Separation from God is sin? Swap cause and effect

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The simplification of the already essentially straightforward path to salvation according to the Gospel leads to a false sense of security. This is also served by the claim that the separation between God and humanity is the true sin. The perpetual law of God is thereby marginalized, probably intentionally.

Twisted concept of sin

More and more often, even denominations one might not have expected it, distort the concept of sin. A reversal of cause and effect is simply made. The thesis conveyed here is essentially that the separation between God and man is sin. The separation of man from God represents the true sin. Therefore, Jesus Christ came into the world to act as a mediator, reconciling and uniting at this point. A claim that could actually serve as a prime example of the “wine of Babylon.” The confusion between truth and lies.

It is true that fallen man is separated from God. It is false that the separation itself is sin. This misrepresentation results in an important aspect being lost from focus: the unchanging law of God.

Cause and effect reversed

It is not the separation itself that is sin, but the consequence of sin. For sin leads to the separation between God and sinful man. Now one would “only” need to know what sin actually is. For every righteousness naturally includes a clear definition of what is permitted and what is not permitted. Likewise, for humans who must abide by the rules, they must also know and understand this body of law. Here is a short and concise definition, 1 John 3:4:
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.“

Lawlessness is the disregard or transgression of a law. Anyone who does so commits sin. That’s it, it’s that simple. Which laws are these, and where are they written? Here, too, there is a clear definition. They are the unchanging, never-abolished Ten Commandments of God. These can be found in Exodus 20 and also in Deuteronomy 5. It is important to note that only these commandments are binding, not the Ten Commandments taught through human tradition, which have undergone significant changes. (Info).

Valid laws of God are sidelined

However, if one now claims, as one often hears these days, that separation from God itself is sin, the laws play only a subordinate role, if any. Because one “only” needs to bridge the separation, and Jesus Christ is practically “right and proper” for this. After all, He “took away sin from this world” by abolishing the separation between God and man. That would be the end of it. Laws? Oh, where do they come from, and why at all? (Info)

With such a “theology,” John’s further reference would leave one guessing how 1 John 3:9-10:

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.“

Because “committing sin” is a state of separation. Therefore, this makes no sense at all. After all, one confesses Jesus, believes “in Him,” and thus the separation is abolished and thus a sinful state no longer exists. And again the question arose: “Laws? Why?”

Love is the fulfillment of the law, another important aspect. Indeed, the “commandments of love” (love God and love one’s neighbor – Info) described by Jesus Christ are, after all, only one side of the coin. On the other side of the same coin are the Ten Commandments. True love automatically leads to the observance of all(!) Ten Commandments.

“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4)

Just say “Jesus” out loud?

It takes considerably more than just saying, “Yes, I believe in Jesus,” and that’s it. The demons also believe in God, and they tremble, as in James 2:12. What good is believing that someone exists and what he has done for us if we trample on his laws? The entire dilemma, beginning with the first fall, is ultimately based on disobedience to God. Ignoring or breaking his laws is disobedience. The gospel describes how to get out of this dilemma. It is not a biography of various actors, but a way out of condemnation by the law based on its transgressions.

Overcoming what exactly?

“Overcoming” is one of the great words in the Bible (Info). In chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation alone, the term appears seven times. What is to be overcome? Sin! In other words, the will to keep God’s laws, which is certainly possible through the power of God if one only wants to. This is also the case in John 1:12-13:
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.“

One is not automatically a child of God if one can pronounce the name Jesus correctly, but rather if one does God’s will. Therefore, one keeps His law. As described in John 1:12-13, it doesn’t matter what one’s ancestry is, what others define as their traditions, or what a pope deems right; what matters is God’s will alone. Here, the “name” does not stand as a given name, but rather for all aspects and characteristics of God or Jesus Christ. (Info).

They have always existed, these twisters

The claim that the separation between God and man is the true sin is a perversion of the gospel, potentially with the fatal consequence of perdition, which Paul already warned the church in Galatia about in clear terms. Galatians 1:6-9:

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.“

The distortion of otherwise clear statements in the Gospel is not a modern phenomenon. Even ancient Israel fell for the many “advice” of false teachers and other spiritually blind people, followed them, and ended up in apostasy and idolatry, which God did not leave unanswered. It even went so far that God gave the Assyrians free rein to devastate northern Israel, with its capital city of Samaria. Southern Israel (Judea), with its capital city of Jerusalem, fell into the hands of the Babylonians. A 70-year occupation followed. The time of the prophets Ezekiel and Daniel. Even the “final reprieve” for a return to the right path was rejected by the people. The result was the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD.

The real reason is not even on the radar

The great puzzlement over why God acted this way, turning away from His people, was already going on in ancient times. Apparently, it never occurred to anyone that their own misconduct, their persistence in constant sin, was leading to the separation between God and His people. Isaiah 59:1-4 reveals this:
“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.“

Here, too, it becomes clear that sin separates us from God, that is, the separation is a consequence of sin, and not the separation itself that constitutes the actual sin. Paul already had a fitting response to the Galatians for those who proclaim such things. Jesus Christ himself warned against such misleaders, Matthew 7:15:
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.“

And Paul already knew about these wolves disguised in sheep’s clothing and warned the still young church in Ephesus, Acts 20:29-30:
“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.“

Where God is, there is also His law

God and His law are inseparable. God’s law, which merely reflects His character and His love from a different perspective, is as unchanging as God Himself (Info). Any dilution, no matter how good and “Christian” it may sound, such as the claim that the separation between God and humans is the true sin, can only lead to a failure to recognize God’s true will. One believes oneself to be safe, even though one couldn’t possibly be further from God.

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)