Of course, the Bible speaks both of sin and sins. Sins refer to trespasses, transgressions, and wrongdoings. For example, lying and stealing are sins. These sins are different from the sin that dwells in our flesh. Sins are deeds and activities, but sin is an evil element that dwells in our flesh.
The New Testament deals with the problem of sin by using both the word sin in the singular and the word sins in the plural. “Sin” refers to the indwelling sin, which came through Adam into mankind from Satan (Rom. 5:12). Sin is dealt with in the second section of Romans, 5:12 to 8:13 (with the exception of 7:5, where “sins” are mentioned). “Sins” refer to the sinful deeds, the fruits of the indwelling sin, which are dealt with in the first section of Romans, 1:18 to 5:11. However, the singular sin in 1 John 1:7 with the adjective “all” does not denote the indwelling sin, but denotes every single sin we have committed (v. 10), after we have been regenerated. Such sin defiles our purged conscience and needs to be cleansed away by the blood of the Lord in our fellowship with God.
Our sin, the indwelling sin in our nature (Rom. 7:17), has been taken care of by Christ as our sin offering (Lev. 4; Isa. 53:10; Rom. 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:26). Our sins, our trespasses, have been taken care of by Christ as our trespass offering (Lev. 5; Isa. 53:11; 1 Cor. 15:3; 1 Pet. 2:24; Heb. 9:28). After our regeneration we still need to take Christ as our sin offering, as indicated in 1 John 1:8, and as our trespass offering, as indicated in 1:9.
The Bible reveals that when the Lord Jesus was on the cross, He was made sin for us. Regarding this, 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “Him who did not know sin He made sin on our behalf, that we might become God’s righteousness in Him.” Because the Lord was made sin for us, He condemned sin through His death on the cross. Romans 8:3 says, “God sending His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” Here we see that through the crucifixion of Christ, sin was condemned. For this reason, John 1:29 speaks of Him as the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world, and Hebrews 9:26 says that Christ “has been manifested for the putting away of sin by His sacrifice.” This means that Christ offered Himself for sin. As we consider these four verses, we realize that the Lord Jesus died on the cross to deal with sin, the very sin that dwells within us. He became sin, He condemned sin, He took away sin, and He was an offering for sin. Christ as the offering for sin is typified by the sin offering in chapter four of Leviticus.
As we have pointed out, we have not only the problem of sin in our flesh, but also the problem of the many sins we have committed. We have done many wrong things. For example, instead of honoring our parents, we may have despised them. This is sinful. We all have committed many trespasses, transgressions, offenses, and wrongdoings. All these are sins. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross to deal with our sin, He also bore our sins. First Peter 2:24 says, “Who Himself carried up our sins in His body onto the tree.” This verse clearly indicates that Christ bore our sins. In 1 Corinthians 15:3 Paul declares, “Christ died for our sins.” Moreover, in Hebrews 9:28 we are told that Christ was “once offered to bear the sins of many.” By these verses we see that when the Lord was on the cross, He not only dealt with our sin, but also bore our sins. Therefore, He is both the sin offering and the trespass offering.
When we believed in the Lord Jesus, we received Him as our Redeemer. This implies that we received Him as our sin offering and trespass offering. Receiving the Lord Jesus as our Redeemer includes receiving Him as both the sin offering and the trespass offering. Often we say that the blood of Jesus cleanses us. This blood is the blood of the sin offering and of the trespass offering. In 1:7 John speaks of the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all sin. This is the blood of the Lord Jesus as both the sin offering and the trespass offering. Now that we have believed in Christ, we have Him as the Redeemer, the One who is our sin offering and trespass offering. Therefore, both sin and sins have been dealt with. We have been forgiven by God, and we have been washed, cleansed, by the Lord’s blood. As we have pointed out, the blood of Jesus is the blood of the sin offering and the trespass offering. We all have believed in Christ and accepted Him as our sin offering and trespass offering.