Sin means to miss the mark

Christians find themselves in a situation these days where the word “sin” has become a dirty word. What I mean is that many people are so repulsed by the word “sin” that it would be liken to a person dropping the F-Bomb in a church. Many people just don’t like to hear the word. These people are not rejecting sin on its won, but the notion that there is sin, and that they are sinners. When sin comes up, they reject the conversation itself. 

So Christians have been trying to find new ways to talk about sin without using the word sin. 

The word “sin” can also be translated to “miss the mark”. The term reminds us of one who is shooting at a target, but misses. This missing the target is the idea behind the word “sin”.

This reminds me of a modern story of an Olympic Games competitor, Matt Emmons. Matt was competing as a Sharpshooter, and was about to take the gold medal. Matt was doing so well that he was sure to win. Going into his last shot, it was a sure thing, because literally he only needed a mediocre score to land the gold medal. All he needed to do was hit the target, and he was coming home with the gold medal. 

Matt takes his shot, but the judges notice that he missed the target all together! Matt was surprised, because the way he saw it, he should have nailed it. Upon closer inspection, they found that he hit the target in the next row over. In Matts excitement, he shot, and nailed the target, but it was the wrong target. This dropped his score so low that he placed 8th, and took no medal home. 

By the literal definition, Matt sinned. He missed his mark. 

When we hear this word “sin”, people can get all bent out of shape as if they are being accused of something. When we referance sin, we are not accusing anybody. It is our own conscious that accuses us. Many people find themselves hitting the target they are aiming at, but sadly, when confronted with Gods plan, we realize that we have been aiming at the wrong target. Rather then adjust our sites on His higher purpose, many would rather reject the conversation itself. 

So if we have to “rebrand” sin, we are still going to have to talk about it, one way or the other. Call it mistakes, call it re-prioritizing our goals, call it slip ups, or call it whatever we want. At the end of the day, we all fall short of Gods glory, and this is a serious issue if we want to be in His holy presence for eternity. 

Romans 7: 24-25 – ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!