Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly? QUESTION #13 Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly?

Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly? QUESTION #13 Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly? ANSWER Since the fall, no mere human has been able to keep the law of God perfectly, but consistently breaks it in thought, word, and deed. SCRIPTURE Romans 3:10-12

”None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Romans 3:10-12

Did God create us unable to keep his law? QUESTION #14 Did God create us unable to keep his law?

Did God create us unable to keep his law? QUESTION #14 Did God create us unable to keep his law? ANSWER No, but because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, we are all born in sin and guilt, and unable to keep God’s law. SCRIPTURE 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 5:12

Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose? QUESTION #15 Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose?

Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose? QUESTION #15 Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose? ANSWER That we may know the holy nature of God, and the sinful nature of our hearts; and thus our need of a Savior. SCRIPTURE Romans 3:20

“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20

QUESTION #16 What is sin?

QUESTION #16 What is sin? ANSWER Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, not being or doing what he requires in his law. SCRIPTURE 1 John 3:4

”This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have love you ”This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have love you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” John 15:12-13

“Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?” Genesis 3:1

“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ’You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.” Genesis 3:2-3

“You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die." Genesis 2:17

“But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ ”So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:4-6

QUESTION #17 What is idolatry?

QUESTION #17 What is idolatry? ANSWER Idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the Creator for our hope and happiness, significance and security. SCRIPTURE Romans 1:21; 25

”For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened…They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator…” Romans 1:21; 25

”The reason why it’s so important to understand the sin of idolatry is that it can be growing in a part of your life for a long time and get very deep without it right away leading to clear, visible, and easily seen violations of God’s law.” -Tim Keller

“What is it to have a god. Or what is one’s god “What is it to have a god? Or what is one’s god? Answer: To whatever we look for any good thing and for refuge in every need, that is what is meant by “god”…To have a god means to have something on which one’s heart depends entirely.” Question and explore your own heart thoroughly, and you will find out if it embraces God alone or not. Do you have it in your heart to expect nothing but good things from God, especially when you are in trouble and in need? And does your heart in addition give up and forsake everything that is not God? Then you have the one true God. On the other hand, is your heart attached to and does it rely on something else, from which you hope to receive more good and more help than from God? And when things go wrong, do you, instead of fleeing to Him, flee from him? Then you have another god, a false god…” -Martin Luther

Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? QUESTION #18 Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished?

Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? QUESTION #18 Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? ANSWER No, God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them both in this life, and the life to come. SCRIPTURE Ephesians 5:5-6

”For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral, or impure, or who is covetous, (that is, an idolater) has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:5-6

“Anyone who does not love does not know god, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8