Sin is humanity’s greatest problem, separating us from God and requiring His forgiveness. This study explores the spiritual condition of humanity, the consequences of sin, its various forms (commission and omission), and the biblical imperative to live righteously, including serving the poor as an expression of faith. Through Scripture, personal reflection, and practical application, we aim to understand sin’s impact and God’s solution.
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10
Humanity exists in one of two states before God: in darkness or in His
light. There is no middle ground—no "twilight zone."
Darkness: Characterized by being "not a people," without mercy, unforgiven, and separated from God.
God’s Light: Marked by being God’s chosen
people, recipients of His mercy, and forgiven through Christ.
Additional Scripture: John 8:12 - Jesus declares, “I am
the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.” This reinforces the binary nature of
spiritual states: following Christ brings light, while rejecting Him
leaves one in darkness.
| Darkness | God’s Light |
|---|---|
| Not a People | God's People |
| No Mercy | Received Mercy |
| (Unforgiven) | (Forgiven) |
Key Point: Being in God’s light is not merely intellectual enlightenment but a transformative spiritual condition. It reflects a restored relationship with God, made possible through His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9:“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…”).
Sin has profound effects, distancing us from God and impacting our eternal destiny.
Scripture: Isaiah 59:1-3
Sin creates a barrier between us and God, placing us in spiritual
darkness. Our guilt, symbolized by hands “stained with blood,” reflects
our responsibility for Christ’s death. God is not powerless—His arm is
not too short, nor His ear too dull (v. 1).
Illustration: Picture a wall separating a person from
God’s light due to sin. Ask: “Which side of the wall are you on? If you
died tonight, would you be saved?”
For those unsure, affirm their honest admission of being in darkness.
For those claiming to be right with God, gently challenge their assurance (e.g., “What makes you certain?”) or address unrepented sins later in a repentance study.
For those visibly entangled in sin, respond candidly: “I doubt
that very much,” and revisit Isaiah 59:1-3 to clarify.
Additional Scripture: Psalm 66:18 -“If I had cherished
sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” This underscores how
unaddressed sin hinders communion with God.
Additional Scripture: Romans 1:18-20 -“The wrath of
God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and
wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since
what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it
plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible
qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen,
being understood from what has been made, so that people are without
excuse.” This emphasizes that sin's separation stems from willful
suppression of evident truth about God, leaving humanity accountable and
without excuse for rejecting Him.
Scripture: Ezekiel 18:20
The soul who sins is accountable and faces condemnation. Guilt is
personal, not inherited, emphasizing individual responsibility.
Additional Scripture: Romans 3:19 -“The whole world
[is] accountable to God,” reinforcing that sin makes us guilty before a
holy God.
Scripture: Romans 7:7-13
Sin, exposed by God’s law, results in spiritual death—separation from
God’s life-giving presence.
Additional Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-2 -“You were dead
in your transgressions and sins,” highlighting the dire state of
unrepentant sinners.
Scripture: Romans 3:22-24
All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, His intended purpose for
humanity.
Analogy: Leaping across the Grand Canyon—no one, not
even the best, can reach the other side. Similarly, no one can achieve
salvation through personal effort.
Application: Ask, “What do you think sin is?” Common
answers include breaking God’s law (1 John 3:4) or failing to do what we
know is right (James 4:17). This introduces sin in a relatable
way.
Additional Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:20 -“There is no
one righteous, not even one,” affirming the universal nature of sin.
Scripture: Romans 6:23
The wages of sin is death, but God offers eternal life through Christ.
We must choose between these paths.
Additional Scripture: Revelation 21:8 - Lists sins like
cowardice, unbelief, and deceit, warning that such lead to the “second
death” in hell. This underscores the eternal stakes.
Additional Scripture: John 3:36 -“Whoever believes in
the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life,
for God’s wrath remains on them.” This clarifies the choice between life
and death.
When humanity rejects God, He gives them over to their sins as a form
of judgment, allowing sin to escalate and reveal its destructive power.
This progression is described in three stages, illustrating how sin
entrenches itself in the human heart and society.
