Begin With the Problem of Sin
The gospel makes sense only when the hearer understands why salvation is needed. Begin with God’s standard and the universal problem of sin.
- Establish that all have sinned.
- Avoid the trap of comparing one sinner with another.
- Help the listener see guilt before God without using manipulation.
All have sinned
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
People often compare themselves with murderers, thieves, or someone they consider worse. Romans 3 does not compare us with another sinner. It compares us with the glory of God. All come short.
Sin is transgression of God’s law
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
You do not need to make a person confess every sin he has ever committed. The purpose is to establish the truth: he is a sinner. Once a person agrees with God about that, you can move to what sin earns.
Use questions instead of accusations
A question often helps a person engage honestly: “Have you ever sinned?” “According to Romans 3:23, how many people have sinned?” “Does that include both of us?” You can include yourself because the verse includes you too.
The witness stands beside the sinner as another person who needed grace, not above him as someone who earned salvation.
Compare Scripture with Scripture
Scripture trail: Romans 3:23 • Romans 3:10 • 1 John 3:4 • Romans 3:23, Romans 3:10, 1 John 3:4 • Psalm 119:9-11 • Romans 6:11-14 • 1 Corinthians 10:13 • Galatians 5:16-25
Do not rush past the references. Open them, read the surrounding verses, and make the Bible carry the weight of the conclusion.
Think it through
- Which verse would you actually open first if a real person were confused about this subject, and why?
- What question could you ask after reading the verse to discover whether the hearer understood it?
- Explain the truth aloud in plain language while keeping belief in Christ—not works, reform, baptism, or prayer—as the saving condition.
Teach it back
Without looking at the lesson explanation, summarize Begin With the Problem of Sin in two or three sentences and support your explanation from Scripture. If you cannot explain it simply yet, return to the passages and work through them again.
Slow down and work the text
Reopen Romans 3:23, Romans 3:10, 1 John 3:4. Read enough before and after each verse to see the setting. Do not settle for remembering a slogan when you can inspect the wording for yourself.
- Write the main claim of Begin With the Problem of Sin in one sentence.
- Underline or write down the exact words in the passages that support that claim.
- Compare at least two of the passages. What truth becomes clearer when they are read together?
- Ask what could be misunderstood if one phrase were isolated from its context.
- Explain this truth aloud as though you were speaking to a real person who has never heard it clearly before.
- Which verse would you open to explain this truth?
- What simple question would reveal whether the hearer understood it?
- Can you explain the truth clearly without pressure or added saving conditions?
The gospel begins with a universal problem: all have sinned and come short of God’s glory. Establish guilt biblically, not theatrically.
The Wages of Sin and the Second Death
19 min