How many Christians understand the real meaning of following Jesus? Christ died because He followed the will of His Father to the ultimate extent, giving up life itself. He was the very Word of God, expressing perfectly the love, compassion, and character of God.
The Son of God lived in the world as a man, but His mind dwelt in heavenly places in oneness with the Father.
Many Christians today are happy to celebrate the matchless Savior with religiosity and ritual. They delight in the feelings of awe or ecstasy experienced in worship services—the music and drama carried out in cathedrals or darkened theaters. There is excitement in the moment. Inexpressible feelings are heightened, and attendees conclude that they have been touched by the Holy Spirit.
But have they? Evidence of the Holy Spirit is revealed in more mundane settings, in the actions of the worshiper in daily life, removed from the sensuality of sights and sounds found in many of the worship styles of today.
Many Christians reject the idea that the converted person should be growing in grace through the power of the Holy Spirit. God is not happy for his followers to be merely “nice” people; He wants them to be like Jesus! Many nice people will never see the kingdom of heaven. Niceness doesn’t save. Jesus saves.
Paul says, “Be imitators of God” (Eph. 5:1), and “Just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him” (Col. 2:6). The new covenant is the law of God written on the heart. (See Jer. 31:33). Practitioners of the old covenant treated the law as a thing to be obeyed through appearances, but rejected true heart obedience to the law of God.
A key problem is the Christian view of the law itself. Instead of looking at the law as a mirror, many think the law has been done away with, that it is impossible to keep God’s law. But saying this is, in reality, a rejection of the gospel, a rejection of the new covenant. The law hasn’t changed. It still points out sins. And the grace of Christ does not cleanse a person from sins that are unrepented of, or sins that are looked upon as natural to the human condition. This is not redemption!
Both the Old and New Testaments are loaded with admonitions and warnings against committing sin. The law is not the problem. Humans are the problem, and Jesus is the solution.
The New Testament is, if anything, more demanding of righteous living than the Old Testament. Christians are not to have anything to do with sin. It must be rejected and overcome through faith in Christ.
Both the Old and New Testaments contain “catalogs of sin”—lists that identify behaviors, attitudes, and practices considered contrary to the will of God. These lists appear in various contexts: legal codes, prophetic rebukes, wisdom teaching, and apostolic exhortations. While they differ in structure and emphasis, together they provide a revealing window into biblical moral thought. They also demonstrate that sin in the Bible is not limited to outward acts but includes inner dispositions such as pride, envy, and hatred. Not a single rebel against God’s law will be found in heaven.
Unfortunately for the Church, many Christians fail to live as though Christ were present in the heart. In the judgment, a Christian’s life record must show no sin at all. Christ must dominate the Christian’s heart completely. Hidden sin is not covered by the righteousness of Christ.
Understanding these catalogs helps us see how the biblical writers defined righteousness and warned communities against corruption, injustice, and spiritual rebellion.
Catalogs of Sin in the Old Testament
1. The Ten Commandments
The most famous catalog of wrongdoing appears in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, where the Ten Commandments outline foundational moral prohibitions.
The Ten Commandments establish two core relational categories:
- Duties toward God (no idols, no misuse of God’s name, Sabbath observance)
- Duties toward fellow humans (honor parents, do not murder, steal, etc.)
Many later biblical sin lists expand on these foundational categories.
2. The Holiness Code
Leviticus contains several clusters of prohibited behaviors, particularly in Leviticus 18–20. These passages condemn practices such as:
- Incest
- Adultery
- Child sacrifice
- Sexual exploitation
- Idolatry
- Sorcery
These lists often emphasize that Israel must not imitate the practices of surrounding nations. Sin here is not merely personal failure but covenant violation and cultural corruption.
3. Wisdom Literature Lists
Wisdom texts also contain catalog-like statements about moral evil.
A well-known example appears in Proverbs 6:16–19, which declares that God hates:
- Haughty eyes
- A lying tongue
- Hands that shed innocent blood
- A heart that devises wicked plans
- Feet quick to run to evil
- A false witness
- One who sows discord among brothers
This passage is striking because it moves beyond external crimes to character traits and intentions. Pride, deceit, and divisiveness are treated as seriously as violence.
4. Prophetic Catalogs of Social Sin
The prophets frequently assembled lists of national corruption.
For example, Isaiah 1 condemns:
- Violence
- Corrupt leadership
- Oppression of widows and orphans
- Hypocritical worship
Similarly, Hosea 4:2 lists:
- Swearing falsely
- Lying
- Murder
- Stealing
- Adultery
These prophetic lists emphasize social injustice. Sin is not merely ritual impurity but exploitation and moral collapse within the community.
Catalogs of Sin in the New Testament
The New Testament continues this tradition but often frames sin lists in the context of Christian transformation. The apostles contrast the old life of sin with the new life in Christ.
These lists frequently appear in pastoral exhortations and ethical teaching.
1. Jesus’ List of Inner Defilements
In Mark 7:21–23, Jesus provides one of the earliest New Testament catalogs of sin. He teaches that evil comes from within the human heart:
- Evil thoughts
- Sexual immorality
- Theft
- Murder
- Adultery
- Greed
- Wickedness
- Deceit
- Sensuality
- Envy
- Slander
- Pride
- Foolishness
This list shifts attention from ritual purity to internal moral corruption. According to Jesus, sin originates in the heart rather than merely in outward actions.
2. Paul’s Lists of the “Works of the Flesh”
The apostle Paul includes several famous sin catalogs in his letters.
In Galatians 5:19–21, he describes the “works of the flesh”:
- Sexual immorality
- Impurity
- Debauchery
- Idolatry
- Sorcery
- Hatred
- Discord
- Jealousy
- Fits of rage
- Selfish ambition
- Dissensions
- Factions
- Envy
- Drunkenness
- Orgies
Paul contrasts these with the “fruits of the Spirit,” emphasizing that Christian life involves moral transformation.
3. Romans 1 and the Collapse of Human Morality
One of the most extensive New Testament catalogs appears in Romans 1:29–31, where Paul describes humanity’s descent into corruption:
- Wickedness
- Greed
- Evil
- Depravity
- Envy
- Murder
- Strife
- Deceit
- Malice
- Gossip
- Slander
- God-hatred
- Insolence
- Arrogance
- Boastfulness
- Inventors of evil
- Disobedience to parents
- Heartlessness
This list is part of a broader argument about humanity’s rebellion against God and the consequences of rejecting divine truth.
4. Lists of Sins in Pastoral Letters
Several additional catalogs appear in the epistles.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, Paul warns that certain behaviors are incompatible with the kingdom of God:
- Sexual immorality
- Idolatry
- Adultery
- Homosexuality
- Prostitution
- Theft
- Greed
- Drunkenness
- Reviling
- Swindling
Likewise, 1 Timothy 1:9–10 includes:
- Murderers
- Sexual offenders
- Slave traders
- Liars
- Perjurers
These lists often mirror the structure of the Ten Commandments, suggesting continuity between Old Testament moral law and early Christian ethics.
Biblical writers never present these lists merely to condemn. They are intended to awaken conscience, reveal the seriousness of sin, and point toward the possibility of renewal. By naming evil clearly, the Scriptures invite readers to pursue a life marked by humility, truth, compassion, and faithfulness.
Most importantly, catalogs of sins drive sinners to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. No matter how many sins you have committed, Jesus invites you to turn to Him and repent. He will cover you with His righteousness. The demands of the law will be fully met in you through the Risen Savior.
Final edited version of this article: March 11, 20:10 UTC.
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