There are plenty of places in the New Testament that speak of sin as a “principle” operating within us or as a specific violation of the law of God, but we cannot find any other support for the idea that there is a unique sin in each believer’s life that is somehow more powerful than other sins.

One of my pet peeves as a pastor, is the use of Christian jargon.  We sometimes use words or phrases, but are unable to define the terms!  In other words:  We don’t understand what we are saying!  The phrase “besetting sin” is a good example.  The phrase is from the translation of the Greek word: euperistatos translated as “beset” in the King James version:

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

A cursory read of the King James would lead you think that “the sin” in view (the one that “besets” you), is somehow in a different category.  In two of the most accurate English translations (the ESV and the NAS) however, the word “beset” is not used in Hebrews 12:1!  In these versions, the only time “beset” is used is found in Hebrews 5:2, but it is a translation of a different Greek word.

In popular Christian usage, the term “besetting sin” seems to have come to mean the “chief” or “really big” or “exceptionally powerful” sin that a person struggles with and just can’t quite seem to overcome.  This particular sin is thought to be in a “different” category, it exerts dominion over you in a different way than “other sins”.  This is erroneous!  The Greek word:  euperistatos means:

cleverly placing itself around, to exert tight control; hence easily entangling[i].

This word only occurs once in the New Testament – In Hebrews 12:1.  It is bad exegesis to develop theological understanding based on one verse.  Remember “scripture interprets scripture.”  There are plenty of places in the New Testament that speak of sin as a “principle” operating within us or as a specific violation of the law of God, but we cannot find any other support for the idea that there is a unique sin in each believer’s life that is somehow more powerful than other sins. In the text of Hebrews 12:1, euperistatos is a participle that describes sin.  Sin (generically) controls us tightly or obstructs or entangles us.  All sin “besets “ us.  To personify, we might say that sin “surrounds us on all sides with hostile intent, seeking to obstruct our growth in Christ.”  You may have a particular sin that you, because of your personality or unique fleshly desire, struggle with continuously, but you don’t have a sin that is somehow “uniquely different” or more powerful than other sins.  Sin is Sin.  Sin is “any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.[ii]

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