Catechism Study – Question #6

Question:
What is sin? What was the sin the caused the fall?

Answer:
Sin is the committing of any act (action, thought or deed) that breaks the law of God, as well as not performing acts that are required by the law of God. By Adam eating the fruit that was forbidden in the garden, he committed the sin that resulted in all of mankind becoming fallen.

Scripture:
“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.”
-1 John 3:4

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”
-Genesis 3:6

“See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
-Eccl. 7:29

Summary:

In Genesis 3:6, we read about the first sin in the bible. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, with the command from God not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Later we see, Satan came and tempted Eve into eating the fruit, and Adam also ate. Because of this disobedience before God, Adam, and all of mankind were made sinners.

Some argue, “How can one little sin, eating a fruit, ruin all mankind?” While it may be hard to understand why something as simple as eating a fruit can be such an evil sin, we must look at sin through the eyes of God, not ourselves.

Because God is perfect, holy, and righteous, He cannot have fellowship with anything thing (or person) that is sinful. Doing so, would make Him allow sin into his presence (which is something God cannot do). Therefore, if we look at sin as God looks as sin, we will see just how evil it really is, regardless of how little it may look to us.

There are two things to remember about Adam while he was in the garden to understand our current condition today.

Adam had the FREEDOM to sin or not sin.

When we say that Adam had the freedom to choose to sin or NOT sin, we mean that no one forced him to commit that sin. Even though Satan tempted Adam and Eve in the garden, he could not force them to eat. All he could do to was try to persuade them to eat and therefore disobey God.

Adam had the ABILITY to sin or not sin.

We must also realize that Adam was able NOT to sin. Before sin came into the world, Adam was able to be sinless. He was able not to sin. But after the fall (Adam eating the fruit), that state changed (and therefore all of us) are now able only to sin.

We cannot be sinless in this life. We have lost our ability to be sinless, because of Adam choice in committing that sin.

In future catechism studies, we will go through why we are held responsible for Adam’s sin. For now, we must know that because of that sin, all mankind become sinners.

Just as Romans 5:12 says “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”

God determines right and wrong.

We also see from the experience of Adam and Eve in the garden, that it is God that determines right and wrong, not man. We get this knowledge of right and wrong from God’s Word. That is why Satan had to lie about the promise God gave Adam if he disobeyed. Satan had to tell them “You will not surely die.”

We must get our definition of right and wrong from the bible.

Conclusion

As the catechism answers, sin is doing anything that breaks the law of God. But also, its not doing what the law requires. If we are honest with ourselves, we know that we cannot live up to the standard that God requires. Therefore we need a solution. Therefore we need Christ.

Study Questions:

1. What are the two types of sin?

2. What two things did Adam (and us) lose when he sinned?

3. How do we get our understanding of right and wrong?

4. Can we live up to God’s standard? Why or why not?

5. How does the law of God, show our need to be saved?