“Without Me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5
“I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” —John 14:6
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…” —Jeremiah 17:9
Read Paul’s description of sin’s downward spiral in Romans 1:18-32.
Behold the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the earth a desolation. —Isaiah 13:9
“You have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.” —Judges 10:13,14
…He does not afflict from His heart… —Lamentations 3:33
…they will eat the fruit of their ways… —Proverbs 1:31
SIN’S DOWNWARD SPIRAL
Reject God Create god substitutes Act wickedly Hate God Encourage others to hate God
Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” —Psalm 2:1-3
SIN – The deeply rooted tendency to live with self as the center of our lives rather than God
“Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” —Luke 6:45; Matthew 15:19
FOR ONE WEEK DON’T
• Gossip
• Say anything bad about anybody
• Complain
• Criticize
• Boast
• Blame
• Defend yourself
• Decieve anyone
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Book
American Marxism by Mark R. Levin
Videos & More
GraceSTL.org/resources/
weekend-resources/
Surrendering the Secret
Wed. Sept 15–Nov 3, 5:30–7 pm
Info: Janice 314-614-6372
Women’s Health Care
Post-abortion Counseling
Free & confidential
thrivestlouis.org
Discussion Questions
1. God is repeatedly called “holy.” What does that mean? Why can’t a holy and loving God look the other way and forgive ALL sin?
2. Read 1 Peter 4:3,4. Why do you think people will bad-mouth you when you take a pass on their sinful behavior?
3. Describe a few ways in which our culture has convinced people that sin is good.