What does the term "sin' or "sinner" mean to you.
The Bible talks about sin, trespass, iniquity, transgression, wickedness, dis-obedience, evil, ungodliness, sinful nature or the flesh, to be carnally minded etc.
In Romans 8, it talks about the law of sin and death, as opposed to the law of the Spirit of life.
Most of us have an understanding that sin is to "miss the mark of the high calling of God."
but what is sin in your life, where the rubber hits the road.
What causes you to sin, to miss the mark?
What can or should you change?
Why should you?
Would it make your life better or worse?
James says"
12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

16Do not err, my beloved

How are you tempted?
How are you enticed?
Define lust.
Cheers:)

I know that my sin(s) hold me back in life. Sort of like God saying you didn't get it right yet
So I am still stuck in the basics before I can move on.
God has shown me the distinction between being free in the spirit and yet we can not use it as a license to sin. But by being free in the spirit we are free from the religious aspects that Churches try to put on us--the 'Do's and Don'ts rules' because he instills them in our hearts to flow insync with the spirit, but many Christians are too caught up in the Church playing the Holy Spirit that they can not hear the still small voice.

1 king 19
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a astill small bvoice.


Romans 6-8
The war between the spirit and the flesh
The good that I know I should do
A Study of the "Flesh"

You have asked many questions. And there are many definitions of sin.

You mention "hamartia" = missing the mark, that is the most common word used in the NT. Other Greek words quite literally mean "inequity, trespass, transgress and others that you quote. The common meaning of sin is disobedience to God's Law, going against God's limitations for man (just as Lucifer did as a created angel of God).

What "causes sin" in us is our human nature as inherited from Adam. Adam and Eve DID die when they gave up their trust in God and believed the devil instead. They lost their concreated righteousness, the perfect image of God. They no longer had a free will to walk perfectly in the will of God. They immediately had shame(even of their own bodies) and hid from God because they no longer trusted Him nor expected His love to cover them.

Their children inherited this "enslaved" nature. Although Adam and Eve were created "in the image of God", their child Seth is said to be "in the image of his father"(meaning Adam and not God). That's why the Bible, both OT and NT, says that there is none that is righteous, no, not one. That's why the whole world is condemned and in danger of the wrath of God on the day of judgement.

Unless they are ransomed back to God and His righteousness.

We are not perfected in actions while still on earth. That is, we still "miss the mark" of the image of God while we dwell here. The degree to which we miss depends on our degree of "sanctification"(holiness/separation from fleshly desires and set apart for God) as we "put to death the deeds of the flesh".

How can we overcome sin?
Being saved from God's wrath against sin is something which happens by God's power alone when we first believe.
In contrast, being obedient to the commandments of Jesus ("You are to love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself") is a process. Both are by the power of God, but sanctification is an ongoing desire by each of us who are God's children.

We are BEING CHANGED:

2 Cor 3:15-18
15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds; 16 but when a man turns to the Lord the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
RSV


"Lust", as used in the Bible, is a misunderstood word. The Greek, "epithume'ow" just means "a strong desire". Jesus had it also, as in the following quote:

Luke 22:14-16

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
NIV

We need to "eagerly desire" the things which are a part of God's kingdom, but put off those deeds which cause us, or others, to walk contrary to the will of God.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peter Wilson

What does the term "sin' or "sinner" mean to you.

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From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Sin is an offense against God: "Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight." Sin sets itself against God's love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become "like gods," knowing and determining good and evil. Sin is thus "love of oneself even to contempt of God." In this proud self- exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation. (CCC 1850)

Quote:

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What causes you to sin, to miss the mark?

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Pride and weakness.

Quote:

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Define lust.

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Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes.(CCC 2351)

Sin to me, is lack of love, acceptance and tolerance. Whether it is "justified" anger towards noisy teenagers or the killing of an innocent spider, that is a lack of love, acceptance and tolerance.

The Bible has nothing to do with it. Life accepts me, I accept life. Sin is what I do when acceptance is far away and I am rolling in selfishness.

Where the rubber meets the road?

