Sin implies Satan's domination over man.
The Dead Sea Scrolls teach that men are subjected to the rule of Belial, and the Synoptics interpret Jesus' mission as a confrontation with the power of Satan. Sin then ordinarily refers to a power which thrusts man away from God into a state of total alienation. The Spirit rescues Christians from the devil's realm. The contrast between the sinner and the perfected believer is as great as the difference between light and darkness, truth and falsehood, life and death. The sinner accepts Satan's rule and acts accordingly.