Arrow #1

Ready to pursue God? It all starts by personally trusting Jesus for salvation. Talk about the basic biblical concepts of sin, Jesus, and saving faith. These are Topics 4-6 in The Pursuit.

What Does the Bible Say about Sin?

Posted: January 4, 2025

According to the Bible, sin is any action, thought, or attitude that falls short of God’s perfect standard of holiness. While we often think of sin as just “doing bad things,” the Bible describes it as a deeper condition of the human heart—a rebellion against God’s authority and a failure to love Him and others as we should. Ultimately, sin is what separates us from God, but the good news is that Jesus Christ came to bridge that gap.

Defining  Sin

Sin is going your own way, trusting and acting on your own opinions and feelings instead of on God’s truth. The first series of the Bible illustrates this definition in the story of Adam and Eve, the first two humans. God created them and placed them in the Garden of Eden, generously giving them all of the trees to eat from – except the tree in the very middle of the garden. The tree “of the knowledge of good and evil” was off-limits. That’s where we pick up the story:

Genesis 3:1-6 (NLT) The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 

“Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

God gave Adam and Eve freedom in the garden, and there was plenty to choose from. But look at how the serpent twisted God’s words, trying to make him look stingy and controlling. And notice that the serpent ended with a bald-faced lie – and so the woman was convinced. Eve turned her back on the Creator and instead trusted the creature. 

At the end of the day, Adam and Eve were trusting their own opinions and feelings over God’s truth. They acted on their “truth” and went their own way, and sin entered the world. And the same basic story has been repeated throughout history ever since. 

Broken In Every Way

Sin is a practical problem, not just a theological one. Sin brings brokenness in every way, keeping us from experiencing the fullness of life that God wants for us. This doesn’t mean we’re all as bad as we possibly could be. But the infection runs deep in all of us, and there’s no getting around its devastating effects.

Think of our sin nature like a glass of lemonade: one drop of poison is enough to contaminate the whole batch. Sin is that poison, and it infects everything it touches: our thinking, our relationships, our physical health, our finances, and everything else.

Because of sin, we cannot keep the Greatest Commandments. Instead of loving God and others, we put ourselves first. This fundamental disordering of our lives has a domino effect, causing brokenness in every way: spiritually, relationally, and emotionally. Pauls spelled out what happens in his letter to Galatia: 

Galatians 5:19-21 (NLT) When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Far from a comprehensive list, Paul offers here a sampling of the fallout from sin. Notice the breadth of vices, from sexual immorality to simple envy. When it comes to sin, there’s something for everyone. This verse in Romans make it clear:

Romans 1:30 (NLT) They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.

Every generation seems to invent new ways of sinning. Much of what our parents considered to be “sin” is perfectly acceptable in today’s society. Where will the line be drawn for our children’s generation? 

Born Into Sin

So when, exactly, does this sin problem start for us? And does it affect everyone? The biblical teaching is clear: since the fall of Adam and Eve, we have all been born into sin. Every one of us has a sinful nature at birth, no exceptions. 

Romans 3:10-12 (NLT) As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”

Romans 3:23 (NLT) For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Think about two-year-olds. To one degree or another, they’re all born with a bent toward selfishness – and they never fully grow out of it! We all have a natural bias toward narcissism. We’re all born into sin. That’s why Jesus said this:

John 3:3 (NLT) Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

The problem of sin affects all of us from birth. The solution is to start over, to be “born again” to a new life in Christ. This language is meaningful. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “Your first birth doomed you to a life of sin. Your re-birth can undo the damage.” 

Jesus isn’t suggesting that you can change your sinful nature. He’s not asking you to stop sinning and start trying to be a better person. He’s saying that something has to happen to you, something beyond your control. That’s how birth works. You don’t earn it; somebody else does all of the work to make it happen. 

The Takeaway

Sin is the universal human problem of falling short of God’s perfect standard, resulting in a broken relationship with our Creator. It affects our thoughts, actions, and very nature, creating a gap that we cannot bridge on our own efforts. However, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the penalty for sin is paid and the relationship is restored. Understanding what is sin allows us to fully appreciate the incredible grace and freedom offered to us through faith in Christ.

