The Benefits (?) of Sin
Bountiful harvest www.partnerone.biz
OK admittedly the title is a bit tongue in cheek. But we should ask the question: Why did the Creator create Sin? (this is a bit of a diversion but I prefer the attribute Creator instead of the word God, (although in some cases language dictates using God) in that it is a bit more gender neutral. The word Allah would be even more preferable (if it did not connotate so many misunderstanding in so many people) because it is not only gender neutral but plurality neutral, i.e., there is no Allahs form of this word. The ‘Al’ is the ‘The’ in Arabic :) (four the’s in a row eh). ‘La’ in Arabic means ‘no’ but I haven’t been able to find what ‘lah’ would mean although it has to be close to ‘la’. Etymology suggests the meaning ‘The Undefinable’ for ‘Al Lah’ which does capture the deepest sense of our limitation in knowing the Creator. Probably more information than some would want).
So back to the question, Why did the Creator create Sin? In the Qur’an God does say that God has no need for our prayers, that there were already plenty of Angels that God created who pray and praise God continuously. Here is one possible response. We should realize that any sin we commit can be redeemed (washed away) through subsequent good deeds. It is through sin and the subsequent redemption that we grow spiritually (failing to realize the potential for redemption was Satan’s fatal mistake). Or to say it another way, in order to have potential for spiritual growth there needs to be potential for sin. Does that make sense? What are other reasons that the Creator might have created sin?
The following verses from the Qur’an seem relevant to this question:
Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: “I will create a vicegerent on earth.” They said: “Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?- whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?” He said: “I know what ye know not.”
Al-Qur’an, 002.030 (Al-Baqara [The Cow])
Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between!
If it had been Our wish to take (just) a pastime, We should surely have taken it from the things nearest to Us, if We would do (such a thing)!
Nay, We hurl the Truth against falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, falsehood doth perish! Ah! woe be to you for the (false) things ye ascribe (to Us).
To Him belong all (creatures) in the heavens and on earth: Even those who are in His (very) Presence are not too proud to serve Him, nor are they (ever) weary (of His service):
They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit.
Or have they taken (for worship) gods from the earth who can raise (the dead)?
If there were, in the heavens and the earth, other gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both! but glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above what they attribute to Him!
Al-Qur’an, 021.016-022 (Al-Anbiya [The Prophets])
Glory to Allah! (He is free) from the things they ascribe (to Him)!
Not (so do) the Servants of Allah, sincere and devoted.
For, verily, neither ye nor those ye worship-
Can lead (any) into temptation concerning Allah,
Except such as are (themselves) going to the blazing Fire!
(Those ranged in ranks say): “Not one of us but has a place appointed;
“And we are verily ranged in ranks (for service);
“And we are verily those who declare (Allah’s) glory!”
Al-Qur’an, 037.159-166 (As-Saaffat [Those who set the Ranks, Drawn Up in Ranks])
Texts Copied from DivineIslam’s Qur’an Viewer software v2.9
Khalid Shah, 50, is an American Muslim who came to the U.S. 32 years ago. He and his wife have lived in the St. Louis area since 1990, and have been active in a variety of interfaith activities as well as in the local Muslim communities. They have both spoken about Islam at a variety of houses of worship. After working as an engineer for most of his career, he is currently a small business owner. 
Now, why would I need anyone to tell me this? Isn’t it in my self interest to want to sleep at night?
DW: Justification is by faith ALONE. Any good works I perform, I perform as a result of or in response to that act of grace. My good works avail me NOTHING without faith.
EJ,
That is very powerfully said, and I have read much of what you have written.
You need no one to tell you this. You have created it for yourself, and declared it to the world.
You also need no reason for doing so, such as sleeping at night.
Who you choose to be is free of reason, as it is free of the influence of others.
Why is it written in the Bible and why do people share in it? It is the same purpose we are here for God. We can not experience ourselves. It is through others that we exist as beings. Without others it is only existence.
God had this, and it was not enough for God. We are the more.
Your friends will hear what you have declared for yourself, and they will be that for you.
To reinforce hs comment on consequences and EJ’s on need.
We do not need sin either. God has created a world of integrity. God has provided all that we need. The consequences are the impact of our choices.
It is our choice to declare this sin, and make it right and work. In doing so we disappear what it is that may inspire us.
God did not create a space for sin.
God created space. We create sin in it.
If we are so inspired, the possibility to “be” like God is available to us.
To return to this state of grace, we must first give up that knowing sin will provide this for us.
Kahlid,
In Christianity, creation is soley for God’s amusement. This is widely accepted doctrine - in fact I have never heard of another explanation of why God created. Another said if very well with:
“We are not an arbitrary musing of God, but a powerful manifestation of God’s desire created in God’s image at God’s will. God loves us, and longs for us.”
