What is sin?

Today, I was listening to a sermon and it was about self-discipline. Well, I must say that it is a spiritual quality that I lack and badly need. We all need self control in our lives and discipline to live a worthy life.

I came across something that was mentioned about sin and I thought that it was something that made loads of sense. 'Sin is a violation of our relationship with God. It belittles the relationship with God.' So often, I sin because I don't see it as hurting my relationship with God. I have no motivation to do right because it has never crossed my mind that sinning breaks the relationship/fellowship that I have with my God.

I'll end with the story below by M. Scott Peck.

I spent much of my ninth summer on a bicycle. About a mile from our house the road went down a steep hill and turned sharply at the bottom. Coasting down the hill one morning, I felt my gathering speed to be ecstatic. To give up this ecstasy by applying brakes seemed an absurd self-punishment. So I resolved to simultaneously retain my speed and negotiate the corner. My ecstasy ended seconds later when I was propelled a dozen feet off the road into the woods. I was badly scratched and bleeding, and the front wheel of my new bike was twisted beyond use from its impact against a tree. I had been unwilling to suffer the pain of giving up my ecstatic speed in the interest of maintaining my balance around the corner. I learned, however, that the loss of balance is ultimately more painful than the giving up required to maintain balance. It is a lesson I have continually had to relearn. As must everyone, for as we negotiate the curves and corners of our lives, we must continually give up parts of ourselves.