4. When we consider all of the Biblical evidence, how are we to fully define "sin"?

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1 We will examine the nature of sin in general and in terms of specific thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. We will consider the challenges such sins present in our lives and how we are often lured into sin by deceitful schemes. Lesson #1: The Nature and Consequences of Sin Lesson #2: Sins Involving the Passions: Sexual Sins Lesson #3: Sins Involving the Passions: Other Lusts Lesson #4: Idolatry Lesson #5: Sins Within Relationships: Thoughts and Feelings Lesson #6: Sins Within Relationships: Behaviors Lesson #7: Other Means of Sin We will likely spend approximately two weeks per lesson. In each lesson we will discuss what the Scriptures teach about the particular subject at hand, and then we will explore the challenges posed by sin, the deception of sin, and how to avoid sin. I hope you find the class encouraging and beneficial in your faith. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please contact me at evangelist@venicechurchofchrist.org or call me at Ethan R. Longhenry 1. According to Romans 12:9, what should our disposition be toward evil?

2 2. Parabasis is a Greek word often translated as "transgression," and found in Romans 2:23, Hebrews 2:2, and Hebrews 9:15. Describe how sin is as transgression based on these and other Bible verses. 3. Rebellion against God is a concept seen clearly in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 31:27, 1 Samuel 15:23, and Proverbs 17:11 and in the New Testament in Romans 8:5-8. Describe how sin is as rebellion based on these and other Bible verses. 4. Hamartia is the Greek word translated as "sin" most frequently in the New Testament, as in John 8:34, Romans 3:9, and Romans 6:1-2 and many other passages. It literally means "missing the mark". Describe how sin is missing the mark based on these and other Bible verses. 5. According to Romans 8:18-25, what has happened to the creation that was not done willingly? What is the best explanation for what Paul is suggesting? 6. God intended to share in relationship with humanity according to Genesis 1:27, 2:18, 24, John 17:20-23, Romans 1: According to Isaiah 59:1-2, what has changed that relationship? 7. Romans 3:23 declares that "all" have sinned. What does that mean? 8. What does Romans 1:18-32 teach us about the nature of sin? 9. What is our ultimate fate if we maintain lives in sin? 10. If sin is so bad, why do people keep sinning? 1. On what Biblical basis can we say that sin is transgression? What does transgression mean? How does the idea of transgression help us better understand the nature of sin? 2. On what Biblical basis can we say that sin is rebellion? What does rebellion mean? How does the idea of rebellion help us better understand the nature of sin? 3. On what Biblical basis can we say that sin is missing the mark? What does it mean to miss the mark? How does the idea of missing the mark help us better understand the nature of sin? 4. When we consider all of the Biblical evidence, how are we to fully define "sin"? 5. When God made man, in what sort of relationship did God intend to share with humanity? What kind of relationship now exists between God and man? Why? 6. What relationship exists between sin and children? How can we know? 7. Most people recognize they have sinned. How do most such people envision their "sin problem"? What do they think they need to do in order to fix their sin problem? 8. How does the Bible characterize the depth of our sin problem? How should that witness inform how we view ourselves, our understandings, our feelings, our actions, etc.? 9. According to the Bible, can we fix our sin problem? How should this challenge inform how we view ourselves before God? Our fellow man?

3 10. In what ways do people attempt to justify or excuse their sin? What does this show us about the nature of sin? Can we see the same tendencies in ourselves? 11. What will happen to those who persist in sin? How are we to encourage such people to turn away from sin? 1. What do we mean by "the passions"? 2. Porneia is the Greek word found in Matthew 19:9, Galatians 5:19, etc., and is translated variously as "fornication," "immorality," or "sexual immorality." A porne is a prostitute (so in 1 Corinthians 6). What do "fornication," "immorality," and "sexual immorality" mean? 3. What is adultery? How and where does the Bible discuss and describe adultery? 4. What is homosexuality? How and where does the Bible discuss homosexual behavior? 5. Aselgeia is the Greek word found in Galatians 5:19 and Ephesians 4:19, translated as "lasciviousness" or "sensuality." What does "lasciviousness" mean? What does "sensuality" mean? How can we best make sense of what Paul is describing with this term? 6. Akatharsia is the Greek word found in Galatians 5:19 and Ephesians 4:21, translated as "uncleanness." How does "uncleanness" relate to sexual sin? 1. Who created the "passions"? What allows the "passions" to be either good or bad? 2. Should matters of sexual sin be discussed? If so, how? What challenges attend to any attempt to discuss sexual sin? What challenges exist when sexual sin is not discussed? 3. Why is sexual sin featured so prominently in sin lists and in discussions in Scripture? What were the major problems contextually? What are the major challenges today? 4. Should we be concerned regarding sexual sin in light of our culture's insistence that what is done by consenting adults should be of no concern to anyone else? 5. Defining and understanding the range of the Greek word porneia can be quite difficult. Based on the passages using the term in the New Testament, how can it best be defined? 6. Can it be said that sexual deviance dehumanizes, and if so, on what basis? 7. The Bible frequently associates adultery/sexually deviant behavior and idolatry. Why does this association "work" in Scripture? Why are adultery/sexually deviant behavior reckoned as terrible and abhorrent sins?

