The Problem Every Person Faces
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your Word, which reveals truth and leads us to Christ. As we study today, help us understand what sin is, why it separates us from You, and why we need a Savior. Open our hearts to see our need for Your grace and mercy. Help us not only to learn these truths but also to respond in faith and gratitude for what Jesus has done for us.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
Primary Text
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Introduction
One of the most important questions every person must answer is: What is sin?
Many people think sin is merely making mistakes, breaking rules, or doing bad things. The Bible presents a much deeper reality. Sin is humanity’s greatest problem because it separates us from God and brings spiritual death.
Before we can understand salvation, we must first understand why we need to be saved.
The good news of the gospel only makes sense when we recognize the seriousness of sin and our inability to save ourselves.
What Is Sin?
The Bible uses several words to describe humanity’s condition before God.
Sin
The Greek word most commonly translated as sin is hamartia(ἁμαρτία).
The word literally means:
- To miss the mark
- To fail to reach the standard
- To fall short of God’s perfect righteousness