Bible Basics
by Bob Burridge ©2011, 2021
Lesson 3: Why do we do bad things?
We all have done bad things. We know they are wrong, but we do them anyway. It’s called “sin” when we do what God tells us not to do or when we do not do what God tells us to do.
We do those wrong things because Adam, who represented us all, disobeyed God way back in the Garden of Eden. God said that if Adam sinned all humans who descended from him would be born as sinners.
Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned”
Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
When we sin God is deeply offended. Our morally fallen hearts keep us from understanding what is true about God and what is true about us. The damage caused by our fall in Adam continues to make us unable to do good for the right reasons. In fact what we call “good” isn’t really good at all if it’s not done for God’s glory.
Romans 3:10-12, “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.’ ”
Sin makes us selfish, greedy, and rude. Only God can change our sinful hearts. This is why Jesus came. He paid for the sins of the people he specially loved. Just as Adam represented us in Eden, Jesus represented his people when he lived here on earth, and died for them on the cross on Mount Calvary.
Lesson 4: What is God’s plan for his people?
Index of our lessons on Bible Basics
(Bible verses are quoted from the New King James Version of the Bible)
