What is Sin?
Many people have heard of the word "sin," or the idea of a "sinner," a word that is often associated with guilt and seen as a negative connotation to many non-Christians.
What is sin, and what is its relationship to the Holy Bible?
The Biblical definition of sin, is often answered in a quote out of the New Testament in the church letters section of the apostle John.
1 John 3:4 (KJV)
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
The first use of the word "sin" appears in the Hebrew book of Genesis.
Genesis 4:7 (KJV)
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
The Hebrew definition of the word "sin" is the Hebrew word chatta'ah
chatta'ah, Hebrew 2403, Strong’s
chatta'ah, khat-taw-aw'; or chatta'th, khat-tawth'; from Hebrew 2398 (chata'); an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concrete) an offender :- punishment (of sin), purifying (-fication for sin), sin (-ner, offering).
chata', Hebrew 2398, Strong’s
chata', khaw-taw'; a primitive root; properly to miss; hence (figurative and general) to sin; by inferance to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causative) lead astray, condemn :- bear the blame, cleanse, commit [sin], by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend (-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin (-ful, -ness), trespass.
We learn that "sin" is simply "an offence" or a "trespass."
One who commits sin is an "offender" or "sinner."
Note closely, the Hebrew also relates the ideas of purify, or making a sacrifice for sins.
Sin is something that attaches punishment, and it can be purged, or removed from the sinner by God.
The idea of making an offering, or purifying oneself of sin, is the same idea of making reconciliation, or to make an atonement for ones offense.
This entire concept relates exclusively to the idea that the offense is made against man's creator or Almighty God.
The offense is a trespass against God, His rules, commandments, or laws.
We can see that while the the word "sin" is mentioned first in the book of Genesis Chapter 4, there was an earlier occasion of "sin" which can be found in the Holy Bible.
Wherever a law is present, there is also present the occasion to sin, or offend against the law or commandment.
We find such such an instance happening very early in the Book of Genesis.
Genesis 2:15-17 (KJV)
And YHWH God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. [16] And YHWH God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Briefly note the Hebrew for "commanded."
tsavah, Hebrew 6680, Strong’s
tsavah, tsaw-vaw'; a primitive root; (intensive) to constitute, enjoin :- appoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command (-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.
This is the very first instance where we read that God gives any commandment, thus setting down a law to be obeyed.
The transgression of this law is the manifestation of "sin."
With a transgression against a commandment or statute of the law comes a penalty for breaking that law.
In this instance, the penalty is "thou shalt surely die."
Note the Hebrew for "die."
muwth, Hebrew 4191, Strong’s
muwth, mooth; a primitive root; to die (literal or figurative); causative to kill :- × at all, × crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy (-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro [-mancer], × must needs, slay, × surely, × very suddenly, × in [no] wise.
Now, lets look at the story of this instance in the book of Genesis.
Genesis 2:8-3:24 (KJV)
And YHWH God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. [9] And out of the ground made YHWH God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. [10] And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. [11] The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; [12] And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. [13] And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. [14] And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. [15] And YHWH God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. [16] And YHWH God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
[18] And YHWH God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. [19] And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. [20] And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. [21] And YHWH God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; [22] And the rib, which YHWH God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. [23] And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. [24] Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. [25] And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
[3:1] Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
[2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: [3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. [4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. [6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. [7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. [8] And they heard the voice of YHWH God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of YHWH God amongst the trees of the garden. [9] And YHWH God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? [10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. [11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? [12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. [13] And YHWH God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. [14] And YHWH God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: [15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. [16] Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. [17] And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; [18] Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; [19] In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. [20] And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. [21] Unto Adam also and to his wife did YHWH God make coats of skins, and clothed them. [22] And YHWH God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: [23] Therefore YHWH God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. [24] So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
This story is commonly referred to as the "fall of man," and is the story of Adam and Eve, the first two humans which God created and set in His Garden of Eden.
God commanded Adam that he could eat of any fruit of the garden, except the of tree of "Knowledge of good and evil."
