What about sin? In the vast majority of Bible passages where the word sin appears, is an indication of spiritual or moral failure, either toward God or one's fellowman. It should be noted, however, that a common root of the verb "to sin," in both the Old and New Testaments, is "to miss, fail, or miss the mark." In that very wide context, most of humanity would appear to need freedom from some aspect of sin.
Orthodox theology usually considers man's sinfulness a direct result of Adam's sin of rebellion and classifies all of us as sinners at birth. Christian Science, along with many Old Testament scholars, understands the creation of Adam and Eve to be an allegory. There is no record or rationalization of sin in the opening chapter of the Bible, where man is described as created in God's likeness. This record of creation in Genesis declares that everything God made was good.
Later Scripture describes the oneness and allness of God—a God who is identified as ever-present Love and omnipotent Spirit, who knows nothing of evil or sin. Some of the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament spoke of the Messiah (or Christ) as yet to come. They said he would illustrate by words and works the total goodness of God and of man as His likeness.
