Why Do We Need Saving Anyway? Series

WHY DO WE NEED SAVING?

Text: Gen. 3:1-7

Intro.

1. This lesson and the next will be hard for me to

present.

2. The subject itself is difficult and depressing in

nature.

3. Yet to appreciate our deliverance, our salvation, we must descend into the depths of sin; I want us to explore an answer to the question, why do we need saving anyway? What is this religion thing all about.

5. Usually, in a discussion of sin, at least three passages are used to define and convict the hearers:

a. I Jn. 4:3 sin is a transgression of the law

b. Rom. 3:23, all have sinned and “fallen

short” of the glory of God…

c. James 4:17, it is the failing to do what you

know to do.

6. I believe there is more to it than that.

7. As Jesus indicates in Mt. 5-7, it all starts in the heart.

I. A LOOK AT GEN. 3, THE FIRST FALL

A. We are all familiar with the story.

B. But let’s take a closer look at what happened.

C. Satan’s approach to Eve is two-fold:

1. Who is God?

2. Who is man?

D. Let’s look at the first target: God’s nature.

1. “you won’t surely die…” a blatant lie

implying God is a liar, He has and will

deceive.

2. “God knows…” another lie accusing God of

impure motives; God is jealous, selfishly

insecure and protective of his position

and authority.

E. The second target: man’s heart

1. a lie of liberty/freedom “your eyes will

be opened…”; you won’t be blind and

dependent upon God anymore, you can make

your own decisions.

2. a lie of power “you will be like

God…” you can be just like God in power

and authority.

3. a lie of knowledge;“you will know good

and evil…” you will know what God knows.

F. These were lies because God had place them in

the garden with everything they needed to

survive, thrive and attain all that God

intended.

1. they had power—God had given them

dominion over all the beasts and animals.

2. They had knowledge—God told them

everything they needed.

3. They had freedom/liberty—they weren’t

encumbered with any emotional baggage;

they could roam freely without fear of

God.

G. Let’s draw some conclusions:

1. Basic to sin is distrust of God. He is

not who He says he is, nor knowledgeable

enough; we can’t trust his information.

2. So, in doing this, we dishonor him;

3. The result is our own desires fanned by

the tempter: freedom, knowledge and

power.

4. These lies surface time and again in

scripture, as we see in the next passage.

Let’s stop there and look at another passage

II. LET’S LOOK AT ROM. 1:18-28, A COMMENTARY

A. vs. 18

1. God’s wrath is revealed against all the

Godlessness-- asebia—impiety towards God

2. wickedness —adikia—injustice toward men

3. Who suppress--—hold it back, hold it down,

the truth—alethia—the knowledge of God

as communicated to the human conscience

4. By their wickedness—by their not living

right/proper according to God

B. vs. 21-23

1. They knew God from evidence of creation;

His divine nature and eternal power

2. But they didn’t glorify him as God—

ascribe him honor he deserved due to the

evidence he provided.

3. Nor did they give thanks; weren’t thankful

4. Their thinking—inward questionings

5. became futile—worthless

6. their foolish hearts—undiscerning

7. were darkened—made dark

8. they claimed wisdom—sophia

9. but the became fools—morons, literally

10. they created their own gods

C. vs. 25

1. they exchanged the truth of God for a lie

2. They worshipped the created things (the

gods they had created) rather than THE

CREATOR.

D. vs. 28

1. They did not think it worthwhile—they

tested knowledge of God and determined,

or disqualified it as useless

2. to retain knowledge—cognizance

E. We summarize Paul’s thoughts on sin:

1. disregard for divine revelation, vs. 19-20

2. ingratitude for God’s gifts, 1:19-21

3. hostility/enmity toward God, 8:7

4. a mindset toward fleshly desires, 8:5

III. SOME CONCLUSIONS AND FURTHER

THOUGHTS

A. All sin is based upon two premises:

1. God isn’t to be trusted,

2. I know what is best for me.

(Falling prey to 3 lies.)

B. This is true all through scripture

1. Job, Note Satan’s accusation; Job 1&2

2. Israel’s murmuring in the wilderness

3. People’s rejection of Jesus “you aren’t

who you say you are.”

4. Mt. 4, the temptation of Jesus.

C. note some practical definitions of sin as a

result of these passages:

1. sin is resistance to the promotive

leadership of God, hence indifference to

moral requirements.

2. sin is the assertion of the opposite of

God.

3. sin is the dishonoring of God, the

failure to attribute to God what is His.

4. Sin is mans seeking independence and self-