We understand that prior to this command, man did not have a concept of what was "good and evil" and yet he lived amongst God who dwelt with man in the Garden of Eden.
Man was innocent of any ill or wrong-doing because until this time there had been no concept of it or any law or rules to obey.
Next we find that God gives Adam, man, a help meet or partner to live with— woman— and God also institutes in doing this the concept of marriage.
Genesis 2:18-25 (KJV)
And YHWH God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. [19] And out of the ground YHWH God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. [20] And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. [21] And YHWH God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; [22] And the rib, which YHWH God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. [23] And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. [24] Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. [25] And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
We can see that originally, both man and woman were created in a state of innocence.
There was no law to obey other than God's commandment to Adam that He shall not eat of the particular tree of knowledge.
Something soon changes that takes away Adam and the woman's innocence.
Genesis 3:1-5 (KJV)
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which YHWH God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
[2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: [3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. [4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
We can see that the woman fully understands the law of the forbidden fruit for the tree of knowledge, and see that Adam has clearly told her the rules of the Garden of which they were to live by.
We also see that there is a serpent that YHWH made who is cunning as the Hebrew of the very word "subtle" says, and speaks to the woman.
`aruwm, Hebrew 6175, Strong’s
`aruwm, aw-room'; passive participle of Hebrew 6191 (`aram); cunning (usually in a bad sense) :- crafty, prudent, subtil.
He tells her that it is actually alright to eat of the tree of knowledge, thus to disobey and transgress God's command to Adam.
The serpent lies to the woman and persuades her to take of the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge.
Note the serpent speaks of part truth and part falsehood which is essentially a lie.
All lies contain partial truth and partial something untrue.
The serpent says to the woman:" Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
Genesis 3:6-7 (KJV)
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. [7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Notice that the serpent was truthful in saying they would gain the knowledge of good and evil, but the commandment of God stated that If they disobeyed the commandment they would surely die.
God did not state they would die on the spot, but understand that the act of breaking God's commandment was ultimately death.
Not only was the punishment death, but also a separation from God and the loss of man's innocence.
We can see as soon as Eve eats the fruit and then gives it to her husband Adam (whom obliges to eat), both of their eyes were opened and they suddenly realized they were both "naked."
You see God's perfect order in His garden of paradise and His relationship with man (Adam and his wife) was now broken because they had broken God's commandment.
As you are about to read, both Adam, his wife, and the serpent will receive a punishment for their actions.
Genesis 3:6-19 (KJV)
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. [7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. [8] And they heard the voice of YHWH God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of YHWH God amongst the trees of the garden. [9] And YHWH God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? [10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. [11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? [12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. [13] And YHWH God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. [14] And YHWH God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: [15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. [16] Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. [17] And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; [18] Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; [19] In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return
So God punished first the serpent for his connivery and defying God, then He punished the woman, and last God punished man. As both Adam and his wife are punished, these punishments —or as discussed already, "sin"— will carry on all man or the future offspring of Adam and his wife.
Their offspring will have been born under this statute of God, which lays down the future rules man and woman will be forced to lived under.
Romans 5:12-14 (KJV)
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: [13] (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. [14] Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
All women will thus have pain in childbearing, and all women will seek or desire over their husband, who is to rule forever over the woman.
All men are to hereby work for a living and eat from their labor and then return to the ground and die or experience death.
So we can see that man is now punished by what God stated to Adam at the first, "Thou shalt surely die."
The serpent surely lied to the woman.
The Holy Bible teaches that sin, the transgression of the law, results in "death."
1st Corinthians 15:56 (KJV)
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
Romans 7:13-14 (KJV)
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. [14] For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Romans 6:23 (KJV)
For the wages of sin is death...
Death for sin comes in two forms, a physical death promised by God and a spiritual death. We all live two lives, one in the physical and one in the spirit. Man was created with a flesh body and a spirit.
As pointed out already, sin has with it, the concept that the offence continues to be an offence, unless it is purged or the one is purified of sin and atonement is made for the sin.
Thus the person who is now a "sinner" will make an offering for his sin.
