Lesson 2:  The Christian and Sin

 

1.  Into our history: Ice Breaker

 

Leaders Notes[1]

 

Suggested Ice Breakers

 

·         Give an example of a time when you got caught doing something you shouldn’t have been doing?

·         What’s the stupidest sin you’ve committed?

 

2.  Into the Bible

 

a.  Adam and Eve’s first Sin:  Read Genesis 3:1-19

 

b.  Discussion:

1. What happened in the story?

2. What was the significance of the “apple?”

           

·         Apples (or whatever fruit God spoke concerning) are not intrinsically evil.

·         The “apple” provided an occasion to test the fidelity of Adam and Eve.

 

3. What is the definition of Sin?

 

“Sin is any lack of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the…creature.”

 

                                                            -  Westminster Confession

                       

4. What were some of the consequences of the sin?

 

·         Spiritual Death

·         Physical Death

·         Banishment from paradise

·         A life of burden and toil

·         The disposition to run from God

 

 

5. In light of what happened in the garden, how do you think God views sin (Psalm 5:4-6, Psalm 11:5, Habakkuk 1:13)?

 

6. Is it true that God hates the sin but not the sinner (cf. Psalm 5:4-6)?

 

·         God is said to both hate the sin and the sinner

 

7. In view of how God views the sin and the sinner, what steps did God make to temporally mend the relationship?

·         He sacrificed an innocent animal to cover their shame (Gen 3:21).

·         How might the seriousness of sin have hit home when Adam and Eve witnessed death for the first time in the slaughtering of the animal by God.

·         How does this foreshadow the great sacrifice that God made for the world?

 

3.  Into Our Lives

 

    1. What should our attitude towards sin be (1 Corinthians 6:18)?  Flee!
    2. What should we flee from?

      1.  Sins of the Heart (Internal Sin

·         Pride

·         Envy

·         Lust

·         Greed

*You can ask different members of the group to help

define quickly and give an example (not from

their own life) for each sin.

 

     2.  Sins of the Hands (External Sin)

·         Violence

·         Adultery

·         Cursing

·         Media Intake

*You can ask different members of the group to help define quickly and give an example (not from their own life) for each sin. (You may choose appropriate people to define these things and you may want to define adultery yourself)

*You should talk about the link between Internal Sin and External Sin (Matt. 5:21-22a and Matt. 5:27-28).

*Are external sins worse than internal sin?

 

            c. How do we flee from sin?

 

1.  Strike (as with an ax) at the Root:  We learned the cause of external sin is internal thoughts and desires.  Therefore if we want to change we must start on the inside (Matt. 5:21-22a and Matt. 5:27-28).

2.  Strike with the Spirit (Romans 8:13)

3.  Strike with the Word (Psalm 119:11; Matthew 4:1-11)

4.  Strike with Accountability (James 5:16) 

 

d.  Closing Prayer

 


[1] Goals:

1.      To begin to understand how sin is an abomination to God

2.      To understand the relationship between our internal thoughts and our external actions.

3.      To practice, in an introductory way, confessing sin to others. (James 5:16)

 

Props:

In this lesson each group member will be given an apple.  This apple is supposed to represent sin (like in the Adam and Eve story).  At any time during the group discussion, if a person identifies a sin in their life or in their past, they will simply take a bit of their apple to show that they have done something like what is being talked about.  This is the introductory act of confession.  No one should be forced to share what that sin was/is, but if they choose to they should be allowed.  If any verbal confession does happen this will add a very interesting aspect to the group that will be great but will take extra care in guiding.