4 8. What are the major disconnects between how our modern culture views homosexuality and homosexual behavior from how those before us viewed them? Is a predisposition/inclination toward homosexuality automatically sinful? How are we to address both the issues and the arguments surrounding Christianity and homosexuality in the 21st century? How can we most effectively encourage those who struggle with this temptation? 8. The challenges of lust are evident from Matthew 5:28 and Galatians 5:19. Through what ways is lust engendered? Where does responsibility lay for lust: upon the one lusting or upon one acting or presenting themselves so as to engender lust? 9. Pornography has become a major difficulty in modern society. What makes pornography wrong? Does pornography fall within the realm of the Greek word porneia? How can we most effectively address the challenges of pornography and seek to encourage those who struggle with its temptation? 10. Speaking of sexual sin in terms of defilement has become the popular means by which many discuss the perils of sexual immorality. On what basis does it make sense to speak of sexual sin in terms of defilement? What are the pitfalls of speaking of sexual sin in terms of defilement? 11. How can we most effectively encourage and exhort one another in terms of sexual sins, both firmly condemning sexual sin while offering hope of reconciliation and restoration through repentance for those who have fallen into sexual sin? 1. What do we mean by "the passions"? 2. What is gluttony? Does the Bible have anything to say about it? 3. What is drunkenness? What does the Bible say about drunkenness? 4. Galatians 5:21 speaks of komos, frequently translated "revelry," "carousing", or "orgies." What do these terms mean? Why are they wrong? 1. What are the basic desires of life? Why do we have these desires? Are they automatically good or evil? 2. What temptations to sin exist in terms of eating food, drinking beverages, finding shelter, and obtaining goods? 3. How can gluttony be characterized as sinful? Is there a relationship between gluttony and obesity? 4. What is the difficulty with drunkenness according to Scripture? What problems did drunkenness pose in first century cultures? What is different about drinking and drunkenness today, if anything, and how does that relate to the challenges of drunkenness?

5 5. Why is revelry/carousing condemned in the New Testament? Do revelry and carousing relate to sexual immorality and drunkenness, and if so, how? 6. What difficulties are posed by consumerism and materialism as promoted in our culture? What is the purpose of work and life in a consumerist mindset? What is the Biblical purpose of work and life? 7. Why are people so easily tempted to over-indulge in regards to the basic needs and desires of life? How do people justify such over-indulgence? How should we be on guard against these temptations? 1. Consider some Old Testament passages like Judges 6:25-32, 1 Kings 16:30-33, 18:17-46, and Isaiah 44:9-20. How do we understand what idolatry was in Old Testament times based on these and other passages? 2. Consider other Old Testament passages like Exodus 32:1-6 and 1 Kings 12: What kind of idolatry was this? How is it the same, and how is it different, from the type of idolatry discussed in the previous question? 3. Consider New Testament passages like Acts 14:8-18, 19:23-34, and 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. How can we understand what idolatry was in New Testament times based on these passages? 4. What are the consequences of idolatry according to Romans 1:18-32? 5. Consider what Jesus says in Matthew 6:24 and what Paul says in Ephesians 5:3, 5 and Colossians 3:5. Did anyone ever bow down before a statue of Mammon? What does covetous and covetousness mean? 1. In the majority of the Old and New Testament, what does idolatry involve, and how is it practiced? 2. Do idols have any real spiritual existence? How can we know? 3. What is Paul attempting to explain in Romans 1:18-32 in context? How does Paul define idolatry in this passage? What can we gain from that definition? Why do the consequences described by Paul follow this idolatry? Can we see these consequences playing out in our own time and day? 4. How can it be said that covetousness is idolatry? Why is covetousness sinful? How are we tempted to be covetous today? 5. What "secular" idols do people serve today? How did they get deceived into serving them? How can we fulfill 1 John 5:21 in light of these dangers? 6. What was so pernicious about the threat the "golden calves" posed to the Israelites in terms of their relationship with YHWH?