Adam and Eve are now sinners, they carry upon them the reproach of sin and thus are an offence to God.
The consequence of sin is the removal or separation of man from God.
Genesis 3:20-24 (KJV)
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. [21] Unto Adam also and to his wife did YHWH God make coats of skins, and clothed them. [22] And YHWH God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: [23] Therefore YHWH God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. [24] So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
God is concerned about his "Tree of Life" which man was not commanded not to eat of and gives man the ability to "live for ever."
If man had only obeyed God's Holy commandment, it's possible Adam or Eve might have eaten of the tree of everlasting life and thus He would never die, and would live for-ever amongst God. Man, however, broke God's commandment and he thus will eventually die.
So the consequences of sin is death, and a separation from God.
Now in the Holy Bible there are two concepts of sin as you are about to learn. The first concept relating to sin is the story you have just learned in the Garden of Eden with the so called fall of man, falling from the good grace of God, leaving the garden, being separated from God and cursed with a covering of sin .
This is the sin which all men are born under.
For Eve is the mother of all living (including mankind).
Genesis 3:20-24 (KJV)
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
The Holy Bible shows from Eve we have her children and their children in turn have children and the earth is populated as such.
But then we find that something happens which affects all the lives of mankind: God repents of His sinful, wicked, and evil-imagining creation and vows to destroy all living things.
Genesis 6:5-8 (KJV)
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. [6] And it repented YHWH that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. [7] And YHWH said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. [8] But Noah found grace in the eyes of YHWH.
The Holy Bible's Hebrew book of Genesis records that God is ready to destroy all living things except for a man named Noah and his immediate family.
God commands Noah to make an ark of wood, and prepare for a rain, and flood, with which God will destroy all the inhabitants of the earth.
God also tells Noah to take along a specified amount of animals, with which God will in time replenish that which was destroyed.
We learn that God keeps his word to Noah and floods the earth, killing off all previous man and animal kind, and that Noah and his family are the only human survivors kept alive by God's grace.
It's here that we see a few things happen.
Genesis 9:1-19 (KJV)
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. [2] And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. [3] Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. [4] But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. [5] And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. [6] Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. [7] And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.
[8] And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, [9] And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; [10] And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. [11] And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. [12] And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: [13] I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. [14] And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: [15] And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. [16] And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. [17] And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
[18] And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. [19] These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
First, we can see that God gives Noah's sons to replenish and rule over the earth.
Second, we see God makes a commandment to Noah and his family not eat blood, or to kill or shed blood of man against man.
Thirdly, we can see that God establishes a covenant which is everlasting not to destroy the earth by flood or waters ever again. This covenant is established with Noah and his family and all future offspring of mankind, for we see that from the three sons of Noah, "was the whole earth overspread."
We can see that God has punished mankind for his sin, but has saved mankind and this future offspring of Noah who will now become what we know today as "mankind" and its roots emanating from one of the three sons of Noah.
God then sets out new commandments to be followed by man.
God also set out a punishment for breaking of His commandment.
Please remember that from out of these three sons— who are all again born under Adam's curse of sin— all the inhabitants of the earth will carry still that offence, or sin.
Now the Second concept of sin, is where we find one of the descendants of one of the three sons of Noah.
It's Noah's son Shem of which we have the second primary concept of sin evolving in the Holy Bible.
It's through the lineage of Shem, we eventually have from the children of Shem, the man Abram, whom is a Hebrew.
Genesis 11:10-27 (KJV)
These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: [11] And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. [12] And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: [13] And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. [14] And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: [15] And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. [16] And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: [17] And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. [18] And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: [19] And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. [20] And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: [21] And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. [22] And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: [23] And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. [24] And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: [25] And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. [26] And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
[27] Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
God will make a covenant with Abram and give him more commandments and laws to keep.
Genesis 12:1-9 (KJV)
Now YHWH had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: [2] And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: [3] And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. [4] So Abram departed, as YHWH had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. [5] And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
[6] And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. [7] And YHWH appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto YHWH, who appeared unto him. [8] And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto YHWH, and called upon the name of YHWH. [9] And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
Understand that Abram obeyed God's commandment and is rewarded for his obedience.