Scripture: Romans 1:24 -“Therefore God gave them over
in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the
degrading of their bodies with one another.” This first giving over
responds to idolatry, leading to dishonoring the body through lusts
outside God's design (cross-reference: 1 Corinthians 6:16-19).
Scripture: Romans 1:26 -“Because of this, God gave
them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual
relations for unnatural ones.” This second stage involves degrading
passions, exemplified by homosexuality as against nature, with inherent
penalties like spiritual emptiness or disease.
Scripture: Romans 1:28 -“Furthermore, just as they did
not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them
over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.” The
final giving over results in an unapproved mind, unable to make sound
moral judgments, leading to a catalog of vices.
Illustration: Like a boat pushed downstream or the
prodigal son facing the pigsty (Luke 15:11-32), God's abandonment is
passive restraint withdrawal, not active causation (cross-reference:
Hosea 4:17; Psalm 81:12).
Application: Reflect on areas where sin may be
escalating in your life due to rejecting God's truth. Ask: "Have I
exchanged God's design for my desires?" This highlights sin's enslaving
nature and the need for repentance.
Sin manifests in two primary forms: sins of commission (actively doing wrong) and sins of omission (failing to do right).
Scripture: Galatians 5:19-21
The works of the flesh are evident and disqualify us from God’s kingdom.
Examples include:
Sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery
Idolatry, witchcraft
Hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy
Drunkenness, orgies, and similar acts
Application: Share personal examples of struggling with
these sins to foster openness. Ask: “Which of these sins have you
struggled with?” Tailor discussions to the individual’s context,
defining terms like “debauchery” (excessive indulgence) or “dissensions”
(causing division).
Question: How many sins disqualify us from
heaven? Answer: Just one, showing the seriousness of
even a single sin.
Optional Exercise: Invite the individual to privately
list their sins for reflection, sharing only if comfortable.
Scripture: Mark 7:21-22
Sin originates in the heart, influenced but not excused by upbringing or
environment. Discuss specific sins:
Sexual immorality (e.g., adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, pornography; see 1 Corinthians 6:9, 18; Matthew 5:28)
Greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander
Additional Scripture: Colossians 3:5-9 - Lists sins
like lust, greed, and anger, urging believers to “put to death” these
deeds.
Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-5
In the last days, people will prioritize self, money, and pleasure over
God, exhibiting traits like pride, abusiveness, and a “form of
godliness” without true faith.
Application: Ask, “What do you love most—God or worldly
pleasures?” This targets religious individuals who may appear godly but
lack genuine devotion.
Additional Scripture: 1 John 2:15-16 -“Do not love the
world or anything in the world… For everything in the world—the lust of
the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from
the Father but from the world.” This connects love for worldly things to
sin.
Scripture: Ephesians 5:3-7
Not even a hint of immorality, greed, or obscenity should exist among
believers. God’s wrath awaits those who persist in sin (v. 6).
Application: Discuss reactions to inappropriate
behavior (e.g., off-color jokes). Emphasize a radical break from worldly
patterns (v. 7).
Additional Scripture: Romans 1:21-23 -“For although
they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him,
but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the
glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human
being and birds and animals and reptiles.” This highlights idolatry as a
foundational sin of commission, where people exchange worship of the
Creator for created things, leading to further depravity and serving as
a root cause for many other sins.
Sin often involves deceptive "trades" away from God's truth, compounding depravity.
Exchange 1: Glory for Corruption (1:23): Trading God's glory for images of created things, leading to idolatry and loss of human dignity.
Exchange 2: Truth for Falsehood (1:25): Replacing God's truth with lies, worshipping creation over Creator, deadening the conscience.
Exchange 3: Natural for Unnatural
(1:26-27): Abandoning God-ordained relations for shameful
lusts, receiving due penalties.
Application: Examine your life for these exchanges,
such as prioritizing self over God. Use Scripture to resist temptation
and repent.
