To teach the student the effects of sin, identify the student’s specific sinful nature and bring him or her to a state of repentance through the Word and the Holy Spirit.

SIN AND SEPARATION

Isaiah 59:1-2
-Wall of Sin

-Darkness Light People God

-What does sin do to our relationship with God?

-How many sins did it take to separate Adam and Eve from God?

-The first sin you ever committed separated you from God, and ever since then, you have needed a savior to reunite you with Him.

1 Peter 2:9-10
-Darkness Not a people No mercy Lost

-Light People of God Mercy Saved

-Every human being is either in the darkness or in the light. There is no twilight zone.  Where are you?

ALL HAVE SINNED

Romans 3:23
-How many people need to be saved from the consequences of their sins?

-No one can save himself.

-God must save all of us.

Romans 3:10-12

*Analogy of "sweet Aunt Tilly" and a serial murderer: No one is good enough on their own to go to heaven, no matter how good they seem to us.

THE WAGES OF SIN

Romans 6:23
-What will happen to us if God does not save us from the consequences of our sins?

-What have you earned?

CONFESSING SIN

James 5:16
-Why do you think God commands you to confess your sins?

-Why does he tell us to pray for each other’s sins?

DEFINING SIN

Galatians 5:19-21

*Go through this list one sin at a time. Explain what each sin means.

*Have the Christians confess their sins.

*Have the student confess his or her sins.

And the like ...

Revelations 21:8, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, James 4:17, Ephesians 4:28-5:5, 1 Corinth 6:9-11

*Read these lists, but for the sake of time just have the student confess the sins mentioned in these Scriptures that they see in their own lives.

*Encourage them to go home and make a detailed list of their sins. This will bring them to a deeper understanding and conviction about their sin.

*Assure them that they can keep their sin list but that you would like to discuss it in your next study.

GODLY SORROW AND REPENTANCE

2 Corinthians 7:10-12
-What are the two types of sorrow that we see a person can have towards their sin?

-What is the result of worldly sorrow?

-What is the result of Godly sorrow?

-Changing the World for God One Life at a Time

Worldly Sorrow:
-Justify: “You don’t understand the circumstances.”

-Minimize: “It’s not that big of a deal” or “Everyone does it.”

-Blameshift: “They caused me to sin.”

-Have self-pity: “I’m so bad, I’m not even going to try to change.”

-Hide or cover up: Reveal only a partial truth or hide sin completely.

Godly Sorrow:
-Earnestness: Truthful, genuine, sincere and embarrassingly open.

-Eagerness: Urgent to repent.

-Indignation: Disgust and hatred of all your sin.

-Alarm: Shocked at what you have done.

-Longing: A constant desire to change.

-Concern: You feel remorse over the pain your sin has caused God and others.

-Readiness to see justice done: Ready to do or suffer through anything to make right your relationship with God.

-At every point, you have proved yourself to be innocent: You repent of every sin you have committed, even the “little” ones. You don’t feel “horrible” about one and “not that bad” about another.

-David in Psalm 51 is a great example of someone having Godly sorrow.

-What kind of sorrow do you have towards your sin?

CHALLENGE

Now is a great time to go and pray with the person about how they feel regarding their sin. They need to get in touch with how God feels about it, the consequences it has had in their life and in the lives of others and how desperately they want God to change their heart and life. Their prayers will give them hope that they can change as God works miracles in their heart.