“Why am I here? What is my purpose in life?” How many times have people asked these questions throughout the years? Far too many! And yet, all of us have asked these questions in one way or another, or we will. Where do we, or where did we find the answers? Many people look for the answers to life in some dusty philosophy book or some corner of their own mind. However, the only reliable and truthful answers to these questions come from God.
1. Where did this world come from?
a) Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
b) Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
c) Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
The Bible teaches us that:
All things were a) made by God b) at His command out of nothing c) in six 24 hour days.
2. Where did humans come from?
a) Genesis 2:7 The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
b) Genesis 2:18-25 God creates woman from man
c) Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
The Bible teaches us that:
a) God especially formed the body of one male (Adam) of the dust of the ground.
b) He gave him a soul worth more than the whole world.
c) He made one woman (Eve) of a rib taken from Adam.
d) He placed man as ruler over all the earth.
e) Man was created in God’s image, consisting of knowledge of God and in perfect righteousness and holiness.
3. What happened to Adam and Eve?
Read Gen. 2:16-17 The devil tempted Adam and Eve, and Adam and Eve, of their own free will sinned.
4. What is the result of Adam and Eve’s first sin?
a) Psalm 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
b) Romans 7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
c) Genesis 8:21 The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: ”Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.
d) I Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
e) Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.
f) Romans 8:7 The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
g) Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death.
The Bible teaches us that:
a) All people, being descendants of Adam, the sinner, are conceived and born in sin and bear their sinful father’s image (the sinful nature).
b) There is no spiritual good in anyone’s heart at birth. c) We are inclined to do evil. d) We are spiritually blind.
e) We are spiritually dead. f) We are by nature enemies of God
g) On account of this condition (called original sin, inherited sin, sinful nature, or the old Adam, old man) all people are by nature under the wrath of God and destined to death and damnation.
5. What is the effect of original sin on our lives?
a) Matthew 7:17 A bad tree bears bad fruit.
b) Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
c) James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
The Bible teaches us that: Original sin brings forth a great variety of sinful thoughts, desires, words and deeds, called actual sins. (Sins of commission and omission.)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why is it so hard to believe that we are completely sinful in God’s eyes?
2. What would life be like if Adam and Eve had never sinned?
3. How do you think an unchurched person will get to heaven?