Revealing Our Sinful Nature

Lent: Revealing Our Sinful Nature

1. Sin has _____________________ corrupted our human _____________.

Certainly, I was guilty when I was born. I was sinful when my mother conceived me. (Ps 51:5)

We are _____________ by our very _____________.

^26a God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, … ²⁷ God created the man in his own image. In the image of God he created him. Male and female he created them. (Ge 1:26a, 27)

They were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed. (Ge 2:25)

¹⁶ The Lord God gave a command to the man. He said, “You may freely eat from every tree in the garden, ¹⁷ but you shall not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for on the day that you eat from it, you will certainly die.” (Ge 2:16–17)

The man said, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” (Ge 3:12)

Adam lived 130 years, and he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his own image, and he named him Seth. (Ge 5:3)

Adam and Eve had been created in the image of God, but Seth was born in the image of his sinful parents. He inherited from them a sinful nature that made him guilty before God and also led him to sin against God.

²⁰ He continued, “What comes out of a man, that is what makes a man unclean. ²¹ In fact, from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual sins, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained immorality, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. ²³ All these evil things proceed from within and make a person unclean.” (Mk 7:20–23)

all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Ro 3:23)

the wages of sin is death (Ro 6:23a)

⁷ But no one can by any means redeem himself. He cannot give God a ransom for himself— ⁸ (Yes, the ransom for their souls is costly. Any payment would fall short.) (Ps 49:7–8)

2. Jesus ___________ us from ___________________.

I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel. (Ge 3:15)

I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who dishonors you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you. (Ge 12:3)

For to us a child is born. To us a son is given. The authority to rule will rest on his shoulders. He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Is 9:6)

but it was because of our rebellion that he was pierced. He was crushed for the guilt our sins deserved. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Is 53:5)

⁵ Listen, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, who will reign wisely as king and establish justice and righteousness on earth. ⁶ In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell securely. This is his name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness. (Je 23:5–6)

Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your King is coming to you. He is righteous and brings salvation. He is humble and is riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zec 9:9)

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son to be born of a woman, so that he would be born under the law, (Ga 4:4)

The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Lk 1:35)

So then, just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam) and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned. (Ro 5:12)

Points to Ponder

1. What is one thing that stood out for you from this week’s message?
2. How does Psalm 51:5 fit within the overall context of Psalm 51? Why do you think David includes this reflection in his prayer of repentance?
3. How do different Christian traditions interpret the doctrine of original sin?
4. How does Psalm 51:5 point us to the necessity of salvation in Christ?
5. When you experienced a deeper awareness of your own sinfulness, how did that impact your relationship with God?
6. How should knowing our sinful condition shape the way we pray and confess to God?
7. How does understanding our sinfulness help us grow in humility and dependence on God?
8. In what ways can we balance the reality of our sinfulness with the joy of God’s forgiveness and grace?

Homework: Psalm 51