A New Way to Be Human – Week 6
Humanity’s original design
Created as the pinnacle of God’s creation and made in His image to reflect His glory and live in fellowship with Him.
The world we see now is clearly not what God designed, so something has gone deeply wrong.
What went wrong: the problem of sin
Scripture teaches that the fundamental problem in the world is sinful humanity, not merely broken systems or circumstances.
Romans 3:23 – all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Where sin comes from
Sin does not originate with God; it begins with created beings choosing rebellion.
Satan falls through pride (Ezekiel 28:17) and leads humanity into deception.
In Genesis 3, the serpent questions God’s word and goodness; Adam and Eve embrace the lie and disobey.
Their sin fractures everything: relationship with God, self, others, creation, and work.
What sin is
The Bible uses a range of words (sin, transgression, iniquity, rebellion, perversion) to describe humanity’s failure to meet God’s standard.
Sin includes actions, thoughts, desires, and attitudes—anything that does not conform to God’s character or disrupts the peace (shalom) He intended.
1 John 3:4 – sin is lawlessness; it refuses God’s rightful authority.
Temptation vs. sin
Temptation itself is not sin; sin occurs when desire embraces temptation and acts on it.
James 1:13–15 – desire gives birth to sin, and sin brings forth death.
Why a right view of sin matters
Our understanding of sin shapes our understanding of salvation, humanity, spiritual growth, and ministry to others.
Minimizing sin leads to minimizing God’s grace; taking sin seriously magnifies Christ’s work.
We are called to recognize humanity’s universal need for Christ, uphold personal responsibility for sin, and proclaim the gospel with clarity and compassion.
Romans 5:12; Ezekiel 18:4, 20; Revelation 20:11-13
Because sin has shattered every part of human life, we must look to Christ as the only One who can truly restore what is broken and teach us how to live as God meant.
Genesis 3:7-19
Because every person bears the image of God, love all people, including those unlike you or opposed to you, with the dignity, mercy, and truth that reflect Christ Himself.
Genesis 1:26-27; Acts 17:26-27; James 2:1-9
Because every human life bears God’s image, we must honor, protect, and love all people with the same value, compassion, and dignity that God Himself gives.
Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 5:1-2; Titus 2:1-8
Honor God in both body and soul: care for your physical and spiritual life as one, unified whole redeemed by Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23; Genesis 2:7; Matthew 10:28
Because every person bears God’s image, treat every human life with dignity, and live each day reflecting the character of the One whose image you bear.
Genesis 1:26-28
