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The Human Condition
My Faith Story
The BIG QUESTION: Are you a bad person when you make poor
choices or break a rule?
Open the Bible
Read Genesis 3.
When you finish reading the chapter, go back to Genesis
3:5. Focus on these three phrases: "for God
knows"; "your eyes will be opened"; and "you will be like
God."
"For God knows": Only God can experience all
things; only God is immune to evil. You might think that God would have created
people to be more respectful of creation (and of God). Maybe God could have
hardwired humans to be more careful and gentle. After Adam and Eve's act of
disobedience, they were angry with each other; God knew that, and God was
disappointed with them both. With Adam and Eve, God gave us freedom—and the
games began.
"Your eyes will be opened": We are sinners. How
hard is that to swallow? We can't change that reality, no matter how many
friends we make or self-help books we read. Read Genesis 3:6–13 again. God
didn't tell Adam and Eve, "You're sinners. Hate yourselves." Instead,
God told them, "You're sinners. See yourselves." See that you are not
perfect and that you will never be God. After disobeying God, Adam and Eve saw
everything differently. They lost sight of themselves as beings created by God.
"You will be like God": The people that God
created disobeyed God. As a result, evil spread throughout the world. Not
accepting our limits is one way that we try to be like God, just as Adam and
Eve did. Our whole society has a problem with limits. We think we can eat
anything, buy anything, go anywhere, and do anything.
What is the basic Lutheran understanding of sin? The Lutheran Confessions define sin as the
inability to fear, love, and trust God.
Human beings turn away from God and in on themselves, seeking their own
will first and using the gifts of creation, including other people, to gratify
their own desires. It is God’s acting in
Christ that brings us to repentance and gives us renewed vision of ourselves
and our world. To test this
understanding of sin, use the story of Adam and Eve from Genesis 3 that you
just read and discussed.
Just as God has been active throughout the Bible, God
continues to be active today to help us overcome the effects of sin. While we
must deal with the consequences of sin, we also receive the blessings of being
people of God.
Open the Catechism
Student Book page 301–304: Read the petitions of the Lord's
Prayer. Consider the fifth
petition. There are two versions of
this petition that are used in the Lutheran church. One uses the word sin, and the other uses
trespass. What do you think…Is there any
difference between sin and trespass? If
so, what is the difference?
Student Book page 228: Read "How to Be Saved (By Grace
Through Faith and Not by Your Good Works)." There is some heavy, important
stuff in here. Think of it like this—there
is nothing you can do to make God love you any less, and there is nothing you
can do to make God love you anymore.
Focus on point 5. Many people find it hard to imagine
themselves as unique individuals, often preferring to just be one of the crowd.
Even with all our shortcomings and failings, God still thinks we are special.
Each one of us is claimed as God's own. It's personal between God and you. As
far as God is concerned, the relationship doesn't change even when we make poor
choices or break rules. When we feel lost, God always finds us and brings us
back.
Focus on point 7. The last sentence is a strong statement of
faith—we have all the grace we need. It is hard to believe, but we have nothing
to earn because Jesus has earned it all for us. Our world tells us to work hard in order to
succeed in life. That may be good advice
for some things, but when it comes to God’s saving grace, God has done all the
work for us.
Student Book page 280: Read "How to Tell the Difference
between Original Sin and Everyday Sin." What's the difference? Make two lists of sins—one that lists everyday
sins people commit and one that lists examples of original sin. How do we see
original sin in today's Bible story?
Quiz
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Ever since creation, as humans we have a history of . . .
a. fearing snakes.
b. rebellion.
c. baking apple pie.
d. living in gardens.
2. When rules are broken . . .
a. there is a price to be
paid.
b. lawyers just get us out
of it.
c. God's too busy to care.
d. it's not my fault.
3. Sin can be seen as any action that causes . . .
a. acid indigestion.
b. sibling rivalry
c. God to come looking for
us.
d. a breakdown of a
relationship.
4. When God sees us making poor choices, God . . .
a. looks for someone more
mature.
b. pretends to be blind.
c. does not leave us.
d. gets angry and punishes
us.
True or False Questions
5. Sin is not just what we do—it's whom we trust.
6. Sin is limited to certain cultures and certain tax brackets.
7. Our parents also deserve judgment and grace.
Answer in your own words
8. What is the basic Lutheran
understanding of sin?
9. What are some things you can
do make God love you a little more?
10. What are some things that
could make God love you a little less?
11. In the Lord’s Prayer, what
is the difference between saying trespass
and sin?
12. What’s the difference
between original sin and everyday sin?
