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Purpose: While we want all to be saved by grace, there is no grace if we perceive no sin. Of course, all have sinned (Romans 3:23); therefore, we all desperately need the grace of God (Romans 6:23). Thus, the aim of this study is to help one to see themselves as our Holy God sees them: utterly sinful and separated from our God. This realization brings about a desire for both forgiveness and repentance.
1. Isaiah 59:1-2
1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
C: Our sins separate us from God. When we sin it is as though we create a wall between God and us. So it is not God’s fault. We have to break this wall of sin to get close to God.
2. Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
C: How many people have sinned? Everyone has sinned.
C: So we all need forgiveness for our sins. One lie you tell you become a liar so one sin you do you are a sinner. You don’t have to do many sins to be a sinner. So all of us are sinners. We are no different from others. We all need forgiveness.
C: When we compare ourselves with others how do we feel. We feel we are better than others are but we all fall short when we compare ourselves with God. We can never reach to the glory of God no matter how good you are. We all fall short.
3. Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
C: For all our sins we deserve death (Spiritual death not physical death). Means we deserve eternal separation from God and be thrown in to hell.
C: But we can break the wall of sin through Jesus Christ. He can give us eternal life. He can forgive us all our sins.
What are the sins that Bible talks about? There are sins of omission [James 4:17] and sins of commission.
4. Galatians 5:19-21
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Sins of commission
Sexual immorality –Sexual sins
Lust
Teasing Girls – passing rude remarks, standing behind women in the bus, touching them deliberately etc.
Pornography – bad movies, internet, books, photos etc.
Masturbation
Sex outside of marriage – neighboring person, boy friend/girl friend, going to prostitutes etc.
Incest- sex with family members, cousins, aunts, uncles, relatives, brother or sister etc.
Homosexuality – sex with same sex people, touching each others private parts, masturbating one another, oral sex, anal sex etc.
Child abuse – sex with children, using children for self sex gratification, putting children on the lap, oral sex etc.,
Impurity – telling lies about yourselves, your family, your background, cheating in exams, making false certificates, using bad language, stealing.
Debauchery – indulgence, self-gratification, anything too much, sleeping too much, laziness, eating too much anything in excess is debauchery.
Idolatry – Worshipping idols, photos, paintings, stones, gurus or putting anything or anybody above God.
Witchcraft – black magic, believing in any other power other than God himself. Putting your trust in Palmistry, Astrology, and Horoscopes, Believing that hands and stars control our lives than God is sin.
Hatred – not forgiving, enmity, property fights, hating any body who hurt you even is wrong.
Discord – having friction in relationships. Do you have any unresolved conflicts in your life, marriage? Jealousy – being possessive
Fits or rage – Being so angry you use abusive language, throw things at people, beat up people slam the door etc.,
Selfish ambition – only concerned about self, not concerned about others, only worried about self career and job and what one can do and get.
Dissension’s – quarrels, disagreement.
Factions – forming a group of dissident’s, forming a rival group within a group.
Envy – covet others possessions or achievements, not happy for others advancements, not being content with what God has given you.
Drunkenness – over indulgence on alcohol, taking drugs, tobacco chewing, cigarettes, pan parag etc.,
Orgies – wild partying, doing anything evil in a group.
5. Mark 7:21-23
21 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
23 All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"
C: Sin comes from within our hearts. So who is responsible for our sins? Us
Q: Can we blame others, circumstances or environment for our sins? No! We have to take personal responsibility for all our sins. Yes others do influence us to do wrong but to do wrong or right is entirely under our control.
6. James 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Sins of omission – if you don’t do what you know you ought to do then you sin.
7. James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
8. 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
C: Both these scriptures talk about confessing our sins. It is God who forgives our sins.
So we need to confess[acknowledge/admit] our specific sins to God.[Psalms 32:1-5]
Scripture directs us that we openly confess our sins to another brother or sister for godly counsel and intercessory prayer.
It also would mean we confess[admit and apologize] our sins to the person we have sinned against.
Suggested Exercise: If willing, write down a list of all their specific sins as much as they remember so that they can get in touch with their sin against God and people. Or we can suggest them to write a letter to God specifically confessing their past sins. We need to encourage them to bring it for the next study.
CONCLUSION:
How do you feel about confessing your specific sins? Have you been open about your life to anyone before?
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