What Exactly Are Sins?

[Wyrd of Gawd]

The Hebrew word chattath and the Greek word hamartia both have a verb form which means literally to miss. At Judges 20:16 for example, the Benjamites would not miss their target when slinging stones. Sin simply means to miss the mark set by another. To sin against your boss, spouse, or government would be to fail to live up to their expectations, in as simple a thing as keeping an appointment, showing up for work on time or breaking the law. Adam sinned against Jehovah in that he failed to follow the instructions given.

That fits with a verse in Romans (I could look it up, but no one here would care anyway) which basically stated that we all (addressing Christians in particular since it was written to Christians in Rome) sin because we all fall short of God's plan for our lives.

If you have to follow someone else's plans for your life do you really have a life?  If they stop telling you what to do will you be able to think for yourself?  If God has a plan for everyone's life then he should have simply lived them himself and not bothered with people at all.