Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.
S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
We often think that our lives can be simplified if we just have a checklist to follow. We have shopping lists, to-do lists, wish lists, and more. Surely, if God wants us to have success in living f...
Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer.
Grant Abbott
Supporter
As mentioned in other answers there is no complete "list" of sins in the bible. There are lots of "Do Not" lists which are included as examples and warnings for us. I believe it is more helpful to have a clear definition of sin in order to know what to avoid. The definition of sin is actually quite simple to remember: "Sin is rebellion against the will of God" God only gave Adam and Eve one commandment. "Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or you will die". Once they ate, sin or rebellion against God, entered the human race. But why does God have a "will" for our lives? In Psalm 139:13-16 we discover the following: God formed my inward parts and wove me in my mother's womb I am fearfully and wonderfully made My frame was made in secret by God and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth God saw my unformed substance God wrote in his book all the days that were ordained for my life before a single day even came to pass And Jeremiah 29" 11-13 tells us: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. God's will is the "Do" list of our lives. As I understand the teachings of scripture, this is actually quite a short list of 4 principles: 1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength [Matt 22:37-40; Mark 10:29-34; Luke 10:26-28] We love God by doing His will (putting him in first place in our lives) every moment of every day 2. Love our neighbour as ourself [Matt 22:37-40; Mark 10:29-34; Luke 10:26-28; Gal 5:13-14; Jam 2:8] We love other people by seeing their needs in life and then delivering God's blessings to them 3. Believe (Have Faith) in our Lord Jesus Christ [Heb 11:6; 1John 3:16-24] We live by faith when we believe and trust that Jesus is moulding and shaping our soul every day, so we will become the person that God created us to be, because that is the person we take into eternity 4. Walk (Live Life) by the Holy Spirit [Rom 12:2; Gal 5:16-18] We walk by the Holy Spirit when we allow Him to teach us God's will - what is good, pleasing, and perfect in God's sight and when we allow him to guide us every moment of every day to avoid what is harmful and to fulfil God's plan for us When we focus on "Doing" these 4 things there will be no time to worry about any "Do Not" lists
Meluleki Maphosa
Supporter
In order to adequately attend to this question, it is important to comprehensively first define what sin is. Can it be limited to a list somewhere in the Bible? Life would be simple if God simply reduced His requirements to us to a simple list. On the surface sin may appear to be the actions we take or omissions hence the desire for a list to ensure conformity. If this were true then righteousness would be as simple as just ticking off from the list and we are holy. However a closer look will reveal that sin is far deeper than simple actions. Jesus’s encounter with the rich young ruler Lk 18: 18-23 dispels all notions of sin being limited to actions or things that you can tick off a list because it would appear that Jesus suddenly added another requirement which wasn’t there. The Sermon on the Mount is even more onerous that the 10 Commandments! It would appear that to Jesus sin is much more than breaking the Commandments. By same token righteousness would appear to be much more than just complying with a list of rules. It would appear that sin has to do with our relationship with God. Once that relationship is broken or disturbed to whatever degree actions or lack of them follow. Those actions give voice to what we would have become. The reaction of Adam to God’s presence in Gen 3:8 is a classic example of what sin does to us – it breaks our relationship with God and we run away from Him – the source of life. If we have a loving relationship with God, and our lives are led daily by the Holy Spirit keeping the 10 Commandments is not an issue. Restoring that relationship between humans and God was Christ’s primary objective on earth. Once we have this living and growing relationship with God restored our relations as humans down here are also set right. No one is going to need a law that says do not steal from your neighbour, do not murder, do not commit adultery against one another etc. If our relationship with God is right it doesn’t need a list of rules. In my view humanity needed the 10 Commandments because the relationship was broken in other words sin had already entered. We see Cain killing his brother and it’s called sin. In truth in Gen 4:6-7. God actually says to Cain sin is at the door, it wants to break our relationship, if you allow it worse will follow. The murder wasn’t an accident it was premeditated and carefully planned. The murder was an expression of what Cain had become. Whilst the 10 Commandments may appear to be a list of sins not to be committed, the point being made is that you may to tick off on all of them and still find yourself in hell. In Mat 25:31-46 Jesus makes it clear that millions will be rejected from heaven not because they didn’t break rules from a list, but because they didn’t show simple love and compassion. Remember that the hearers of this teaching by Jesus were steadfast commandment keepers and they must have been shocked and disappointed. This also brings us to another very critical point about heaven. We will not be saved into heaven because of what WE do but because of what CHRIST did for us. The parable of the Wedding Garment in Mat 22:1-14 sheds light on the questions that will be asked at judgement. Only one question will be asked – why are you not wearing the garment? The garment is freely given to all without discrimination – the righteousness of Christ. The only requirement is that you wear it. If you try and work your way to heaven through good deeds (your own righteousness) it is likened to filthy rags in Isa 64:6 and Zech 3:1-5. Therefore our energies must be focused on finding Christ and creating a living and growing relationship with Him. The rest will fall into place. Whether you fall once or a million times that isn’t an issue we have a High Priest in heaven who forgives our sin as long as we confess to Him. Trying to conform to a list that describes sin is called LEGALISM it will never get you eternal life.