He doesn’t need us. He desires us. He loves us like a father loves children. The children aren’t necessary for the father in order for him to exist, and he didn’t have kids just so they’d run around loving him because he’s just that vain. He wanted to love us, and for us to love him.
hs,
You hit the nail on the head. Christianity is unique. We cannot buy our salvation with trying to do good. That very fact in light of the discussion of good and the problem of evil lends credibility to the truth of christianity. It makes much more sense than trying to balance uncountable sins with meager “good” - especially considering who the judge of good is and what his standards are. Also good discussion on Paul. I think the fact that he never met Jesus is a stumbling block, and i think there is a misconception of his message being divergent from Jesus’. I think the fact that he was so prolific as a writer and apostle and church planter, and that he was accepted by the other apostles that had met Jesus, and that there is no account of them turning on Paul all adds up to give him credibility.
More to the topic…If sin is that which is not “in line” with God, then it is necessary that the potential for sin to exist in order to have free will. I think we were given free will in order to be able to truly please God. The angels appearently don’t have the same type of freedom (to some degree) and they praise God constantly. He didn’t want more of that, so he gave us the ability to choose him or not = potential for sin. The benefit of sin is then the opportunity to choose God. The opportunity to find Him for ourselves and understand the love that comes from choosing for ourselves.
hs,
Scripture shows us and teaches us that one’s faith without good works avail you nothing also. Scripture also teaches and shows us that it is impossible for one to have faith apart from good works. One can have good works but have no faith. This is what I was attempting to get across when I stated both were equally important.
hs,
I see people everyday who take that justification by faith truth so out of context everyday where they have brain washed themselves that they have so much faith but where their behavior shows otherwise.
You could never convince some on the Conservative Right that they have little faith.
There are many who say with their mouths that they have great faith but from what we witness in the Churches we can see very little faith. Faith not only expresses itself in good works by believers but also it is expressed by obedience to God’s Word commandments and all the teachings in Scripture for a Christian, even when we struggle with obedience faith expresses itself by being in agreement with all God’s commandments and the teachings in Scripture, that is for a Christian, I am speaking about here.
Mikew,
Well said.
I would consider one point, and it is the crux of this post.
Is sin necessary for choice to be present, even as a consequence? I say no. The are distinct and not dependent.
God has made “all” available. Everything is possible, nothing left undone. In that, for God to be complete, is the knowledge of right and wrong. It can not be denied.
If God had not provided this along with all else, “all” would be incomplete.
What God did for us, in God’s love, was to provide us a world in which this knowledge is unnecessary. A garden free of sin and the knowledge of right and wrong that invokes it.
God went further, God warned us and said to us, here it is, do not partake of it.
We disobeyed. Nothing more.
Choice was there before this knowledge was taken on by us, and it is there after.
Sin is sin. We wanted it for ourselves thinking, in our falibility, that it was something God was keeping from us. God was, and again, in our falibility, we did not trust God’s love for us, and believed God was keeping it for God’s self. God was, in love, not selfishness.
Maybe, sin exists as part of everything being complete. In that each and everything is present, then so is sin present for everything to be complete.
Maybe, it has no special meaning or significance beyond this for God.
We are free to choose and glorify God with it or without it. It is not necessary for this. It exists so the “all” is complete. Nothing more.
We can not manage it to the glory of God. We are not God. Nothing more.
In truth, we may give it up. Give it back to God. Clean it up.
Jesus is here to forgive us for all that it has burdened us with, and he says again, “Do not judge.”
I will use the analogy of a Sudoku puzzle, something I recently learn’t and quite enjoy doing (confession!). At the start of the puzzle only a small amount of the total 81 numbers are there. But there is only one possible solution. The design dictates that. All that exists in this reality exists because it is part of the design of the Creator. There is no way to get around this. If God had not thought of there being sin in this reality the design would have left it out; and God thought of EVERYTHING.
I didn’t want to go over this because we had covered the issue of faith and works previously especially referring to the Book of James. Wether faith alone is cause for salvation, faith and works still go hand in hand. One reflects the other. To say that works are not needed is to say works need not reflect the faith (I know that is not what you mean’t hs but that is the only conclusion). Because we have faith and we do do works; either they reflect each other of they don’t and when they don’t looking at our works is what shows are real faith. So you can start with faith and get to works or start with works and get to faith, both are needed, as so eloquently said in the Book of James.
God speaks directly. God is authentic. Nothing is hidden from view, as in thought.
There is no reference in the Bible that God thinks before God speaks.
We think, we do this. We are fallible, and inauthentic.
God is beyond reason and understanding, not “our” reason and understanding, but all reason and understanding.