Journal: Emmaus Journal
Volume: EMJ 10:1 (Summer 2001)
Article: The Doctrine of Sin
Author: Larry Dixon

EmJ 10:1 (Summer 2001) p. 91

The Doctrine of Sin1

Larry Dixon

[Larry Dixon is a graduate of Emmaus Bible College and is Professor of Church History and Theology at Columbia Biblical Seminary and School of Missions in Columbia, South Carolina. He attends Woodland Hills Community Church in Columbia. This is chapter six in a series of articles entitled Back to the Basics: A Fairly Serious Survey of the Fundamentals of the Faith.]

“This Side of Calvin”

Phyllis McGinley

The Reverend Dr. Harcourt, folk agree,
Nodding their heads in solid satisfaction,
Is just the man for this community.
Tall, young, urbane, but capable of action,
He pleases where he serves. He marshals out
The younger crowd, lacks trace of clerical unction,
Cheers the Kiwanis and the Eagle Scout,
Is popular at every public function,
And in the pulpit eloquently speaks
On divers matters with both wit and clarity:
Art, Education, God, the Early Greeks,
Psychiatry, Saint Paul, true Christian charity,
Vestry repairs that shortly must begin—
All things but Sin. He seldom mentions Sin.

EmJ 10:1 (Summer 2001) p. 92

“From the actions of humankind it seems to me as if this particular planet of ours must be the insane asylum for some other world.” (George Bernard Shaw)

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (Psalm 51:1–2, NIV).

Section One: Sin’s Origin, Consequences, And Biblical Descriptions

I understand that the Holland, Michigan, Evening Sentinel had an ad which read: “Wanted—Man or woman for part-time cleaning. Must be able to recognize dirt.” In our culture which is saturated with euphemisms, can we recognize dirt? How should we define sin? How can it best be identified? And what can be done about it?

The preacher Stephen Brown once commented: “Sin is not what you want to do but can’t; it is what you should not do because it will hurt you and it will hurt you bad.” In our contemporary world where many think that prostitution is a “victimless” crime, where one person’s iniquity is another person’s indulgence, where moral issues seem to be decided by the most recent opinion poll, and where technology is used only to answer the question of what we can do (not why or if some things should be done), we desperately need to ...