Additional Scripture: Romans 1:28-32 -“Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” This list expands on the consequences of rejecting God, illustrating a depraved mind filled with sins that compound wickedness, including approving evil in others, and reinforces that such acts lead to death.
| Category of Sin from Romans 1:28-32 | Examples | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Moral Depravity | Wickedness, evil, greed, depravity | Deliberate corruption, inordinate desire for more at others' expense, destitute of good qualities. |
| Relational Sins | Envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, boastful, disobey parents, no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy | Resentment at others' success, contention from ambition, misleading for advantage, secret malicious stories, open evil speech, treating others inferior, lacking natural affection or compassion. |
| Innovative Evil | Invent ways of doing evil | Creating new forms of wickedness. |
| Complicity | Approve of those who practice such things | Knowing judgment but endorsing sin. |
Scripture: James 4:17
Failing to do what we know is right is sin. Our conscience holds us
accountable.
Additional Scripture: Matthew 25:41-46 - Jesus condemns
those who neglect the needy, equating inaction with sin.
Scripture: James 2:8-11
Breaking one part of God’s law makes us guilty of all, as all sin is
disobedience to God.
Additional Scripture: Romans 3:10-12 -“There is no one
righteous, not even one… all have turned away.” This reinforces that any
sin renders us sinners before God.
Scriptures: Isaiah 5:11; Proverbs 23:29-35;
Galatians 5:21
Drunkenness, not drinking itself, is sinful. Alcohol is not inherently
evil but dangerous.
Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 8:9; Romans 14:21
Avoid causing others to stumble through alcohol use. For those
struggling, abstinence may be best.
Additional Scripture: 1 Peter 4:3-4 - Lists drunkenness
among pagan practices believers must abandon.
Scriptures: Titus 2:5, 7-8, 10
Live to make the gospel attractive, avoiding behaviors that misrepresent
faith.
Scripture: Ephesians 5:3
Avoid even the appearance of evil in places like discos or clubs.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:20
Drugs harm the body, God’s temple.
Scripture: Matthew 25:21; Proverbs 3:9
Gambling often exploits the vulnerable and reflects poor
stewardship.
Additional Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10 -“The love of
money is a root of all kinds of evil,” linking gambling’s greed to
sin.
Scriptures: Romans 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19; Luke 17:1-3a;
Titus 2:6-10; Romans 14:23; 1 Peter 2:12; Matthew 7:12; Philippians 2:4;
Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians
5:23; Ephesians 5:16; Matthew 25:21; Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7
Smoking enslaves, sets a poor example, harms the body, and wastes
resources. It’s a poor substitute for prayer in handling anxiety.
Additional Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31 -“Do all to
the glory of God,” challenging habits like smoking that dishonor
Him.
Old Testament Scriptures: Leviticus 19:31; 1 Samuel
28; 1 Chronicles 10:13; Isaiah 8:19
The occult is forbidden, as it seeks power apart from God.
New Testament Scriptures: Acts 19:19; Galatians 5:20; 2
Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 21:8
Witchcraft and sorcery are serious sins, leading to eternal
consequences.
Additional Scripture: Deuteronomy 18:10-12 - Lists
occult practices as “detestable” to God.
Scriptures: Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:3; Genesis 34;
Genesis 29; Matthew 5:28; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 18; Romans 1:26-27;
Leviticus 18:22; Genesis 19:1-11; Genesis 39:9; Habakkuk 2:15; Hebrews
13:4; Exodus 22:16; 2 Corinthians 12:21; 2 Peter 2:14; Leviticus 18;
Romans 6:19-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Revelation 2:21; Deuteronomy
22:20-22; Romans 13:14; 1 Timothy 5:2; Revelation 21:27; Job 31:1; 1
Corinthians 5:9-11; 2 Timothy 2:22; Revelation 22:15
Sexual sins—premarital sex, adultery, homosexuality, pornography,
masturbation—stem from lustful hearts and violate God’s design for
relationships.
Application: Discuss openly, addressing thought
patterns (e.g., lust during masturbation) and societal pressures.
Additional Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:2-3 - Marriage is
God’s context for sexual expression, protecting against immorality.
Scriptures: Proverbs 30:7-9; Ephesians 5:5; Luke
(over 30 verses)
Greed and materialism prioritize self over God, numbing us to others’
needs.
