doesn’t end here. As Keller infers from Romans 7:24-25…if our problem is “sin,” (the noun) we actually have hope for a cure. “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” I know of no other fatal disease that can make this claim. To put it bluntly, Jesus died for the noun, not for the verb.

Just how is this accomplished? Here is how another verb makes all the difference in the world. Romans 5:1 says “Therefore, being justified (declared blameless δικαιόω) , by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ.” The simple act of faith…believing the testimony of scripture…that Jesus Christ’s death paid the penalty for our sin (the noun) results in us “being declared” blameless. Not, "in fact," blameless but "declared" blameless. The practical results are the same but the nuance of difference is the difference between life and death.

We are “declared righteous” by the work of Christ. This means our condition of blamelessness depends solely upon Christ. And, as Hebrews tells us, “but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (7:24, 25) So…if we trust the sacrifice of Christ to declare us righteous we are declared so eternally. If, on the other hand, we hope to be declared blameless by our own works…the probability of success is reduced to zero. Which, of course, is why we don’t like to talk about it.

Does this mean we are always sinners (noun)? Yes…just like some people are always alcoholics. Fortunately, our faith “declares us righteous” in spite of it. Like all good things, this can be abused. What is to prevent us from freely continuing to sin (verb) if the condition of depravity has been removed? Romans 6:1 says “God forbid!” Paul goes on to remind us that the death and resurrection of Christ has liberated us from the power of sin. We should “present ourselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” (Rom 12:1). So, the life of a person of faith is devoted to holy living. Not so we can be declared righteous but “because” we are declared righteous. There is nothing in scripture that tells us sin (the verb) can ever overcome what Christ has done to destroy sin (the noun)

I believe I’ll choose the noun over the verb.

The Kübler-Ross model, in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying,[1] identified what is now commonly known as the five stages of grief. Kübler-Ross originally applied these stages to people suffering from terminal illness. It describes, in five discrete stages, a process by which people deal with grief and tragedy, especially when diagnosed with a terminal illness or catastrophic loss. The progression of states is:[2]
1. Denial – "I feel fine."; "This can't be happening, not to me."
Denial is usually only a temporary defense for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of situations and individuals that will be left behind after death.
2. Anger – "Why me? It's not fair!"; "How can this happen to me?"; "Who is to blame?"
Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage and envy. Any individual that symbolizes life or energy is subject to projected resentment and jealousy.
3. Bargaining – "Just let me live to see my children graduate."; "I'll do anything for a few more years."; "I will give my life savings if..."
The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow postpone or delay death. Usually, the negotiation for an extended life is made with a higher power in exchange for a reformed lifestyle. Psychologically, the individual is saying, "I understand I will die, but if I could just have more time..."
4. Depression – "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"; "I'm going to die... What's the point?"; "I miss my loved one, why go on?"
During the fourth stage, the dying person begins to understand the certainty of death. Because of this, the individual may become silent, refuse visitors and spend much of the time crying and grieving. This process allows the dying person to disconnect oneself from things of love and affection. It is not recommended to attempt to cheer up an individual who is in this stage. It is an important time for grieving that must be processed.
5. Acceptance – "It's going to be okay."; "I can't fight it, I may as well prepare for it."
In this last stage, the individual begins to come to terms with their mortality or that of their loved one.

The meaningful question, as it applies to “sin” as a terminal illness is…which stage describes you today? Your answer to this question will reveal your level of confidence in the atoning work of Jesus Christ…the sure and perfect cure for what ails us. I suggest we boldly proclaim “I am a recovering sinner,” the AA model that recognizes the disease is present but no longer destructive…or “I have sin, but I’m in remission,” the cancer model that acknowledges the disease is no longer fatal. Either way, we embrace the reality of what Christ has accomplished for us while we strive to make lifestyle changes that honor him.