Gene Farmer
Supporter
Romans 14:23... For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (ESV) James 4:17- So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. (ESV) 1-John 3:4- Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. (ESV) James 2:10- For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. (ESV)
Bernita Rainey
Supporter
No there not a complete list but galatians 5: 19-21 list the works of the flesh we knew that the works of the flesh dont mix with the fruits of the spirit which is galatians 5: 23-28
makenzie wrigt
Supporter
The bible doesn't have a direct description of sins but it does have rules or guide lines that you should follow through out the bible an which you should from my personal choice of wisdom
Daniel Veler
Supporter
Your question: Is there a biblical list of sins? The answer already given is pretty accurate. I hope it will not be your checklist by which you go by to measure your spirituality in Christ. All sins originate from an evil heart. Unchanged by the Lord. But I would like to add the following: The Israelites believed that adhering to the Law of Moses was their path to righteousness. This was the definition of sin they used to employ. However, they overlooked the fact that the law carried a curse. This curse was that if you violated even the smallest of its commandments, you were deemed guilty of all of them. But we see Christ nailed the curse to the cross. Galatians 3:13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." The Priests and Pharisees would judge people based on the Law, condemning those who violated it. Since no one was guiltless under the Law, and no one could keep it without violating at least one of its commandments, everyone has violated the Law. Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit came, He would teach us the sin that condemns all men. He would give us the understanding not to judge our lives based on the law, but on Christ. The following is written. John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; This is the sin that prevents you from attaining the righteousness of God. Regarding the sins that arise from the flesh through the heart of a man, are these: Proverbs 6:17: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Seek forgiveness for your unbelief, which can only be obtained by believing in Christ.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
No, there is not a complete list of sins anywhere in the Bible, but Michael mentioned sins of commission which the Rabbis had codified into 613 laws, and 365 of these were prohibitions ("Thou shalt not …", 1 for each day of the year!) If you did 1 or more or these, you were committing (a) sin/sins. That leaves, more or less, 248 positive commands, and if you failed to fulfill even 1 of these, you were guilty of a sin of omission.
Sins of omission are wrong: "whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (James 4:17).
The longest incomplete list to my knowledge is in Galatians 5:19-21 (17-18 sins). But other sins are disobedience (Genesis 3:6), drunkenness (Gen. 9:21; Eph. 5:18), Sodomy (Gen. 19; Rom. 1:24-32), incest (Gen. 19:33-38; 1 Cor. 5:1 - "It is reported commonly [that there is] fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife."), lying (Gen. 26:7-8; Eph. 4:25), etc.
For a more complete list of sins see 40 Sins that WILL send you to Hell... - peacebyjesus.
Or biblestudytools:
16 Top Bible Verses About Sin - Encouraging Scripture
Or click on Bible verse by Topic, and then click on Sin Bible verses.
Compelling Truth (CompellingTruth.org is an outreach of www.GotQuestions.org) writes, "With all of these ways to sin, it is easy to feel like giving up or not even trying. Yet this feeling of inadequacy is what God uses to show us our need for a Savior. The more aware we are of our guilt, the more we depend on Him. It all starts with a relationship with Christ and the experience of having new life (John 3:16).
After God saves us, we have the ability to say "no" to sin:
"So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:11-14)."
Most importantly, there is hope for us who have committed sins of various kinds: This is the remedy:
"Jesus Christ bore sin on the cross
2 Corinthians 5:21 See also Isaiah 53:10-12; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 2:24
Jesus Christ has redeemed people by taking their place
Matthew 20:28 pp Mark 10:45 See also Galatians 3:13; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:14" --biblehub.com
Jeffrey Johnson
Supporter
Is there a biblical list of sins? Grouped by category for clarity, but representing all explicit sins named in Scripture: Sins Against God - (Direct violations of God’s holiness, worship, or authority) Idolatry Worshipping other gods Making idols Blasphemy Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit Sorcery / witchcraft / occult practices Astrology Sacrilege Taking God’s name in vain Unbelief Atheism (denial of God) Refusing to confess Christ Being ashamed of Christ or His words False prophecy Offering children to idols (child sacrifice) Consulting the dead Rejecting God’s commands Refusing baptism (as cited in extended lists) Sins Against Others (Harmful actions toward people) Murder Assault Violence Theft Kidnapping Adultery Fornication Incest Homosexual acts (per Levitical law) Bestiality Oppression of the poor Cheating in business Dishonest weights and measures Causing others to sin - Leading the blind astray Neglecting the needy (not feeding/clothing them) Sins Against Self- (Behaviours that corrupt one’s own body or soul) Sins of Speech - (The Bible repeatedly warns about the tongue) Lying Perjury Gossip Slander Cursing Complaining Vain babbling Foolish talk Coarse joking Flattery False teaching Sowing discord among brothers Sins of Thought and Heart (Internal sins Jesus emphasised) Unforgiveness Doubt/unbelief Evil thoughts Self-righteousness Enmity Rebellion Hypocrisy Sins Listed in Specific Biblical Vice Lists - (From Jesus, Paul, and Revelation) Deceit Lewdness Envy Slander Arrogance Folly Paul’s Vice Lists (Romans 1, Galatians 5, 1 Corinthians 6) Witchcraft Hatred Discord Jealousy Fits of rage Selfish ambition Dissensions Factions Drunkenness Orgies Swindling Homosexual acts (per Paul’s list) Disobedience to parents Revelation 21:8 Because Scripture names sins in narrative, law, prophecy, wisdom literature, and apostolic teaching, the total number is well over 100. There is no single “official” biblical list of sins, but the Bible contains many lists, each highlighting different aspects of human wrongdoing. The most central and widely recognised are: • The Ten Commandments • Jesus’ list in Mark 7 • Paul’s vice lists • Revelation 21:8 Together, they form a comprehensive biblical picture of sin.
Add your Answer
All answers are REVIEWED and MODERATED.
Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines.
A good answer provides new insight and perspective. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone.
- Adhere to the eBible Statement of Faith.
- Your answer should be complete and stand-alone.
- Include supporting arguments, and scripture references if possible. Seek to answer the "why".
- Adhere to a proper tone and spirit of love and understanding.
- For more info see The Complete Guide to eBible