The Nature of Sin

The new covenant is not primarily a waiving of the consequences of sin. It is, rather, the God-given opportunity to climb out of the pit, to release ourselves, through God's grace, from the chains of darkness.
God has commanded us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Putting our material needs first, and the Kingdom of God second, is sin. Through the Lord Jesus Christ we can make the seeking of the Kingdom of God and His righteousness the highest priority of our life. We can resist the lusts of our flesh. We can be delivered from self-centeredness and enter untroubled union with God.
There are three principles that govern eternal life: living by faith in God rather than by faith in what we can see and do; behaving according to the laws of righteousness and holiness; and abiding in oneness with Christ, not as a separate individual. To violate these principles is to sin.