Lesson 2 of 4 · 8 min
Sin and the Human Problem
What Christianity says has gone wrong — deeper than bad behaviour.
More than rule-breaking
Sin in Scripture is missing the mark, rebellion, and a broken relationship. It is not only the wrong things we do but a disordered heart that puts self where God should be — and it damages us, others and creation.
The doctrine of the fall (Genesis 3) explains a world that is glorious and wrecked at the same time: real beauty, real evil, and a persistent gap between what we know is right and what we actually do.
Honest diagnosis, real hope
Christianity's diagnosis is severe because its cure is real. If sin were superficial, moral effort would fix it. Because it runs deep, what is needed is not improvement but rescue and new life.
Key passages
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
Romans 7:19
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.
Ezekiel 36:26
Reflect
Where do you notice the gap between what you believe is good and what you actually do?
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Where this came from
We're not experts — these are the sources we used while researching this page. Read them yourself, keep digging, and hold us to them.
- [1]The Holy Bible — Blue Letter Bible interlinear and lexicons
Primary source for every lesson; Strong's and BDB/Thayer entries for word studies.
- [2]The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (381) — full text and history, Britannica
The doctrinal frame for the lessons on God, Christ and the Spirit.
- [3]N. T. Wright, lectures and articles archive (NTWrightPage)
New Testament scholarship drawn on for the gospel, kingdom and resurrection lessons.
- [4]Catechism of the Catholic Church (Vatican) and the Westminster Confession of Faith
Consulted side by side wherever a lesson describes how different traditions teach a doctrine.