How does Leviticus 6:2 define "sinning unintentionally" against the Lord's commandments? Setting the Scene: Where Leviticus 6 Fits • Chapters 4–5 describe “unintentional” sins (Heb. shegagah) requiring a sin or guilt offering. • Chapter 6 narrows in on property-related wrongs. The offender’s acts are real, deliberate deeds, yet they are still placed in the “unintentional” category because they are not open, defiant rebellion; once acknowledged, they can be atoned for through the prescribed offering and restitution (cf. Numbers 15:27-29). Leviticus 6:2 “If someone sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD by deceiving his neighbor about a deposit or pledge, or about something stolen, or by extorting his neighbor,” What the Verse Counts as “Unintentional” Sin • “Sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD” – Any breach of a covenant command, even when directed at people, is first a trespass against God (Psalm 51:4). • “By deceiving his neighbor” – Dishonesty in personal dealings breaks God’s truth standard (Leviticus 19:11). • Three concrete examples define the category: 1. Mishandling a deposit or pledge entrusted to you (Exodus 22:7-13). 2. Possessing something stolen. 3. Extorting a neighbor—using pressure or power to take what is not yours. • Verse 3 (context) adds: – Finding lost property and lying about it. – Swearing falsely to cover the wrongdoing. Why These Actions Fall Under “Unintentional” • The offender may have minimized, rationalized, or tried to conceal the act; but he is not persisting in high-handed rebellion once confronted (contrast Numbers 15:30-31). • Leviticus treats any sin that one is willing to confess, make restitution for, and seek atonement over as “unintentional.” The decisive factor is a softened heart, not the initial presence or absence of conscious planning. Core Principles Illustrated • Sin is relationally vertical before it is horizontal—cheating a person is treachery against God. • God’s law protects community trust; property crimes rupture that trust and therefore require both restitution (Leviticus 6:4-5) and sacrifice (Leviticus 6:6-7). • Full restoration is key: return the item, add one-fifth, then bring the offering—showing that forgiveness and practical repair belong together (Luke 19:8; Ephesians 4:28). Takeaway for Today • Even “small” dishonesties—if we later feel convicted and repent—are within God’s provision for cleansing. • Genuine repentance moves beyond confession to concrete restitution wherever possible. • The ultimate fulfillment of the guilt offering is found in Christ, “who bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24), securing pardon for every believer who comes forward in humble acknowledgment of wrong (1 John 1:9). |
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