Follow along at: southsidepca.org/CE/index.html or What is sin? Where did sin come from? Do we inherit a sinful nature from Adam?

Sin disrupts everything. We don’t live the lives we were originally designed to live. We don’t live in the world we were originally designed to live in.

Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude or nature. Since God is eternally good in His character; all that He is conforms perfectly to His moral law.

Where is this moral law of God defined? The Bible, specifically, the Old Testament The Bible not only prohibits sinful actions, but sinful attitudes. Exodus 20:17, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:28

Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude or nature. This definition of sin emphasizes the seriousness of sin. Sin is directly opposite to all that is good in the character of God, and so accordingly, God hates sin. Sin contradicts God’s holiness, so He must hate it.

Sin is in complete contradiction to God. God Where Sin Comes From Sin is in complete contradiction to God. God cannot sin, and we should never blame God for sin or think that He bears responsibility for sin. God decided that He would allow moral creatures to willfully and voluntarily choose to sin.

Where Sin Comes From Is God the author of sin?

Where Sin Comes From How do we know that God is not the author of sin? It’s easy. We read His word. Deuteronomy 32:4 Genesis 18:25 Job 34:10 James 1:13

Where Sin Comes From Sin existed in Satan and the demons before the disobedience of Adam and Eve. It then entered the human world through their decisions. Genesis 2:17 (God’s command) Genesis 3:6 (Man’s decision) Neither God nor Satan forced Adam and Eve to eat from the tree; they did so willingly, and so, willingly sinned against God.

Where Sin Comes From As a result, Adam’s nature became sinful. Adam’s sin also caused us to inherit a sinful nature. Romans 5:12 Romans 7:18 Jeremiah 17:9 Psalm 51:5

Where Sin Comes From Although our inherited sinful nature does not mean that we are as bad as we could be, it does mean that we, like Adam after he sinned, are unable ON OUR OWN to do anything that pleases God. This is known as: Total Depravity From a human standpoint, we may be able to do things that seem to be good, to God, “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” (Isaiah 64:6)

The Gospel is this: “We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time, we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” (Tim Keller)

Where Sin Comes From Our disobedience can be made right through the obedience of another. Romans 5:19 Even if we don’t believe that we are guilty because of Adam’s sin, we have all broken God’s law and therefore must be made right with God.

Original Sin Romans 5:12 – “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. Romans 5:18-19 – “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of right- eousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one Man's obed- ience the many will be made righteous.”

Age of Accountability Some teach that Scripture speaks of an “age of accountability” before which young children are not held accountable for their sin, and thus are not counted as guilty before God. Psalm 51:5 Psalm 58:3

Age of Accountability What about infants who die before they are old enough to believe? If those infants are to be saved, it cannot be on their own merit, but it must be entirely on the basis of Christ’s redemptive work and the work of the Holy Spirit within them. 1 Timothy 2:5, John 3:3, Luke 1:15 We must affirm very clearly, that this is not the usual way for God to save people.

How Sin Affects Us All men stand guilty before God. 1 Kings 8:46 Psalm 14:3 Romans 3:23

How Sin Affects Us The penalty for sin is death. Romans 6:23 Genesis 2:16-17 However, just as God did not bring the penalty of death immediately upon Adam and Eve, neither does He bring the penalty of death immediately upon us. 1 Peter 2:4 Romans 8:1

How Sin Affects Us Therefore, when we sin as forgiven Christians, our legal standing before God is not affected. We are still forgiven. Even though all Christians still sin, they should not participate in long-term pattern of disobedience to God’s moral law, for “no one born of God makes a practice of sinning.” (1 John 3:9) When Christians sin, they should earnestly and quickly confess their sins to God. 1 John 1:9

Memory Verse 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.