Theme verse for this series:

1 Peter 3:15-16 [NLT] Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. ¹⁶ But do this in a gentle and respectful way.

Truth #4: The Sin Problem

Adam and Eve were originally created good and upright, as God said in Genesis 1:26 [NLT], “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.” However, by choosing to disobey God’s command, they fell and thereby experienced not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.

Romans 5:12 [NLT] When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

Genesis 2:16-17 [NLT] But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

Genesis 3:6 [NLT] The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

What does it mean to be a human being?

Human beings are a special work of God’s creation.

Human beings were created in God’s image and likeness. (Genesis 1:26-27)

Image and likeness mean that there is something like God about us.

• We are not God, but we have certain characteristics that God possesses.
The natural image.

o Personality
o Selfhood

The moral image.

o The will
o Self-determination
o Conscience

Rightness or wrongness of our actions

Jesus is described as the visible image of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:15 )

Human beings are made in God’s image, but we are ultimately dependent upon God.

Psalm 8:4-5
Psalm 144:3-4

What is the nature of human beings?

Humans have a physical body.

• The physical body is the world-conscious aspect of our being. It is how we experience this world. (Genesis 1:31)
• The Bible encourages us to take command of our physical bodies and use them to honor God. (Romans 6:13)

Humans have a spirit and a soul.

• The soul and the spirit are intimately linked and difficult to separate. (Luke 1:46-47)
• The soul provides for self-consciousness and expresses the intellect, emotions, and will.
• Our spirit is that aspect of us that bears a relationship to the unseen spiritual world. (Titus 3:4-7 [NIV])

What is sin/evil?

Sin is more than just wrong actions or inactions.
The Bible describes sin as a power. (Romans 7:21-25)

Where did sin originate?

Sin originated when created beings freely chose to disobey God.

Jude 1:6
Isaiah 14:12-15

Because of God’s great love for us, He allows us to be free to choose to serve Him.

How did sin enter the world?

Satan decided to attempt to destroy God’s creation by infecting God’s image bearers with the fatal disease of sin.

You can read the whole story in Genesis chapter 3.

How did sin’s entry into the world affect it?

Creation is under a curse because of sin. (Genesis 3:14-19; Romans 5:12)

Human beings have been infected with a sin nature.

Ephesians 2:1-3

What are the consequences of sin?

Sin leads to death.

Physical death. (Genesis 3:19; Romans 8:10)

Spiritual death.

The Bible describes spiritual death as eternal separation from God. (Romans 6:23; Romans 7:18-24)

APPLICATIONS FOR TODAY:

1. Sin explains the evil in our world.

2. Sin is a spiritual power that dominates and enslaves all people.

3. Christians can be compassionate toward those not yet following Jesus.

4. The bad news is that we cannot overcome sin’s power on our own. The good news is that Jesus has broken the power of sin. God provided the solution to our desperate situation!

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