Temptation and the Fall

In and 2 God gave Adam and Eve not only a perfect marriage and a perfect home, but also a beautiful and perfect relationship with himself. When we read this passage however, we discover that Adam and Eve still make a foolish choice that will ultimately destroy and undermine all the goodness God had designed them to enjoy.

a. Who is at fault for Adam and Eve sinning?

In spite of all the goodness God had given to Adam and Eve in and 2, they still chose to disobey God. Thus, even though they were tempted by the serpent it was still their own choice. The consequences were also their own fault. In reality, then, they earned the following separation from God.

b. What difference does it make determining whose fault the original disobedience is?

Humans from the very beginning chose to disobey God. God never “sends anyone to Hell” apart from their own earning of it. Evil and its consequences stem from human choice to rebel.

c. Who does God hold accountable for sin?

The sinners (a.k.a. - YOU and ME!)

Eve’s Deception

Have you ever been tempted?

How many times does it take you to be tempted for you to fall into sin?

This was likely not Eve’s first time being tempted by Satan to rebel; nevertheless, Eve fell into temptation.

Where did she go wrong?

The Results of the Fall and our Sin

How did

Read and

a. How was Mankind affected by Adam’s decision?

Death spread to Mankind

b. How was creation affected by Adam’s decision?

It was subjected to futility and groans

eagerly awaiting salvation from its slavery to corruption.

Read : The Reality of Universal Sinfulness

Look very closely at Paul’s words:

All

All – pantes (pantej) – ―every

2. Sinned – hemarton (hemarton) – ―to miss the mark‖ or ―do wrong

Sinned – hemarton (hemarton) – ―to miss the mark‖ or ―do wrong Fall Short – husterountai (usterountai) ―to be behind‖ or ―come short Glory of God – tes doxos theou (thj doxoj tou Qeou) what God intended humans to be and experience before we fell into sin.

3. Fall Short – husterountai (usterountai) ―to be behind‖ or ―come short

Sinned – hemarton (hemarton) – ―to miss the mark‖ or ―do wrong

Fall Short – husterountai (usterountai) ―to be behind‖ or ―come short

4. Glory of God – tes doxos theou (thj doxoj tou Qeou) what God intended humans to be and experience before we fell into sin.

Glory of God – tes doxos theou (thj doxoj tou Qeou) what God intended humans to be and experience before we fell into sin.

2. Read

When a person throws just one rock through a window, the whole window is shattered. Likewise, just one sin makes us guilty of the entire Law as James points out.

(Give evangelism examples here)

4. Read

Ask: What does this verse say to the ―good moral person who thinks they are not that bad?

Understanding the Horror of Being God’s Enemy: Positional Truths of Sinners (2:1-3)

1. Read

a. A Positional Truth is something that is true about one’s relationship with God because God declares it to be true. It is not dependent upon whether someone ―feels it to be true or whether or not that person believes it to be true. Its truthfulness rests in God and his declaration.

b. List out what this passage of Scripture tells us are the positional truths of every person’s relationship to God before we know Christ. That is, what is true of every one of us before we know Christ? (Preferably on a dry erase board with the group)

1. Verse 1:

2. Verse 2:

3. Verse 3:

c. What does our true position look like before God?

d.What is the positional truth about God’s character and how does that relate to our position before God?

Children of God’s Wrath

1. What does the Bible mean when it tells us that ―by nature we are ―children of wrath? ()

a. By Nature:

1. Not just by action, but positionally; in other words we are not sinners because we sin, but we commit sins because by our very nature we are sinners.

2. It also implies every human being is guilty both from what they inherited through Adam in original sin as well as who they are in their own right by personal sins

3. There is no excuse for anyone ever.

b. Children of Wrath

1. Read

a. What earns God’s wrath?

2. Read

a. What is a wage? Something a person earns. A just payment.

b. What is the wages of sin?

c. Read

1. What is God’s just payment toward sinners?

Conclusion

1. Too often we underestimate the level of our sin and God’s hatred of our sin. Take a few minutes of prayerful confession before God recognizing that our sin is worse than we think it is and that we are sorry for offending him so greatly.

2. Finish the group with a sober sense of sin but with a Final encouragement that anticipates next week’s study.