6 7. What "spiritual" idols do people serve today? How did they get deceived into serving them? How can we fulfill 1 John 5:21 in light of these dangers? 1. Hatred is condemned in Romans 8:7, Galatians 5:20, James 4:4. What is hatred? How does it come about? 2. Thumos is condemned in Galatians 5:20, Ephesians 4:31, Colossians 3:8, often translated "wrath" or "outbursts of anger." What is wrath or outbursts of anger? How is it similar to and different than hatred? 3. Zelos and phthonos, "jealousy" and "envy," are condemned in Romans 1:29, 13:13, Galatians 5:20-21, James 3:13, 16, and 1 Peter 2:1. What is jealousy? What is envy? 4. Selfishness as eritheia, "selfish ambition," is spoken against in Romans 2:8, Galatians 5:20, Philippians 2:3. What is selfish ambition, and how does it relate to relationships? 1. Why do we humans seek relationships? What is necessary to develop proper relationships? How can relationships function in healthy ways? 2. How are hatred and anger related? What makes anger and hatred such pernicious sins? How do people justify nursing anger and hatred toward others? 3. How do hatred and anger impact and influence relationships? 4. What is "righteous indignation"? Based on James 1:20, what is the difficulty with "righteous indignation"? How can we avoid sinning in our opposition to that which is contrary to God's purposes? 5. The word for "jealousy," zelos, is the same word as for "zeal" (so John 2:17). Why would the same word be used for something positive as well as negative? What does this teach us about the nature of sin and righteousness? 6. How are jealousy and envy related to each other? How are they related to other sins? What makes jealousy and envy so pernicious? How do people justify maintaining jealousy and envy toward others? 7. How do jealousy and envy impact and influence relationships? 8. How does modern society view selfish ambition? Why is selfishness so pervasive? How do people justify selfishness? 9. How does selfishness / selfish ambition impact and influence relationships?

7 10. How can we maintain healthy relationships in a world full of these sins? How can we restore relationships damaged by these sins? 1. Slander, gossiping, and backbiting are condemned in 2 Corinthians 12:20 and 1 Peter 2:1. What is slander? What is gossip? What does it mean to backbite? 2. Lying, cheating, and deceit are condemned in 1 Corinthians 6:10-11, Revelation 21:8. What does it mean to lie, cheat, or deceive? What are some examples of these? 3. Eris, contention, and the related eritheria, strife, is condemned in Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 3:3, and Galatians 5:20. What are contentions? What is strife? 4. Paul condemns dichostasia and hairesis, divisions and sects, as works of the flesh in Galatians 5:20-21, and also in Romans 16:17, 1 Corinthians 3:3, 11:19, and 2 Peter 2:1. How do divisions take place? What are sects? What are parties (in this context)? How do they relate to strife? 5. Our English word heresy comes from Greek hairesis. What is the relationship between "heresy" and "sects/parties"? 1. Why do people slander, gossip, or backbite? Regarding whom do people like to have such discussions? How does such behavior harm relationships? 2. What temptations exist within the church to gossip? What temptations exist when disputing matters of faith with others to slander? When are we attempting to build up and encourage, and when have we crossed into slander or gossip? 3. Why do people lie, cheat, and deceive? What harm is done in relationships when people lie, cheat, and/or deceive? 4. What are "white lies"? Why do people tell them? How should we feel about them? 5. In light of Joshua 2:1-6/Hebrews 11:31, 1 Kings 22:19-23, are there times where lying/deception is justifiable? 6. How do contentions come about in relationships? How do they develop in larger groups? How do they lead to strife? What damage is done in relationships by contention and strife? 7. How do "divisions" and "sects" develop in personal relationships or "secular" groups? What damage is done when they develop? 8. The religious world is full of divisions and sectarianism. How has this taken place? What damage has been done by them?

8 9. Division and sectarianism are condemned as works of the flesh (Galatians 5:20-21), yet we are to stand firm in the Gospel and have no association with those who teach another gospel (Galatians 1:6-9, 2 John 1:6-9). What temptations exist in terms of establishing religious divisions and sects, and how are we to avoid them? How can we stand firm for the truth of the Gospel without being divisive or sectarian? 1. Consider the one-talent servant in Matthew 25: How did he sin? 2. Consider the Levite and the priest in Luke 10: How did they sin? 3. How does James define sin in James 4:17? Why are we tempted to sin by omission? How do we often justify sin by omission? 4. Why does Paul conclude the "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5:19-21 with "such like" or "things like these"? Does the Bible provide an exhaustive list of sins? How do we ascertain whether something is sinful or not? How have we been addressing "things like these" throughout the class? 5. What kinds of sins are committed in violation of or within Romans 14:1-15:3 and 1 Corinthians 8:1-13? How can something be sinful even if it isn't sinful? 6. Can someone sin in terms of the doctrines they teach? Can people sin in terms of the doctrines they believe? What dangers exist in justifying or condemning various doctrines? 7. In what other ways do people commit sin? Why would they do such things? How are we tempted to do them? How can we strive to avoid that temptation?