TOPIC 06 OF 47
Sin
Our broken relationship with God exposes our need for a Savior.
THE MAIN TRUTH
Adam and Eve severed their relationship with God and shattered his image in them.
Watch this topic
Infographic
Explore the biblical teaching about the fall and sin in this visual overview. Select the image to open it at full size.
The teaching
From the book · pages 16–18
Adam and Eve severed their relationship with God and shattered his image in them. They believed the Serpent’s lie, which tempted them to doubt God’s Word and his goodness and to become like God by choosing what is good and evil for themselves.
This turning away from God in unbelief is the essence of sin. This original sin and disobedience to God’s command brought his wrath and judgment on them and upon all humanity, for we were enslaved to sin by the evil powers of darkness. We are all born with original sin, which corrupts our whole being and makes us spiritually blind, dead, and enemies of God. As a result, we have self-centered desires that lead us to do what is sinful and evil in our thoughts, words, and actions, and our mortal bodies are subject to disease and death along with the entire creation.
At physical death, our soul (or spirit), endowed with immortality by God, is separated from the body and from God’s heavenly presence and enters eternal death unless God alone saves us. We are unable to restore our relationship with God by our own efforts or deeds.
Scripture foundations
All Scripture excerpts from this topic are presented below in the book’s order. Ellipses and bracketed explanations follow the manuscript. Select a reference to read the surrounding passage in the EHV.
Reading these passages together
The passages trace sin from distrust of God to disobedience, corruption, and death. They expose a condition we cannot repair by our own efforts and prepare us to hear the Gospel.
12 Scripture excerpt groups
SCRIPTURE 01
Genesis 2:17 ↗
“. . . you shall not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for on the day that you eat from it, you will certainly die.”
Book page 17
SCRIPTURE 02
Genesis 3:1,4-8 ↗
“[The Serpent] said to the woman, ‘Has God really said, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden?” . . . You certainly will not die. In fact, God knows that the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was appealing to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She gave some also to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. The eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked . . . and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”
Book page 17
SCRIPTURE 03
Romans 5:12 ↗
“So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned.”
Book page 17
SCRIPTURE 04
Psalm 51:5; John 3:6 ↗
“Certainly, I was guilty when I was born. I was sinful when my mother conceived me.” “Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh.”
Book page 17
SCRIPTURE 05
Ephesians 5:6 ↗
“…the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.”
Book page 17
SCRIPTURE 06
Ephesians 2:1-3 ↗
“You were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked when you followed the ways of this present world. You were following the ruler of the domain of the air, the spirit now at work in the people who disobey. Formerly, we all lived among them in the passions of our sinful flesh, as we carried out the desires of the sinful flesh and its thoughts. Like all the others, we were by nature objects of God’s wrath.”
Book page 18
SCRIPTURE 07
Romans 8:7-8 ↗
“For the mind-set of the sinful flesh is hostile to God, since it does not submit to God’s law, and in fact, it cannot. Those who are in the sinful flesh cannot please God.”
Book page 18
SCRIPTURE 08
Colossians 1:21 ↗
“At one time, you were alienated from God and hostile in your thinking as expressed through your evil deeds.”
Book page 18
SCRIPTURE 09
Romans 3:10, 23 ↗
“‘There is no one who is righteous, not even one’ . . . because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. . .”
Book page 18
SCRIPTURE 10
Psalm 5:4 ↗
“For you are not a God who takes pleasure in evil. With you the wicked cannot dwell.”
Book page 18
SCRIPTURE 12
Matthew 10:28 ↗
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear the one who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.”
Book page 18
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture passages are from the Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV), copyright 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission, as noted in the manuscript.
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
45-Minute Study Guide: Sin
A printable study that weaves the doctrinal statement together with all of its supporting Scripture passages, plus opening discussion, application questions, and prayers.
Download the Complete Bible Study (PDF)PERSONAL REFLECTION OR GROUP DISCUSSION
Reflect and pray
How does distrust of God lie beneath sinful thoughts and actions?
Why is sin more than a list of isolated mistakes?
How does an honest confession of sin prepare you to receive Christ’s forgiveness?
A prayer
Merciful Father, uncover the sin we excuse or hide. Lead us to confess it and find our help in Jesus, who alone rescues us from sin and death. Amen.