Twentieth century Christians dare not fall short of the mark of social effectiveness because of an exclusiveness. They dare not fall short of the mark of theological contribution because of a love of tradition more than a love of truth. They dare not fall short of meeting human need because of a preoccupation with methods. To fall short of the growth which comes in progressive sanctification is sin. We come finally to a definition of the biblical concept of sin.
Sin is both willful transgression and a falling short.
It is both objective and subjective, it is both ethical and legal. These concepts must be kept in tension. A failure to keep these in balance is to hold a concept of sin which is less than biblical. Sin is any deed, thought, or disposition which is destructive of one's relationship with God. Scanned and Edited by the Student Staff of the Wesley Center for Applied Theology at Northwest Nazarene University Copyright 2000 by the Wesley Center for Applied Theology Text may be freely used for personal or scholarly purposes, provided the notice below the horizontal line is left intact.