Discuss and Dive Deeper

Talk about it:

  1. Read “The Takeaway” above as a group. What are your initial thoughts about the article?
  2. On a scale of 1 (Mother Teresa) to 10 (Hitler), how bad of a “sinner” are you? How would someone else rate you?
  3. Why are feelings not the best barometer for good choices? How have some of your choices negatively impacted your life?
  4. Read Genesis 3:1-3. Why do you think the serpent started with a question?
  5. Read Galatians 5:19-21. Why do you think Paul takes the time to list out a bunch of sins? How have you and others justified some of these sins?
  6. Take an honest look at your own life and identify a few areas of brokenness that you need to address.

See also:

The Pursuit (Series)

What Does the Bible Say about Jesus?

Posted: January 5, 2025

Jesus is the most written about, fought over, and misunderstood person in history. But who was he, really? What does the Bible say? Peter’s sermon in Acts 10 – the first sermon preached specifically to non-Jews – shows us five teachings of the early church on who Jesus was and what he did to save us. 

Lord of All

The first teaching about Jesus starts with his identity. Was he just a prophet or priest, or was he something more? Peter answers:

Acts 10:36 (NLT) There is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 

Peter calls Jesus “Lord,” a reference to his divinity. Jesus is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity (John 1:1-4). Jesus himself taught this (John 8:58), and his followers believed it. Scripture affirms that Jesus is fully God, creator and sustainer of all things.   

Colossians 1:15,19-20 (NLT) Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation…. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself.

But why does this matter? Why is it important to believe that Jesus is fully God instead of just a good man? The answer is that Jesus could not offer us “peace with God” if he were merely human. Jesus is God, and his divinity qualifies him to be our savior.

But let’s not miss the last part of Acts 10:36. Jesus is Lord of “all,” not just Lord of the Israelites. God’s desire from the beginning was that all people would come to know him. That’s why Peter was preaching this sermon in the first place. God had sent him to the house of a Gentile, and this was the inauguration of a new kind of movement. Christianity would be a faith for both Jews and Gentiles, because Jesus is Lord of all. 

Perfectly Good

The next teaching fills us in on Christ’s activity while he was here on the earth. What kind of a person was he? How did he live?

Acts 10:38 (NLT) Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.

Jesus was a miracle worker unlike anything the world had ever seen. He cast out demons (Luke 4:40-41) and healed lepers (Luke 5:12-13). He miraculously fed thousands (Matthew 14:13-21), walked on water (Matthew 14:22-33), and even raised a dead guy to life (John 11:38-44).

On top of his miracles, Jesus “went around doing good.” This affirms what we learned about God earlier in this series. God is for you, not against you. He’s a good God, and Jesus proved it by his actions while he walked this earth.

But most important of all was what Jesus didn’t do: he never sinned. Jesus was perfect and sinless from start to finish. During his lifetime Jesus proved his power over sin and its consequences. Read his story for yourself and here’s what you’ll find: Jesus was fully God and fully man, living a sinless life and perfectly modeling the love of God. 

Again, why is this important? Consider this: if Jesus had been a sinner like the rest of us, then he would have had  to die for his own sins. But since he was sinless, he could go to the cross on our behalf. The sin-debt that he paid could be credited to our account, because Jesus didn’t owe on the debt. 

Crucified and Risen

So far we’ve learned that Jesus is fully God and perfectly sinless. That sets us up for the core teaching of the early church on the person and work of Jesus: he died and rose again. The power of faith in Jesus hinges on these two simple, historical facts. 

Acts 10:39-40 (NLT) They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day. 

Jesus was about thirty three years old when the Jews put him on trial and the Romans nailed him to the cross (Luke 23:44-46, 24:1-6). From the outside looking in, this was an epic tragedy. But it was God’s plan all along, even though nobody saw it coming (Isaiah 53:8-10).

And here’s the most important part: Jesus didn’t stay dead. He rose from the grave after three days, proving once and for all his power over sin and death. This is central to the Christian faith, because a dead savior would be no savior at all: 

1 Corinthians 15:14 (NLT) And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.

But how do we know that the resurrection isn’t just a myth? The simplest proof was the response of his closest followers. Though they abandoned Jesus in fear before the crucifixion, they sold out their lives to his message just three days later. Almost all of  Jesus’ first disciples died for their faith, because they firmly believed that Jesus was raised to life.

