It is rather difficult to say how one gets merit or sin? In order to escape sin,One should take to the path of spirituality.Knowingly or unknowingly,you commit sin.Consequently,you are suffering.You are unable to trace the root cause of your deeds.Cultivate sacred feelings.Server your fellow beings.Taking to this path amounts to devotion.Devotion does not mean performing worship and offering flowers to God.Worship amounts to good actions alone.One should have good thoughts within.One will not be redeemed if one undertakes good actions with bad intentions.For instance,if someone offers a donation of 10 lakh for a charitable cause,another person may come forward with a donation of 15 lakh only to attract the public attention.In reality,he may not give even 10 rupees.Such people are heroes at platform and zeroes in practice.There should be unity in thought,word and deed.That is what is meant by the "the proper study of mankind is man".This is true humanness.