Living or Pancakes?

It is striking to me that the first instance of the term ’sin’ being used in Scripture is a noun.  Furthermore, when the term is expressed more and more, it is a noun the majority of the time.  This is striking to me, because I was raised in a culture that depicted sin as an action or verb.  The American evangelical culture has historically identified (at least in practice) sin as this thing we do.  However, the biblical evidence is set against that thought.

Genesis 4.6 – 7

The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted?  And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

This first instance of sin being labeled as a noun is from the mouth of God.  The Lord said to Cain that sin is this personified thing that wants to eat him for lunch.  Now when this is settled into our minds, I believe it is easy to see why Paul’s struggles with sin in Romans 6 – 8 are battle oriented.  He is waging war with a person – SIN.  This gluttonous monster lurks about for human flesh to own the body and enslave the members to its bidding.  This heinous anomaly to the perfect world God created has invaded the imago dei (image of God) and corrupted it and subjected it to toil and shame.  We must identify sin for what it is, a living, breathing, scheming slavemaster.  Only then can it be defeated by the cross of Christ and only then can sin finally be mortified.