Under Sin

"What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Romans 3: 9-12 KJV)

All men are "under sin." Every sinner is "under sin." What does it mean to be "under" something? To be "under sin"?

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Romans 3: 19 KJV)

One cannot be "under sin" if he is not "under law." Sin is the "violation of the law," and to be "under sin" implies, by necessity, that one has been "under law" to God.

One can be "under law" but not "under sin," as was Christ, and as are the holy angels. But, all other men, "have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3: 23 KJV) and are therefore both under law and under sin.

Paul also describes this state of being "under sin." It is to be under "guilt," and to be under "condemnation," to be under the "sentence" of the law, under the sentence of death. It is to be utterly depraved, or spiritually "no good," to be judged as filthy, unrighteous, evil, and unprofitable. It is to be totally without excuse or justification. It is to be justly declared as guilty.

"For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin." (Romans 7: 14 KJV)

Man's "carnality," his anti-spirituality, is part of his state in sin, is characteristic of his state "under sin." In this state he has been "sold" into, and from which, by the redemptive work of Christ, been "bought" out of it, as a slave.

"Servants" (slaves) are "under" their "masters," and while men are "under" sin, the law, guilt and condemnation, and the sentence of death, they are also "under penalty," and "under guard," and "under the power of" sin, death, Satan, and the ungodly world.

It is also true that "servants as are under the yoke" (I Timothy 6: 1 KJV) As such they are "under bondage," being in state lacking freedom. Every man, because he is "born under law" to God, is under servitude to God, under the yoke. But, this "yoke" has become, because of sin, a means of death, and hard, heavy, and difficult to bear, whereas the yoke of Christ is "easy and light." (See Matthew 11: 28-30)

"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." (Romans 6: 14, 15 KJV)

Thus, to be "under" anything is to be under its power and "dominion," to be lorded or dominated by that thing. It is to be controlled and wholly influenced by that thing.

"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." (I Corinthians 6: 12 KJV)

Again, we have a further apostolic definition of what it means to be "under" anything. Not only is it to be under the dominion of something, but it is to be "under its power" or influence, under its control. It is to be spiritually incontinent, and impotent to free oneself.

"For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him." (I Corinthians 15: 27 KJV)

Again, to be "under" something is to be "subject to" it. It is to be under its authority and power (might). To be "under" something is to be beaten or whipped by it. It is to be "subdued" or "conquered." It is a state or condition which we are "put" or "placed," willingly or unwillingly.

"All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan." (Psalm 90: 9 KJV)

"The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the LORD's wrath will fall into it." (Proverbs 22: 14 KJV)

Those who are "under sin" are also "under wrath," God's just wrath. As such, they are destined to fall into the "pit" of various sins. Fundamentally speaking, since the fall of Adam at least, men sin because they are sinners. They do not sin to become sinners, but their sinful deeds are but fruits or symptoms of their sinful flesh or nature. This is a legal or penal "wrath," not an "emotion" like in creatures.

"...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." (Acts 10: 38 KJV)

Not only are men "under" the law, and under its power and domination, and under its condemnation, sentence, and guilt, and under the wrath of it, but they are also "under" the "power of the devil." To be under the power of sin is to be under the power of the devil. Paul spoke of this when he wrote:

"Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." (II Timothy 2: 25, 26 NIV)

Those who under the power of Satan are his slaves or "captives," and who have been enslaved by him to do his bidding. In this state, they are not in their "right minds," or in their right "senses," being blinded by sin and the perverted darkness in which he resides, and not knowing genuine soul saving repentance and faith, or a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus.

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." (Galatians 3: 10 KJV)

Not only are men under sin, and under the power of sin and Satan, and under divine wrath, but they are also under the "curse" of God, of his holy and just law, and men remain in that state until they stop "going about to establish their own righteousness by the law" and accept by faith the righteousness of Christ, and his sacrifice for sin, as the way of justification and atonement for sin. (See Romans 10: 1-4) Men are no longer entitled to any "right" of "blessing," but only curses. Anything a sinner gets above eternal death and misery, yea, every earthly blessing, is but a gift of mercy and not of reward, debt, or merit.

"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3: 22-25 KJV)

Notice that those "under the law" and "under sin" are they who are "shut up" to certain things. That simply means he is limited in his options. He has only one way or means of escaping the judgment of God for his sins. The law reveals man's state "under" sin, death, judgment, condemnation, the sentence of death, and "under wrath," and "under God" himself.

The law therefore is likened to a "mirror" (James 1: 22-25) for it gives man a true picture of himself, not the delusive view he naturally has of himself.

Paul said - "by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3: 20)

The law does not reveal either Christ or the way of salvation, unless by the "law" is meant, not the rules and statutes of the Lord, but the entire Old Testament, which would include the words of the prophets which spoke of Christ and the way of salvation from the condemnation of the law, and how one might be freed from being "under" it and its curse, wrath, and judgment.

The law served the purpose of God to instruct men in their need of salvation, as a schoolmaster or tutor first teaches basic principles before teaching higher truth. The law did not save but it showed men that they were lost and needed to be saved. This was a necessary lesson to learn before one could learn the higher lessons of the way of salvation in Christ.

"Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4: 1-5 KJV)

"Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?" (4: 21)

Why anyone would "desire" to be "under the law," and therefore "under" its wrath and judgment, to be "under sin," is truly amazing, and only reveals the depth of man's spiritual and moral blindness. To be "under sin" is to be under the power of the devil and to be "under bondage," to be a slave.

"But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5: 18 KJV)

Those who have been "justified by faith," and by the "blood of Christ," are they who are no longer "under sin," or the power of the devil, nor under the wrath of God, or under bondage, but are rather "under grace," and "under the blood" of Christ.

"I am under vows to you, O God; I will present my thank offerings to you." (Psalm 56: 12 KJV)

The Christian is especially one who is, by covenant with God, is "under vows," or under solemn promise and oath to serve Christ forever. This oath of allegiance is what constitutes the believer a "soldier" of Christ and a member of the heavenly citizenry.