Recalling Tolkien’s signification of the Ring as synonymous with sin, it can be seen that the act of using the Ring is synonymous with the act of sinning. Putting the Ring on is putting sin on. The effect of sin is to cause the sinner to fade from the good world of light and love that God has made, becoming invisible in this world while becoming more visible to “the eye of the Dark Power” that rules the sins and ultimately the sinner. As Gandalf will tell Frodo after the hobbit is almost killed by the Ringwraiths while wearing the Ring, “[Y]ou were in gravest peril while you wore the Ring, for
...more

