What is sin?

What exactly is sin?

Maybe I shouldn’t be leading studies if I can’t answer this basic question but I’m not sure I precisely know. I was thinking about it while holding Abby, and I’m not entirely sure why, but I was inspired to pray for her sins. I know forgiveness requires repentance, and that my prayers won’t directly bring about the forgiveness of Abby’s sins, but you know, it can’t hurt. Maybe I was inspired by Job, I dunno.

In any case, I just started thinking about it. I believe in original sin, and that no matter how cute Abby is, she was born with a sinful nature. But what does that mean? Does that mean that she has already sinned? If so, what does it mean to sin, since she seems barely capable of thought? Is conscious thought and intentionality even a prerequisite for sin?

Maybe it isn’t, right? Like, Jesus curses the fig tree for not producing fruit, and “rebukes” the wind and wave. Although that doesn’t mean that they sinned. I know that sin roughly means missing the mark, falling short of God’s holiness. But I guess I don’t perfectly understand what that practically means in terms of infants. Do they just have a sinful nature or have they already sinned? And if so, when?

What a cheerful entry. Geez.