To understand the answer to this seemingly straightforward question, we must first understand the nature of sin. What is its core element that causes God to be so against it, and has such terrible consequences attached to it? Sin is primarily a selfish desire or action that disregards the effect it might have upon someone else. The sinner is the person, who for his or her own benefit or desire, cares nothing about the mental, physical, or spiritual pain and suffering he causes to another being. It is the thief, who steals the honest reward of another’s hard labor, and causes them struggle even more; it is the rapist, who brings a lifetime of mental pain upon his victim for a few minutes of his own pleasure; it is the murderer, who takes away the life of another to satisfy their own rage or some other passion; it is the spiritual leader, who lives a life of hypocrisy, who is void of any real spiritual life or understanding, but who leads others down the same path of destruction, just so they can be looked up to and admired. Sin is the antithesis of love. When we do something out of pure love, we unselfishly give, or do something for someone else’s benefit, without any ulterior motives of our own. Whereas sin selfishly takes from someone else, love unselfishly gives to someone else.

Prov 1:19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Matt 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Matt 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Luke 6:30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Rom 16:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

There are primarily four groups of beings that we sin against in every transgression of God’s law. The first and foremost is—that we sin against God. Now, some may recognize that certain sins may be directly against God, such as using His name in vain, breaking a vow we made to Him, or worshipping anything else but Him. However, how can we say that every sin is against God?  It is because, when we sin, our sin may be against others, but in doing so we also sin against God’s intended order, against His will, against His authority, against His purpose, and against His being. It is against His being because sin is to God what darkness is to light, what cold is to heat, what hate is to love, and what death is to life. Sin is the antithesis of everything that is God. Therefore, any sin is always against God. Sin is a direct rebellion against what He is and what His will is for us. God is the Sovereign Creator and Ruler over all His universe, and His laws are to be obeyed without question. Sin however, disregards God’s authority and His laws. Indeed, many of His subjects are so rebellious, that they deny that God even exists or has any authority in their lives.

Gen 39:9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

1 Sam 2:25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.

2Sam 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Deu 31:27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?

Isa 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

Joshua 23:16 When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

Psa 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

Luke 19:11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

Psa 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Psa 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

The second person we sin against is the object of our selfishness. It is the victim of our crime; the object of our selfish desire; those that suffer because of our cruel deeds. It may be the unknown person that we steal from; it may be our wife that we commit adultery against; it may be our own children that suffer because of our adultery, anger, alcohol abuse, or refusing to work. Sin always has a negative effect upon those that are directly impacted by what we do. We not only take a person’s material possessions when we steal, but we also take their sense of security and peace, we make them distrustful of anyone. Our adultery may impact the object of our passion and the children brought about by such a forbidden union, but it also robs our spouses of the love that should be reserved for them alone. It causes them to be untrusting and jealous—as the subtlety of sin’s effects bears its fruit in the marriage relationship. Innocent children are born fatherless, without the home and parents God intended for them. Children of divorced parents suffer all their lives with insecurity and inner rage, because they have been cheated from having both their father and mother.  Our sin causes us to be ill-tempered and quick to be angry against our spouses and children. Our homes, which should be a heaven on earth, become battlegrounds between husbands, wives, and children, because the effects of sin has replaced love.

Gen 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Gen 42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

1 Sam 19:4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to theeward very good:

1 Cor 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Our sin is not only against God and the persons who are directly affected by our transgressions, but it is against society as a whole. Sin’s consequences have a ripple effect that spread throughout a community, a nation, and the world. All of us pay the price of sin. It may be in monetary expense—as we pay for military defenses, police forces, courts, prisons, social agencies, welfare programs, and the host of other governmental agencies that exist merely for the purpose of protecting us and providing for those affected by sin; or it is in the crumbling of social values—as we all live in fear of crime, as brotherly love is eroded, and as trust and goodwill become bywords. As a society becomes more corrupt, and vile men become the heroes of the youth, sin becomes openly practiced, and we take pride in our wickedness, instead of feeling shame. The family structure is broken down, and with it the destruction of a nation is not far behind. Sin is a disease that will spread and affect everyone, everywhere; and there is no place to run or hide when it becomes the dominant force behind the lifestyle of a people.

1 Sam 2:24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD's people to transgress.

Psa 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Psa 12:8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

Isa 3:8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

The last person that sin is against is the sinner himself. Those that sin against others cannot escape the damming effect that it will have upon themselves. It not only destroys other people’s lives, happiness, and well being, but it destroys the soul of the one who sins. Sin is like a cancer that eats away at our bodies, and displaces the organs and tissues that are necessary for life. Even so, sin will destroy everything good in a person’s life; it will take the place of, and destroy any feelings of love, happiness, contentment, peace, or well being. It will destroy all our relationships—with God, with family, and with those around us. Wicked people have no true friends upon which they can confide in and trust. No man is an island in this world, we all need other people; but sin separates us from the love and care of others, leaving us alone in the inner sanctum of our tormented soul. Those that practice sin come under the power of it. Sin is not a servant of man, but a master; it is the force that will take control of our lives, once we give in to its desires. There are many who are habitually addicted to their sins, whether it be the stigmatized drug addicts, alcoholics, gambling, or pornography addicts; or the more acceptable shopping, food, television, or thrill seeking multitudes that have their own addictions. We have compulsive thieves, rapists, and liars, as well as compulsive shoppers, gluttons, and gossipers. Furthermore, as sin destroys the soul, its damning effects upon the body are not far behind. There is the direct result of sin—such as venereal disease, or damage to the liver and other organs because of alcohol or drug abuse; but sin also destroys our will to live, as it causes mental torment and despair. We no longer put forth the struggle to survive, to take care of our bodies, to get the proper nutrition, sleep, and medical attention. Those that sin are hasting to their own grave; and even after death they will not escape its destructiveness.

Num 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Jer 5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Pro 1:18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

Pro 13:21 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.

Pro 6:32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

1Cor 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that commiteth fornication sinneth against his own body.

Pro 7:22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

Pro 28:17 A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

1 Tim 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.