Two Sides to the Coin of Sin

Two Sides to the Coin of Sin

When most people talk about “sin,” they usually refer to the sin of commission—the wrong things we do. Lying, lusting, stealing, gossiping, acting in anger, choosing unrighteous behaviors, and so on. These are the visible sins, the ones that are easy to point out, easy to preach against, and easy to measure. Many believers focus heavily on this side of sin, often as a way to feel righteous, to appear spiritual, or even to try (wrongly) to earn salvation through behavior modification.

But Scripture teaches that though sin is a single condition it has a twofold nature. Think of it like a coin. There are two sides to every coin. Take a quarter for example. On one side there is a head and on the other side an eagle. For that quarter or any coin to be legal tender it must have both sides. So, it is with sin. Sin has two parts and both parts must be repented of.

1. The Sin of Commission — Doing What You Should Not Do
This is the side most people recognize. It involves violating the commands of God. These are sins that actively break His will.
People resist these sins because:
• They disrupt our lives.
• They make us feel guilty.
• They threaten our reputation.
• They can be measured and avoided with personal discipline.

But avoiding the sin of commission alone doesn’t make someone a faithful disciple of the Christ That is just one side of the coin of sin. It simply makes them moral or well-behaved. The Pharisees were experts at avoiding outward sin, yet Jesus condemned them as whitewashed tombs—clean outside, rotten inside.

2. The Sin of Omission — Not Doing What You Should Do
This is the side of the coin most people ignore.
The sin of omission refers to failing to carry out the good and righteous works God commands His people to do. These include:
• Evangelizing the lost
• Teaching those who need instruction
• Helping the hurting
• Giving sacrificially
• Visiting the sick, lonely, oppressed, and imprisoned
• Bearing others’ burdens
• Using your gifts for the Kingdom
• Actively making disciples
• Demonstrating the love, compassion, and mission of Christ

Most believers today do very little in these areas—and some do nothing at all. They avoid outward sins, but they never actually do the things God commands His followers to live out. Yet both sides are sin. And if a person has not repented of both, they are still living in sin.

John the Baptist’s Warning: “Show Fruits of Repentance”
John the Baptist didn’t say, “Claim repentance,” or “Attend synagogue more often,” or “Avoid a few bad habits.”

He said:
“Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.”
(Luke 3:8)

Meaning:
• Your repentance must produce visible change.
• Not just stopping sin, but starting obedience.
• Not just avoiding evil, but doing good.
Repentance is not merely turning away from sin—it is turning toward God and His mission.
Without fruit, repentance is not genuine.

Jesus’ Test: You Shall Know Them by Their Fruits
People claim that it is not possible to know if a person is saved or not. That is not what Jesus taught. You can know a true follower of Christ by their actions, their lifestyle, and their priorities.

Jesus taught:
“You will know them by their fruits.”
(Matthew 7:16)

Fruit is not just attending services, avoiding bad habits, or being a nice person. Fruit is the result of a transformed life. Fruit means both: What have you stopped doing and What have you started doing. Does your life demonstrate self-denial? Are you living for the Christs mission? Have you died to the world’s pattern and now live according to Scripture’s pattern? Is your life spent seeking and saving the lost—or is it centered on yourself?
Fruit is not measured by how polished your church attendance is—it is measured by how your life looks when compared to the Christs’ call.

The Comfortable Sins of Modern Religion
Many believers feel righteous because they:
• Go to church on Sunday
• Read their Bible occasionally
• Give an offering
• Attend a Bible study
• Avoid visible outward sins
• Try to be moral
These are good things. Every believer should do them.
But two truths must be said plainly:

1. That is the bare minimum.
Christ wants your whole life—not a weekly schedule.

He never asked for:
• One hour on Sunday
• A little offering
• Occasional Bible reading

He asked for:
• Your heart
• Your priorities
• Your time
• Your mission
• Your whole life

Going to church is good—
Reading Scripture is good—
Giving an offering is good—
Attending a class is good—

Those things strengthen you.
but those things must also be used to strengthen others and advances the Kingdom.

2. Most religious activities benefit YOU, not the Kingdom.
People do them to:
• Gain strength to fight the sin of commission
• Feel spiritually refreshed
• Feel close to God
• Stay encouraged

Those things matter—but they do not fulfill the Great Commission.
A believer can attend church for 30 years, read Scripture, give money, and still be living in sin if they never obey Christs call to evangelize, teach, help, serve, and disciple.

“You Ought to Be Teachers by Now.”

The writer of Hebrews said:
“By now you ought to be teachers…”
(Hebrews 5:12)

Meaning:
• Growth is expected
• Fruit is expected
• Spiritual reproduction is expected
• Maturity is expected
• Serving is expected

If a person has been a believer for years and has never taught anyone, converted anyone, discipled anyone, or served sacrificially—they are still stuck in the sin of omission.
They haven’t moved beyond the basics.

The Full Picture: Repentance Must Address Both Sides of Sin

True repentance means:
Stopping the things God forbids
(commission)
AND
Starting the things God commands
(omission)

If a person stops sinning outwardly but never obeys the mission of Christ, they have not repented of all sin. They have only repented of half of it. The goal of Christ is not simply to create “good people” who avoid trouble.

The goal is to create disciples whose lives are surrendered to His mission:
• Seeking the lost
• Teaching the Word
• Serving the hurting
• Bearing fruit
• Living fully for Him

Anything less is still sin.

Conclusion: The Call to Both Sides of Repentance
If sin is a coin, then commission and omission are its two sides. You cannot flip the coin over and only live by one side. That is not legal tender and not accepted by Christ. Jesus calls His followers to repentance that touches every part of life.

Not a repentance of appearance.
Not a repentance of selective obedience.
Not a repentance of convenience.
But a repentance that produces fruit.

A repentance that:
• Stops the old life
• Starts the new life
• Lives the mission
• Loves sacrificially
• Serves actively
• Shares the gospel boldly

Not some of your life.
Not part of your life.
Not one day a week.
All of it.