Judge of All

The fourth point of Peter’s sermon might come as a surprise to modern listeners. Up until now it has all been good news. But Peter adds a stern warning:

Acts 10:42 (NLT) Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. 

The Bible teaches that someday Jesus will judge you for every good and bad thing you’ve ever done. And here’s the bad news: left to yourself, there’s no hope of passing the test at the end of eternity. You were born into sin, remember? The thought of a judgment day should get every person’s attention (Hebrews 10:31). That’s why Peter included it in his sermon.

God is not only loving; he is also fair. And so we can’t blame God for not flippantly dismissing our sins (Romans 2:9,16). God did not cancel his wrath against us – he spent it on his Son. At the cross, the justice of God collides with the love of God in the person of Jesus.

Forgiver of Sins

Thank God that Peter doesn’t end his sermon at judgment! Here’s the final truth he teaches us about Jesus: 

Acts 10:43 (NLT) Everyone who believes in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name. 

This is the new birth that Jesus offers to sinners. The good news of the Bible is that we can be forgiven – but not through a lifetime of good works. Peace with God comes only through faith in a person: Jesus Christ. This is offered to anyone who believes.

Jesus is Lord of all, perfectly good, crucified and risen, judge of all, and forgiver of sins. This is what Peter preached that day to the Gentile household of Cornelius, and it remains the basic message for seekers of God today.

So we have a choice to make. Will we trust that the price Jesus paid on the cross is enough to cover our sin debt? Will we believe that Jesus is Savior and Lord? That’s what we call “saving faith”, and we’ll show you how to get it in the next lesson.

The Takeaway

Jesus is much more than a historical figure; he is the divine Son of God who became human to bridge the gap between us and our Creator. He lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose again to offer us a new beginning. Knowing who Jesus is means recognizing him as your Savior and Lord, trusting that his work on the cross is enough to bring you into a permanent, loving relationship with God.

Discuss and Dive Deeper

Talk about it:

  1. Read “The Takeaway” above as a group. What are your initial thoughts about the article?
  2. What, if anything, did you learn about Jesus when you were younger?
  3. Why is it important to believe that Jesus is fully God? How would it impact Christianity if he were something less?
  4. Why did Jesus take the time to do good and heal people? Have you ever seen God perform a miracle?
  5. Why is it important that Jesus rose from the dead? How would it impact the basic Christian message if he hadn’t?
  6. What questions do you still have about Jesus? Make a list.

See also:

The Pursuit (Series)

What Does the Bible Say about Salvation?

Posted: January 6, 2025

The Bible teaches us about humanity’s problem (sin) and God’s solution (Jesus). But here’s the thing: the fact that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead does not save you from your sins. It’s your personal response to Jesus that opens the door to salvation and makes you “born again.” The Bible calls it “saving faith,” and in this article we’ll tell you all about it. 

God’s Love

Saving faith starts with God. What was his motivation for sending Jesus to the cross? Why did he make such a costly sacrifice? The Apostle John gives the answer:

1 John 4:9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

Out of love, God sent Jesus into the world to solve our sin problem. Many religions depict a deity who is full of wrath toward the human race. Other faiths describe a god who requires strict obedience to a list of rules. These ideas generate a picture of a transactional god, a cosmic deity doing business with people who struggle to keep up their end of the bargain.

But the God of the Bible is different. He’s a relational God, proactively reaching out to the human race in spite of their failure to bring anything good to the table. And this God didn’t send Jesus into the world with reluctance or out of obligation; he did it willingly – out of love.

Our Attitude

So God’s heart is the first thing you need to know about saving faith. The second thing has to do with your heart. Saving faith requires more than just the right information about Jesus. It also requires the right attitude toward God, which the Bible calls “repentance.”

When the apostle Peter preached his first sermon after Christ’s death and resurrection, he invited people to respond to the message of salvation. Their response perfectly models the heart attitude necessary for saving faith: 

Acts 2:37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Read the full sermon for yourself (Acts 2:14-36) and you’ll see that Peter covers Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection – putting it all in the context of the story of Israel. Then he closes his sermon by pointing out that Israel rejected Jesus and nailed him to the cross. The message should have offended the Jewish listeners. 

