Urban Legends 04: Sin Legends Follow Up

Urban Legends About Sin:

Spiritual Maturity isn’t how much we know, but how much we obey.

1. I’m not a bad person. (I’m not that bad of a sinner.)

Unless we see ourselves as sinners, we won’t see our need for a saviour.


2. All sin is the same. 

Our obedience or disobedience influences: 

• Rewards in heaven. 
• Punishment in hell. 
• Consequences on earth.

3. I’ve already sinned, I might as well continue.

•The most miserable people in the world are not non-Christians, but Christians living in sin.

BREAKING THE ICE:

• What are some “little sins” that we often minimize or excuse? 
• Name some sins have that become culturally acceptable.

CONNECTING:

1. 1. Which of the above spiritual myths have you believed about sin? Most of us have been educated way beyond our level of obedience. What truth do you know that you are not obeying?
2. 2. We often accuse others of sin while excusing our own. What sins have you been excusing in your life? What sins are you quick to judge in others? How do our sins affect others in the Body of Christ? How is our witness to the world tarnished by our sins?
3. 3. Think of some so-called “little” sins that we often minimize. How are these sins destructive to our lives and relationships? How do these “little” sins grieve God? Sin is progressive. How can “little” sins grow to overtake our lives?
4. 4. When you accepted Christ into your life, did you see yourself as a good person or a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness? Why do we need to be aware of our sins? Besides forgiveness of our sins, what else did we receive when we trusted in Christ? How would believing that our old self died with Christ and that we are now a righteous, new creation (on the inside) free us to resist sin?

TAKE IT HOME:

1. For what sins do you need to repent? Agree with God about your sins and thank Him for His forgiveness. Ask God to give you a godly sorrow and a holy hatred of sin. Depend on the Holy Spirit to empower you to say “no” to the thoughts that tempt you to sin.

2. Put into practice James 5:16. Guard against judging others by their particular struggle with sin and never share with others what is shared, confidentially.

DISCOVERY QUESTIONS:

1. Read Romans 6:1-7, 11-14. 17-18.

• Why does a forgiven, justified person desire not to sin? (6:2) What died with Christ and how does this change our relationship to sin? (6:7) What does it mean to be dead to sin? How are we now alive to God?
• Why is the believer no longer enslaved to sin? Do you believe that you are dead to sin or do you still see yourself as a sinner (incapable of not sinning)? How can we keep from being enslaved to sin? (6:16)

2. Read Ephesians 4:17-31.

• In what way did Paul instruct the Ephesian believers to live differently than the Gentiles (non-believers)? Why do people without Christ sin? (18-19) How can believers live lives free of sin? Why is this so important?
• As followers of Christ, what are we to “put off”? What are we to “put on”? How does Paul describe the new self? (22-24)
• How can we be angry and yet, not sin? How does sin give the enemy an opportunity to harass us? (26-27)
• Of the sins mentioned in verses 28-31, which do you struggle with? How do these sins affect your relationships and the cause of Christ? What Christ-like behaviour do you need to put on?

3. Read Ephesians 5:8-21.

• What does it mean to be a child of light? What are some differences between the life you once lived in darkness and your current life (in light)?
• How do we expose the deeds of darkness in our life? What does this accomplish?
• How do you know when your life is being controlled by (filled with) the Holy Spirit? What areas of your life are not under the control of the Holy Spirit?
• If you were to make one phrase from this passage your focus for the rest of the year, what would it be?

VERSES FOR FURTHER STUDY:

1 John 1:8-9; Isa. 64:6; 1 Tim. 3:1-10; Titus 1:5-9; John 16:7-8;19:11; Matt. 11:20-22; Luke 20:46-47; 1 Cor. 5:18-20; Rom. 3:11,23; 6:1-2, 6, 11. Rev. 3:19

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