So to recap, Noah's three sons who are saved and repopulate the earth to form three main lines of modern man are all born under the continuation of the original offence of Adam and his wife Eve— they are all born into sin.
So all men are born into sin. This the first major concept of sin in the entire Holy Bible.
The second concept of sin
Now the second concept of sin relates to the children of Abram or Abraham.
Genesis 13:14-18 (KJV)
And YHWH said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: [15] For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. [16] And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. [17] Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. [18] Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto YHWH.
Genesis 17:1-22 (KJV)
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, YHWH appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. [2] And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. [3] And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, [4] As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. [5] Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. [6] And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. [7] And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. [8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
[9] And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. [10] This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. [11] And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. [12] And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. [13] He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. [14] And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
[15] And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. [16] And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. [17] Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? [18] And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! [19] And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. [20] And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. [21] But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. [22] And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
So Abraham is given a covenant by God that Isaac will inherit. Abraham's son shall inherit from his father and his seed's or his children, and their children and so on. This is an everlasting covenant to be established with Isaac and his seed.
God established this very first covenant with Abraham's son Isaac and not Ishmael whom is only under a covenant of circumcision and the land, not the full everlasting covenant.
It is this soon to be established covenant made with Isaac and his seed, Jacob, that we will soon learn about the second major concept of sin within the Holy Bible.
The second main concept of sin deals exclusively with only one group of the same lineage of Shem, of the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Isaac soon received the covenant.
Genesis 26:23-25 (KJV)
And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba. [24] And YHWH appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. [25] And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of YHWH and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.
Isaac was the father of Jacob and Esau. Jacob was to receive the blessing of his father.
God later also changed Jacob's name to "Israel."
Genesis 35:9-15 (KJV)
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. [10] And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. [11] And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; [12] And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. [13] And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. [14] And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. [15] And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.
Jacob or Israel in turn received the covenant promise by God and Jacob also had 12 children born of his wives and their female servants.
Genesis 35:21-29 (KJV)
And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. [22] And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: [23] The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: [24] The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: [25] And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: [26] And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padan-aram.
[27] And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. [28] And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. [29] And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
So we can see that Abraham and Isaac, and his son Jacob are the inheritors of the covenant promised by God, made first with Abraham.
Remember that all the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still descendants of the line of Shem from which are descended of his father Noah, thus descendents and born under the curse of sin.
Having said that, God is now going to double the occasion of sin, as it were, onto to Jacob's children, known in the Holy Bible hence forth forever as "the children of Israel."
It's here we skip to the story of the covenant made with the children of Jacob/Israel at the foot of Mt. Sinai.
Exodus 19:1-13 (KJV)
In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. [2] For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. [3] And Moses went up unto God, and YHWH called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; [4] Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. [5] Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: [6] And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
[7] And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. [8] And all the people answered together, and said, All that YHWH hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto YHWH. [9] And YHWH said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.
[10] And YHWH said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, [11] And be ready against the third day: for the third day YHWH will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. [12] And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: [13] There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
Understand from this point forward, YHWH, or Almighty God, makes an everlasting covenant with the children of Israel, exclusive only to the children of Israel and no other people except those present.
This covenant is given along with God's Law.
Exodus 19:5-6 (KJV)
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: [6] And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Exodus 20:1-21:1 (KJV)
And God spake all these words, saying, [2] I am YHWH thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [3] Thou shalt have no other gods before me. [4] Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: [5] Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I YHWH thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; [6] And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. [7] Thou shalt not take the name of YHWH thy God in vain; for YHWH will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. [8] Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. [9] Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: [10] But the seventh day is the sabbath of YHWH thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: [11] For in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore YHWH blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
[12] Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which YHWH thy God giveth thee. [13] Thou shalt not kill. [14] Thou shalt not commit adultery. [15] Thou shalt not steal. [16] Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. [17] Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
[18] And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. [19] And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. [20] And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. [21] And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
[22] And YHWH said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. [23] Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
[24] An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. [25] And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. [26] Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
After God set down the key commandments of His Holy Law, He then set down the additional adhering or relating judgments which went in conjunction to the Ten commandments in the law.
