Hamartiology is not a word I knew before I entered seminary. If it’s a brand-new word to you, you’re in good company.
The seemingly endless list of “ology” words can be intimidating. Yet, like Christology, ecclesiology, and soteriology—this “ology” is important for Christian believers.
Every doctrine of the church has a long history that goes back to the early ages of Christianity, and every doctrine is built on the foundation of biblical truth. Hamartiology reaches almost all the way back to the beginning of the Bible, when Adam and Eve eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Genesis 3:6, and sin enters the world.
While hamartiology has a long history, the concept is still every bit as relevant for Christians today—whether we know the word for it or not.
What Is Hamartiology?
Hamartiology is the doctrine, or theology, of sin.
It is one of the basic doctrines of systematic theology, which takes all biblical truths and teachings and organizes them into categories. Together these doctrines shape the Christian worldview—the lens we use to look at the world.
As Christians, hamartiology plays a key role in our faith. It helps us understand our spiritual history, appreciate Christ’s sacrifice, and make wise life choices today. And it helps us answer questions such as:
- What is sin?
- Where did sin originate?
- How does sin affect human nature?
- What are the consequences of sin?
- How is sin inherited?
- What is the solution to sin (e.g., redemption, atonement)?
The Consequences of Sin (and God’s Solution)
Since the fall (Gen. 3:6), sin has been mankind’s biggest problem. It separates us from our Creator, and that is not how we were made to live. We were designed to live in relationship with God; instead, the offenses we commit against a holy and righteous God prevent that connection.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “We’re sinners in need of a Savior.” That message is really the beginning of the gospel message, also known as the good news.
The bad news is you and I are both sinners. It’s impossible for us to live a life without sin. The apostle Paul tells us this in his letter to the Romans: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
A little later in that same letter, Paul drops some even worse news: “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). What we earn when we sin is death and eternal separation from God.
If Paul stopped there, we’d be in pretty big trouble, but he doesn’t. Romans 6:23 continues, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That’s the good news—the entire gospel message in a single verse!
What Is Sin? Five Biblical Perspectives from Hamartiology
Sin can be defined in many ways. As Christians, here are five ways to think biblically about sin.
1. Sin Is Missing the Mark
The most common way Bible scholars think about sin is to describe it as missing the mark. This comes from the root meaning of the word sin.
In Hebrew, the word for sin is chata. In Greek, it is hamartia, which is where we get the word “hamartiology.” In both languages, the general meaning is to err, miss the mark, or be mistaken.
When we sin, we miss the mark. Why? Because God’s standard is perfection. Only Jesus, being fully God and fully man, could live a sinless life. You and me? Not so much. We miss the mark every day. This is why we need a Savior.
2. Sin Is Lawlessness
The Bible also says, “sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4b). If we break lawless into its two parts, law and less, which one best describes us as human beings? I’ll give you a hint: it’s not law. Like Paul says, everyone falls short—except for God. He and His law are perfect.
In Psalm 19:7, King David writes, “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”
The law is perfect. When we sin, we break the law of God. No matter how hard we try and no matter where we are in our walk with the Lord, we still sin. But God is gracious and forgiving, and He loves His children.
Paul, again in Romans, writes, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
3. Sin Is a Burden or Heavy Load
In the Old Testament, sin is often described as a burden or heavy load. King David, in Psalms, describes his sins like this: “there is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me” (Ps. 38:3b–4).
David, confessing his sins to God, recognizes the weight of his sins, and that the Lord offers salvation from the crushing load he cannot carry.
While we often think of sin as error, contemplating it as a burden in the manner David did may help us to have a more personal connection between the weight of our sin and Christ. The crushing burden of our sins was taken on by the Savior, who willingly took that weight upon himself, on our behalf, on the cross.
4. Sin Is a Debt We Can’t Pay
Sin is also like a debt we incur but don’t have the resources to pay.
