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The majority of Americans — 87 percent — believe in the concept of sin, according to a new study by Ellison Research. Sin was defined as “something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective.”

The study, conducted in August, asked more than 1,000 adults to decide whether 30 behaviors were sinful. Adultery was most often described as sinful behavior (81 percent), followed by racism (74 percent), and drug use (65 percent).

“It's encouraging to know that in this day of moral relativism, that a majority of Americans still recognize and believe that there is such a thing as sin,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

Other behaviors considered sinful by a significant portion of Americans included abortion; homosexual activity; pornography; gossip; swearing; and sex before marriage.

Predictably, 94 percent of Americans who regularly attend church believe in sin. Yet, 80 percent of those who do not attend church also believe in sin.

Pastor John Barner, manager of pastoral care at Focus on the Family, said the study verifies that people are struggling with their behaviors.

“It is good to see that the research is confirming that humans are created with a sense of conscience, which implies that we are made in the image of God, with a sense of right and wrong,” he said.

Barner said he is disturbed that among Christians, people don't always look to the Scriptures for their standards of right and wrong.

“The message of Holy Week and the Easter season,” he said, “is that God was so concerned about the sin problem among humans that He sent His Son into the world to take the punishment for those behaviors and attitudes.

"Our belief in what He did for us at the Cross and in the Resurrection, that belief and our gratitude for His gift of eternal life, should then motivate us to live in such a way as to avoid as many of these sinful behaviors as possible.”