[21:1] Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
The word judgements in Hebrew is mishpat.
mishpat, Hebrew 4941, Strong’s
mishpat, mish-pawt'; from Hebrew 8199 (shaphat); properly a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or [participle] divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstract justice, including a participle right, or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style :- + adversary, ceremony, charge, × crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just (-ice, -ly), (manner of) law (-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, × worth, + wrong.
God set down a lengthy detailed series of judgments which explained each and how it was to be followed and what the penalty was for disobeying the command to each judgment.
Some examples of these judgements are:
Exodus 21:12-16 (KJV)
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. [13] And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. [14] But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
[15] And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
[16] And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
Here we see the children of Israel, whom are already under the curse of sin, are given further laws, statutes and judgments by YHWH that if they break they are punished further for any further sins or offences.
Exodus 20:19-21 (KJV)
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. [20] And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. [21] And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
Exodus 23:20-22 (KJV)
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. [21] Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. [22] But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
Exodus 24:3-8 (KJV)
And Moses came and told the people all the words of YHWH, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which YHWH hath said will we do. [4] And Moses wrote all the words of YHWH, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. [5] And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto YHWH. [6] And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. [7] And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that YHWH hath said will we do, and be obedient. [8] And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which YHWH hath made with you concerning all these words.
So the children of Israel were given a covenant, with a law, and judgments to obey.
Next, God as part of His law for the children of Israel, mentions to Moses about an offering for sin.
Exodus 29:1-14 (KJV)
And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, [2] And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. [3] And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. [4] And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. [5] And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: [6] And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre. [7] Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. [8] And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them. [9] And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. [10] And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. [11] And thou shalt kill the bullock before the Lord, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. [12] And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar. [13] And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar. [14] But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.
There were offerings to be made to YHWH by the children of Israel to consecrate His holiness and to purify themselves before God of their sins. God instituted offerings for these services and one of the offering was an offering made for sin.
Next God is speaking about the priests who do the holy services of taking offerings from the people to be sanctified and atoned of their sins before they can be considered holy in the presence of almighty God.
Exodus 29:31-37 (KJV)
And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place. [32] And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. [33] And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy. [34] And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. [35] And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them. [36] And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. [37] Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
We see in the story of Exodus the very concept of atonement for sin.
Exodus 32:30-35 (KJV)
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto YHWH; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. [31] And Moses returned unto YHWH, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. [32] Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. [33] And YHWH said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. [34] Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. [35] And YHWH plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
So we can see here those who transgress are called sinners, who are liable for the sins they have committed to punishment by God for their sins against His law.
Exodus 34:4-12 (KJV)
And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as YHWH had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone. [5] And YHWH descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of YHWH. [6] And YHWH passed by before him, and proclaimed, YHWH, YHWH God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, [7] Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. [8] And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. [9] And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O YHWH, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
[10] And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of YHWH: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. [11] Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. [12] Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:
We can clearly see God can forgive iniquity and transgression, and the sins of His people under His covenant.
The way God resolved, or forgave sins, was through a process of atonement for sin which involved holy ritual sacrifices made as an offering for sin.
Leviticus 4:2-21 (KJV)
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of YHWH concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them: [3] If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto YHWH for a sin offering. [4] And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before YHWH; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before YHWH. [5] And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation: [6] And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before YHWH, before the vail of the sanctuary. [7] And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before YHWH, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation: and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. [8] And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, [9] And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away, [10] As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering. [11] And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, [12] Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
[13] And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of YHWH concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty; [14] When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation. [15] And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before YHWH: and the bullock shall be killed before YHWH. [16] And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation: [17] And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before YHWH, even before the vail. [18] And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before YHWH, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. [19] And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar. [20] And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. [21] And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.
This sin offering would differ according to the particular judgment or statute of God's law as it was written and recorded for Moses to instruct the children of Israel.
