May2-8: Sin

Sin Is Rebellion

1. What do the following Bible passages reveal about the essence of sin? Gen. 3:1–7, Isa. 14:12–14, Rev. 12:7–9.

OBSERVATION:

• Gen. 3:1-7 – Sin is distrusting what God said. Sin or distrust brings shame.

• Isa. 14:12-14 – Sin is self-seeking and pride.

• Rev. 12:7-9 – Sin is rebellion. Sin is deceptive. Sin is the cause of all conflicts.

SOP:

• “There was nothing poisonous in the fruit itself, and the sin was not merely in yielding to appetite. It was distrust of God’s goodness, disbelief of His word, and rejection of His authority, that made our first parents transgressors, and that brought into the world a knowledge of evil. It was this that opened the door to every species of falsehood and error.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 25.

2. What is sin according to 1 John 3:4?

• 1John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

ANSWER:

• Sin is the transgression of the law.

• Transgress means to go beyond the bounds of an established principle.

• Transgression is an act of rebellion.

EXTRA NOTE: Observe the following verses on rebellion and transgression.

• Josh. 22:22 The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,) Josh. 22:23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD

• Psa. 5:10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.

• Ezek. 2:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

OBSERVATION:

• Distrust in the word of God can be interpreted as an act of rebellion.

3. Observe the following verses on “sin is”

• Gen. 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous

• John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

• Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

• 1John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might

Missing the Mark

1. What is sin according to Greek?

ANSWER:

• 266. hamartia, ham-ar-tee´-ah; from 264; a sin (properly abstract): — offence, sin(-ful).

• 264. hamartano, ham-ar-tan´-o; perhaps from 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of 3313; properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin: — for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.

2. What is the “mark” that we should not miss today?

• Phil. 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

ANSWER:

• The high calling of God in Christ Jesus

EXTRA NOTE:

• Heb. 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus

• 2Tim. 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 2Tim. 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

• High calling is in Christ Jesus. Heavenly calling is connected to High Priest of Christ Jesus. Holy calling is connected to the gift of immortality. Are they all connected?

3. What is omission?

ANSWER:

• Definition: something left out, not done, or neglected

4. Could someone be lost because the person neglects the gift of salvation?

• Heb. 2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; Heb. 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him

ANSWER:

• Yes

5. Observe Matt. 23:23 for a sin of omission.

• Matt. 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

OBSERVATION:

• It is easier to perform religious acts rather than showing mercy and kindness to someone who is in need. It is easier to keep the Sabbath from sundown to sundown but how often we neglect the Christian duty of mercy to the needed on that day.

• Luke 18:18-23 A rich young ruler kept the law by not doing many bad things but the question is what did he do to show the character of God? He missed the mark.

“Original” Sin

1. By Adam’s fall, what was passed onto all men?

• Rom. 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned

• 1Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

ANSWER:

• Death

2. Does that mean we are going to be punished for Adam’s sin? Is it possible that a son can be punished for the sins of his father?

• Ezek. 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son

ANSWER:

• No. The Bible says that the soul that committed sin, it shall die.

OBSERVATION:

• Ok, all will die because the sin of Adam but a son should not die for the sin of his father. How should we understand this?

CONCLUSION:

• Mortality has passed onto all men because the sin of Adam. (First death)

• But “soul” that committed sin, “it” shall die as a punishment. What shall die? The soul shall die as a punishment. (Second death)

• Matt. 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body (first death), but are not able to kill the soul (meaning first death is not the final death): but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (meaning this is the final destruction of both soul and body which is the second death).

• Therefore Adam gave of us the first death. As soon as we were born, we began to die.

• We will only die in the second death for our own sin and not because the sin of Adam.

• However just keep in mind that the first death could have been the eternal death if Jesus did not step in for our redemption.

3. Besides mortality, what else did we receive from Adam or our parents?

• Psa. 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

OBSERVATION:

• Observe the same text in Amplified Bible.

• Psa. 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in [a state of] iniquity; my mother was sinful who conceived me [and I too am sinful]

• All of us were born with sinful flesh (natural tendencies to do evil)

ANSWER:

• Sinful flesh

CONCLUSION:

• All humanity received mortality and sinful flesh (fallen human nature) at birth because the sin of Adam.

4. What is the condition of sinful flesh according to Romans 7:18?

• Rom. 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

ANSWER:

• Sinful flesh cannot “perform that which is good”

• Sinful flesh cannot overcome sin

CONCLUSION:

• Because of the sin of Adam, we became prisoners of sin and death.

5. How can we be freed from the bondage of sin and death?

• Rom. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

ANSWER:

• The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

DISCUSSION QUESTION:

• What is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus?

The Only Solution for the Sin Problem

1. What did God do in order to deliver those who are bondage to sin and death according to Roman 8:3?

• Rom. 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh

ANSWER:

• God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh

• Jesus condemned sin in His (sinful) flesh

2. Who can condemn sin according to John 8:1-11?

• John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

ANSWER:

• He that is without sin can condemn sin.

3. Did Jesus live without sin?

• Heb. 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

ANSWER:

• Yes

4. Jesus can condemn sin because He is without sin, which means He overcame sin. However how did Jesus perform that which was good in His human flesh? (Remember that sinful flesh cannot perform that which is good) Read Rom. 4:19-21 and see how Abraham was able to perform that which was good.

• Rom. 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

• Rom. 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

• Rom. 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

ANSWER:

• By faith, fully submitting to the promises of God.

CONCLUSION: The only solution for sin problem

• “God sending His own Son” – A Divine Being

• “In the likeness of sinful flesh” – Was made in the likeness of sinful flesh meaning He did not possess the ability to overcome sin as human

• “For sin” – For sin offering

• “Condemned sin in the flesh” – He offered Himself on the cross as sinless sacrifice because Jesus overcame sin by submitting Himself to the will of the Father.

• Therefore the death had no power over Jesus. 1Cor. 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1Cor. 15:56 The sting of death is sin

APPLICATION:

• “God sending His own Son” – We can be connected to the Father through Jesus

• “In the likeness of sinful flesh” – Jesus is our substitute and our example

• “For sin” – For our guilt and sin

• “Condemned sin in the flesh” – Jesus is our atonement

• If we by faith fully submit to the sacrifice and the promises of God then through Jesus the grave will not have power over us.

• Heb. 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; Heb. 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

• Heb. 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.