Theological Journal – June 18 Sin – An Illustration

Sin is a multifaceted reality and requires an illustration that captures that multifacetedness.

I suggest the image of a Russian nesting doll adapted having a string emerging from the top of the largest, outermost doll. We pull on the string a lo and behold the whole series of inner, smaller dolls emerge connected to each other by that string.

-The larger, outermost doll is cosmic sin; attached to it and coming out of it next is environmental sin, sin against the creation, our necessary habitat and home. Emerging next and connected to the cosmic and environmental sins, is systemic sin, the patterned/habitual/institutional/political/social/economic ways we oppress and repress one another. A final pull draws up the smallest, innermost doll, personal/individual sin.

-This doll as a whole is named Idolatry and the interconnected nature of sin is the string that binds them, together. Every sin is always and at the same time implicated in some fashion at each of these levels. There is no such thing as individual/personal sin; only individual/personal sin as an aspect of the multifaceted, interpersonal reality of our revolt vs. God. This is what the Bible means by saying humanity apart from Christ is “in Adam.”

Does this illustration help you understand sin?