Yelling at my kids in impatience.
Hating.
unforgiveness.
eating what I know I shouldn't.
Not speaking up when I know I should.
Speaking up when I know I should be silent.
Gossip.
Slander.
Immorality.
Watching that movie I know I shouldn't.
Enjoying the fruit of my flesh.
Tearing another person down with my words.
Failing to encourage where I can.
Placing conditions on my love.
Disrespecting my husband.
Lying on my timesheet/ expense sheet.
Making a promise and then failing to uphold it.

Romans 7:18
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't.

Mark 2:17
When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Romans 6:6
knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

James 4:17
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Thank God, my sins are not held against me. Thank God I have forgiveness.

Psalm 41:4
“O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me.Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

Psalm 86:15
But you, O Lord,are a God of compassion and mercy,slow to get angryand filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

Psalm 119:156
Lord, how great is your mercy;let me be revived by following your regulations.

Psalm 119:132
Come and show me your mercy,as you do for all who love your name.

Proverbs 28:13
People who conceal their sins will not prosper,but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

Romans 9:16
So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.

Romans 9:18
So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

Romans 11:32
For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

Dear ScottRC, sexual desire taken to an extreme, is certainly lust, but lust can also be any passionate or overmastering desire. Such as a "lust for power". Or a sensual (of the senses) desire or appetite considered to be sinful.
Perhaps sin begins in our feelings, or our desire to gratify those feelings.
When men look at pornography on the internet, they aren't actually doing anything, but looking. But the feeling of gratification to the senses, that excited feeling that comes in the pit of your stomach, a feeling of satisfaction, yet they haven't eaten or drunk anything.
There is a shop that I go to sometimes, a bakery, that have these really nice spinach and cheese pasties, which I have with sauce, and also there is an apple turn-over with fresh cream, just melts in your mouth.
I feel very indulgent, when I stop and buy them, though it only on rare occasions. Yet, the desire is so strong, if it it is near smoko or lunchtime and I am driving near there, I will stop.
I normally eat fruit for lunch, so it is an indulgence. I can drive by, and usually do, but if I give in to that desire, even though I know that it is fattening, I am drawn away and enticed.
I allow my feelings, the ones that enjoy the taste and texture of the flaky pastry, the hot spinach and cheese, and of course the sauce, or the cool taste of the apple and the cool sweet taste of the cream, along with the pastry that starts slightly chewy, then just melts in your mouth.
Once you give in to your feelings, or listen to the demon that is enticing you with the weakness that they seem to know you have, probably because they follow you around, then your mind and your will just follow along like obedient slaves.
This is the benefit of fasting, or at least one of them, you get an opportunity to put your flesh, or senses under control. This is why the Jesus crew were called disciples, they learned to not listen to their feelings, the ones that wanted to satisfy the flesh.
There is only so many senses, and the satisfaction is so fleeting, I can only eat one pastie and one apple turn-over, then the appetite is gone!
God wants us to desire the higher things, and deep down we all do too.
We are all after the "quick fix", satisfaction now, don't consider the outcomes, cross that bridge when it comes.
Desire is good, otherwise God wouldn't have given it to us, but His desires for us are usually not the first thing on our mind, He wants us to desire love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, after all don't we all want to be loved.
Jesus came to model the way for us, we hear what He says, but don't do it.
Why don't we, why don't I, maybe we don't believe that it is possible to enjoy the higher things, perhaps we think that our feelings won't be satisfied.
Actually, I know the reverse to be true, I have had the love of God poured into my heart on a few occasions, and it is truly overwhelming, I had to tell Him to stop, it was TOO much, I couldn't contain it.
My quest now is to determine those feelings that would lead me away from God and know to listen for the enemy's enticements, to tell him to SHUT UP AND GET OUT!
Why, just the other day, I had a situation that brought uncertainty into my life, negative thoughts started to come, and I felt fear come upon me. Straight away, as I was open to the lessons the Holy Spirit was teaching me, I told it to go and it left, straight away.
I was amazed, actually, I actually felt it dissipate and leave.

Romans 8
12Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.