Colossians 2:13–14 tells us, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
Christ bore the weight of our sin on the cross and paid our debt in full once and for all. This is good news!
This is not to say we don’t live with the consequences of sin in our lives, however. We do.
My pastor frequently reminds us sin is fun for a season. But it will take us farther than we want to go, keep us longer than we want to stay, and cost us more than we can ever afford to pay. But, if we are in Christ, our sins have been wiped away. Our account is paid in full.
5. Sin Breaks Shalom
Shalom is a Hebrew word we often translate as “peace,” but it actually encompasses a deep, holistic well-being tied to human flourishing.
Sin breaks shalom. God’s perfect design for us is to live in shalom—in peace and communion with Him and one another. That was the life Adam and Eve experienced in the Garden before sin entered the world. They lived in an abundant garden and were designed to flourish.
In his book, Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin*, Cornelius Plantinga Jr. writes, “sin is culpable shalom-breaking.” To be culpable means to deserve blame. When we sin, we break God’s design and deserve blame—whether the sin is intentional or not.
*This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate David C Cook May earn from qualifying purchases.
Is All Sin Equally Bad?
No. Any sin we commit separates us from God, whether that is a “big” sin or a “little” one. However, as Plantinga explains, “All sin is equally wrong, but not all sin is equally bad.”
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7), Jesus gives a teaching equating anger to murder and lust to adultery.
Is Jesus saying these are equal sins? No. He is using metaphor to show the sinfulness of unrighteous anger and lust, not diminishing the acts of murder and adultery.
He is also making the point our thought lives matter. A lot.
Murder and adultery begin as sinful thoughts before they ever become sinful actions. This is why Paul, in his letter to the church in Corinth, implores them to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5b). When we train ourselves to take sinful thoughts captive, the enemy can’t get a foothold, and sin gets crushed before it gets going.
Does God’s Forgiveness Cover All My Sin?
Yes. The Bible tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Don’t miss the word all in that verse. There’s nothing you’ve done God is not willing to forgive you for. If you sincerely repent of your sins, He will forgive you, and His Word promises “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12).
This is why Christ’s death is often described as a ransom for our sins. Jesus paid the price only He could pay—a price only God could afford.
We also can’t forget that repentance is key to the forgiveness of sin. To repent literally means to turn around, to stop going in the wrong direction, and to go back in God’s direction. That can be really hard. Especially in a culture where sin is not only allowed, it’s celebrated.
We cannot forget Paul’s words: “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). But Christ came so that you might have life and have it to the fullest (John 10:10).
There is nothing sin can offer you that won’t hurt you. God offers eternal life. He gives us a choice: we must choose to either be slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness (Rom. 6:15-23). And God’s forgiveness, because of Christ’s sacrifice, can absolutely cover all your sins. Every one of them.
God Doesn’t See His Children as Sinners
Nobody is perfect. We all mess up. We all sin. This is not to excuse sin but to be realistic about our limitations as created beings.
But, when we are God’s children (John 1:12), when we are in Christ (Gal. 3:26), God doesn’t look at us and see our sins. He looks at us and sees us through the blood of Christ (Eph. 1:7).
And through that lens, we’ve never looked better. We never could.
Ready to Explore Systematic Theology More In-Depth?
Hamartiology is just one branch of Systematic Theology, a disciplined approach that allows us to better understand and explain our religious beliefs by organizing theological concepts into a logical framework.
Read What is Systematic Theology? A Beginner’s Guide to get a solid overview of all ten branches, and then be sure to visit these articles on the Esther Press website to explore each area more in depth.
- Theology Proper: Who is God?
- Soteriology: What Is Salvation and How Are We Reconciled to God?
- Ecclesiology: What Is the Purpose of the Church?
Be sure to visit our article on how to find a good theological Bible Study for women for helpful tips and recommendations for finding the right theological Bible study for you. Alternately, you might enjoy these Bible studies perfect for small groups if you prefer to read and discuss with a group.
Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996), 14, 21.