Recommended Reading: Rich Christians in an Age of
Hunger by R.J. Sider.
Additional Scriptures: Matthew 6:24 -“You cannot serve
both God and money”; 1 Timothy 6:17-18 - Wealthy believers must be
generous.
Scripture: Matthew 12:22-37
The unforgivable sin is a persistently hardened heart that rejects God’s
clear work (e.g., attributing Jesus’ miracles to Satan).
Additional Scripture: Hebrews 6:4-6 - Warns against
falling away after receiving enlightenment, illustrating the danger of
unrepentant rejection.
Scripture: Psalm 51:5
This verse is figurative, not literal, as shown by Psalms 22:9, 58:3,
71:6. It does not teach inherited guilt.
Scripture: Romans 5:12
All sin and die because of Adam’s sin introducing death, but guilt is
personal, not inherited (Ezekiel 18:20). Christ’s sacrifice offers
potential salvation to all, contingent on faith.
Scripture: Matthew 18:3, 19:14
Jesus upholds children as models of faith, contradicting the idea of
their inherent guilt.
Additional Scripture: Deuteronomy 24:16 -“Parents are
not to be put to death for their children, nor children for their
parents,” reinforcing personal accountability.
Scriptures: John 9:31; Psalm 66:18; Matthew 7:7;
Acts 10:4; Hebrews 4:13
Sin hinders prayers, but God hears those seeking Him. Christians have
greater access to God than non-Christians, like sons versus
servants.
Additional Scripture: 1 Peter 3:12 -“The eyes of the
Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their
prayer.”
Scriptures: Matthew 18:15-18; Titus 3:10; Romans
16:17; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
Disfellowship addresses unrepentant serious sins (e.g., immorality,
greed) or divisiveness, following clear steps. Idleness warrants
warning, not disfellowship.
Additional Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 - Restoration
is the goal of discipline, urging love and forgiveness
post-repentance.
Just as disciples are called to share the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20), we are commanded to serve the poor (Matthew 25:35-40). This dual mission reflects God’s heart for the whole person—spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Scripture: Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the weak and needy, as God cares deeply for them (Exodus 34:6;
Psalm 113:7-8).
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9
Jesus became poor to enrich us, modeling outreach to all social strata
without favoritism (James 2:1-13).
Scripture: Luke 10:29
The Good Samaritan parable redefines “neighbor” as anyone in need,
eliminating excuses for inaction.
Scripture: James 1:27
True religion cares for orphans, widows, and the oppressed.
Scripture: Galatians 2:10
Paul’s zeal for evangelism included remembering the poor.
Additional Scriptures:
Isaiah 58:6-7 - True fasting involves sharing with the hungry and sheltering the poor.
Acts 2:44-45 - Early Christians shared possessions, meeting each other’s needs.
Materialism and busyness often distance us from the poor. Serving
cannot be outsourced solely through donations (Matthew 15:3-6). Personal
involvement reflects Jesus’ example.
Additional Scripture: Luke 16:19-31 - The rich man’s
neglect of Lazarus led to eternal consequences, warning against
indifference.
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit prisoners, adopt children, or assist in disaster relief.
Invite the poor into your home, fast and pray for them, or
provide medical care.
Additional Scripture: Matthew 10:8 -“Freely you have
received; freely give.”
Does donating money replace personal involvement with the poor?
Do you agree that “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”?
When did you last interact with a disadvantaged person personally?
Are you ready to study biblical teachings on serving the poor (e.g., Luke, Acts, Proverbs)?
What lifestyle changes might you need to make?
Note: Some churches require members to serve the poor
actively, even if poor themselves. This reflects biblical priorities and
enhances the gospel’s appeal (Acts 2:44-45; Galatians 6:10). Study
Scripture, pray, and act on your convictions.
Sin separates us from God, but His forgiveness through Christ offers
restoration. Repentance, the first step to forgiveness, will be studied
next. Serving the poor is inseparable from discipleship, embodying the
gospel’s holistic message.
Homework: Review this study, read Psalm 51, and
continue through the Gospel of John. Reflect on personal sins and
opportunities to serve the needy.