This ritualistic worship and practice of making atonement for sins through animal sacrifices was the law involved in the first or the Old Covenant made exclusively with the people of Israel or anyone joined to the tribes of Israel living under the Covenant of YHWH made and established at Mt Sinai.
So we have the first concept of inherited sin involved covering all of mankind all races all peoples descended of Adam and his sin committed against God.
Then we have the second major concept of sin, attached to only those under the Old Covenant made with children of Israel at Mt Sinai.
The Holy Bible is God's plan for mankind to become free from the burden and curse of sin.
This plan involved one key people, the children of Israel, who were given additional laws and thus double the curse of sin or double the occasion to transgress God's law.
The children of Israel did in fact sin against God's holy laws, and thus God in time punished the children of Israel. In fact, God repeatedly chastises the twelve tribes of Israel in His judgments for their sins, and YHWH also repeatedly shows His mercy and forgives and has mercy upon them.
Eventually, God no longer can stomach the many, many sins committed by His people and so YHWH casts off or essentially divorces Himself from the tribes of Israel.
Israel is thus divided into two houses, and then cast away using other nations in God's wrath for the children of Israel's sins against God.
But the Holy Bible shows that God made a promise to Abraham and to His future decendents of the line of Isaac and Jacob, so God decrees he will in the future have mercy upon all His people Israel, that He will save a remnant, and forgive them of their sins.
This promise comes in the establishment by God of a new covenant made with the children of Israel.
Understand that under the old covenant, like the new covenant, those who join themselves to YHWH's covenant established with the children of Israel, will also receive the blessing and their sins can be forgiven.
This is why the New Covenant — New Testament— God made with Israel is able to atone for the sins of all people —Israelite or non-Israelite (of the nations) —who were born under the curse of original sin.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (KJV)
Behold, the days come, saith YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YHWH: [33] But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YHWH, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. [34] And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know YHWH: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith YHWH; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Isaiah 56:1-8 (KJV)
Thus saith YHWH, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. [2] Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
[3] Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to YHWH, speak, saying, YHWH hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. [4] For thus saith YHWH unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; [5] Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. [6] Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to YHWH, to serve him, and to love the name of YHWH, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; [7] Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. [8] The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
This New Covenant to be made by God with the children of Israel to remove their sins was prophesied in the book of Daniel.
Daniel 9:20-27 (KJV)
And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before YHWH my God for the holy mountain of my God; [21] Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. [22] And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. [23] At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. [24] Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. [25] Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. [26] And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. [27] And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
The prophet Daniel refers to an ordained time period in which God's messiah, or YHWH's Anointed, will come and later be cut off (killed). This Messiah, or Christ, will confirm the Covenant—New Covenant—which fulfills what YHWH spoke to His holy prophets to save his people, Israel.
It is YHWH, Almighty God, who can save and through His chosen Anointed One, the Christ, will bring in salvation.
Salvation comes first for Israel, YHWH's chosen people, and second, to all or anyone who joins themselves to the new covenant made with the children of Israel.
In this plan we see the saving Grace of Almighty God to bring in His salvation through the removal of sin from all the Adamic race (present day mankind) who were cursed under the first sin (in the garden of Eden) and all of the children of Israel who were doubly cursed under YHWH's Law made at Mt Sinai. Thus we see that the Christ, who was to come and die to make a blood atonement offering for sin, is able to redeem all men from the curse of sin, whether in the first concept of sin or under the second concept of sin as evidenced in the Holy Bible.
This is why everyone today needs to accept and receive the salvation of YHWH — His Christ.
Matthew 1:18-23 (KJV)
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. [19] Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. [20] But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. [21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. [22] Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, [23] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
I sincerely hope this has helped to clarify any confusion of "What is Sin," and give you a better grasp of the key concept of why all people regardless of who they are, need to seek the Salvation of Almighty God.
Friend, if you would like to know more about Sin, the Holy Bible, and why you now need to know this man named JESUS, I invite you now to Learn of JESUS the Christ.