But that’s not what happened. Instead, the message “pierced their hearts” and the listeners humbly submitted themselves to God. They didn’t claim to know more than Peter, but instead wanted to know what they had to do in order to be saved. Peter’s response was simple: 

Acts 2:38 Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God….

Repentance is the attitude that says, “I’ve changed my mind and I’m ready to go God’s way now.” It’s an act of the will, a relinquishing of control. It happened to the listeners in Acts 2, and it resulted in their humble response to Peter’s message. And it still happens to people today when they’re ready to respond to Jesus in faith. 

The Confession

When God begins a saving work in your heart, it’s important to express it in words. The Bible calls this “confession.” To confess literally means to “say the same thing.” When we confess our faith, we are repeating what God has already said. We are agreeing with Him that we’re sinners and that Jesus can save us. Here’s how Paul explained it:

Romans 10:9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Believe and declare. That’s how we activate saving faith in Jesus. Have you ever done this? Are you ready to do it now? If so, pray a “sinner’s prayer” like this: 

“Jesus, I recognize I’m a sinner. I know that you died on the cross and rose from the dead so that I could have life. I’m turning from my sin now, and I’m turning to you in faith. I trust in you alone to forgive my sin and give me new life. Thank you for this free gift. Amen.”

There’s nothing magical about these particular words. What matters is that you have the right information (about sin and Jesus) and that you respond to it with the right attitude (repentance). That’s the essence of confession. Once you’ve done it, the Bible says you’re saved: forgiven of your sins and given a new life in Christ. 

Saved by Grace

Some people find this hard to believe. Does the Bible actually teach such a simple pathway to salvation? Is there really nothing more that God requires of me?  It sounds too good to be true! But the Bible makes it clear: 

Ephesians 2:8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

It’s human nature to want to earn our keep. We love the sense of accomplishment that comes from an honest day’s work. In the physical realm this is a good thing and the Bible even commands it (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). But the spiritual realm works differently. In God’s economy, we cannot work for our salvation. God alone can save us, and he alone gets all the credit. 

Jesus did all of the work to save us. The Bible teaches that we are “dead in our sin” – and dead people can’t do anything! That’s why the Bible uses the word “grace”. It literally means “gift”. A gift is freely given, and you can’t work for it. If you try to pay for it, it’s no longer a gift. 

Here’s the point: No level of personal performance can earn God’s approval. We are saved 100% by grace the moment we trust Jesus for salvation.

Everyone Who Believes

So there’s one final question you might have about saving faith: Could it really be true for you? This brings us to one final verse: 

Romans 3:22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

Some people are so burdened by their sin or doubts that they feel out of God’s reach. Some may ask, “How could Jesus possibly want a relationship with someone like me? What if I’ve committed the unforgivable sin?” Others question, “I’m not sure my faith is strong enough. I still have questions about the Bible.”

So here’s the good news: the pathway to salvation is simpler than you think. Jesus did the heavy lifting; you just believe. The blood of Jesus is far more powerful than the skeletons in your closet; just believe (Romans 8:1). The message of the cross can overcome your doubts; just believe (1 Corinthians 1:18-21). Those who have trusted Jesus for salvation are made “right with God” in an instant, not in a lifetime of good works. This is what the Bible says about “saving faith” – the most important defining moment of your life. 

The Takeaway

Salvation is the process of being rescued from the power and penalty of sin through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a gift of grace that we cannot earn through our own works. By admitting our need, believing in Jesus’ sacrifice, and choosing to follow Him, we receive eternal life and a restored relationship with our Creator.

Discuss and Dive Deeper

Talk about it:

  1. Read “The Takeaway” above as a group. What are your initial thoughts about the article?
  2. Read 1 John 4:9. How did God show his love? What was his purpose behind it all?
  3. Make a list of the “right information” we need to be saved. Explain what it means to have the “right attitude”.
  4. Read Ephesians 2:8. Why is it important to see grace as a gift?
  5. Read Romans 3:22. What does the verse say we have to do to receive the gift of salvation? Do you have a hard time believing that God loves you despite your past? Explain.
  6. Read Romans 10:9. Have you made a confession of faith in Jesus yet? If not, what questions do you still need answered? Are you ready to do it today?

See also:

The Pursuit (Series)