Unintentional Sin

 “If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity. He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him for the mistake that he made unintentionally, and he shall be forgiven.”

Leviticus 5:17‭-‬18 ESV

Although we’re quick to acknowledge that we’re far from perfect, and although we’ll readily admit that we are, indeed, sinful, we do all we can to deny our guilt. We do all that we can to excuse it. And we do all that we can to explain it away.

We do this in many ways. One place it is seen, however, is in the realm of unintentional sin. It is seen in the area of inadvertent sin. 

If a sin was committed without forethought, we do not feel that we are guilty. If a sin was not committed deliberately, we do not feel that we are at fault. If a sin was committed unknowingly, or if a sin was committed without malice, we do not feel culpable.

In that case, we expect to be let off the hook. In that case, we expect to be given the benefit of the doubt. In that case, we expect to be exempted from any type of punishment.

It’s clear, however, that society holds us guilty for unintentional sin. We can see this as we look at the crime of homicide. And we need look only at the class of homicide defined as manslaughter.

When a person is convicted of manslaughter, it’s acknowledged that he did not purposely take a life. It’s acknowledged that his crime was not premeditated. By means of carelessness, however, he is guilty of taking a life.

A person found guilty of such a crime is also sentenced. He receives the due punishment of his crime. And, although his punishment may be less severe than that of another, who is guilty of first or second degree murder, he is punished nonetheless.

This is true not only in the eyes of society. It’s true also in the eyes of God. Scripture is clear that an unintentional failure is sin. It’s clear that wrongdoing, committed without malice, is still sin. And Scripture is clear that any such wrongdoing makes us guilty in the eyes of God. 

And not only are we guilty. Any such sin makes us deserving of punishment. And for such a sin, atonement must be made.

We see this in the above passage. We are told that, if a sin is committed unknowingly, and our guilt becomes clear to us only after the fact, we bear iniquity. And, in the case of Old Testament Israel, a sacrifice had to be offered.

The same, you see, is also true of us. Even a sin committed unknowingly renders us guilty. We are held accountable for even a sin committed unintentionally. This, in no way, excuses or justifies our sin.

It is a sin that needs to be confessed. It is a sin of which we must repent. And it is a sin for which we must seek forgiveness.

The good news, however, is that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sin. He paid the penalty of the sins we commit both knowingly and unknowingly. Through Jesus, atonement for all of our sins has been made. And we receive his grace and mercy through faith in him.