How to Teach Your Kids About Sin

The following is part of a project that I'm working on to help parents disciple their kids.  I'm taking each question from the Home Discipleship Catechism and writing a short lesson that parents can read to their kids.  The bold text is the question; the underlined portion is the answer from the catechism, followed by the explanation.  At the bottom you will also find Questions for Discussion and verses For Further Study.  I hope to post a new lesson every Monday.  You can download the Home Discipleship Catechism for free HERE.

Question 9:  What is sin?

Sin is any failure to obey God’s commandments, either by commission or omission.

God deserves our complete obedience.  He is our creator, savior, and judge.  Failing to obey God’s commands is called sin.  There are two kinds of sins.  Sins of commission are when we do what God restricts.  Sins of omission are when we fail to do what God requires.  Sin is self-worship.  It is worshiping yourself by placing your will above God’s.  Therefore, all sin is a violation of the first commandment – “Do not have other gods besides Me (Ex 20:3).”  Sin is trying to find happiness apart from God and outside His will.  Therefore, all sin is a failure to take delight in the Lord (Ps 37:4). 

Why should we avoid sin?  First, sin makes us unhappy.  Sin may gratify, but it does not satisfy.  The Bible is clear that true joy is found in an obedient relationship with God (Ps 1:1-2).  Second, sin will hurt you.  Sin is not your friend.  When you choose to sin, you choose to suffer.  Sin promises pleasure, but it delivers pain.  We don’t actually break God’s commandments, we break ourselves against them.  God is love, and therefore His will for us is the best way to live (1 Jn 4:8; 5:3).  The best life is the obedient life.  When God says, “Don’t,” He means “Don’t hurt yourself.”  Third, we should avoid sin because it hinders our prayers.  God has many blessings to give us through prayer (Mt 7:7), but God does not answer the prayers of the wicked (James 5:16).  Fourth, we should avoid sin because it leads to God’s discipline.  Like any good father, God is not permissive; He disciplines His children when they do what is wrong (Pr 3:11-12).  Fifth, we should avoid sin to please God.  If we love God, then we want to do those things that make Him happy and avoid those things that displease Him.  Don’t be mistaken.  God hates sin (Ps 11:5).  Sin makes God deeply sad (Gen 6:5-6).  Sin is a big deal.  It is so bad that the punishment for sin is hell, and the price to save us was the death of God’s own Son.  Sixth, we should avoid sin because it destroys our relationship with God.  The happiest place to live is in intimate fellowship with God, but sin destroys that intimacy (Ps 16:11; Ps 15:1-5).  Seventh, we should avoid sin because deliberate, prolonged sin is a sign of spiritual death.  It is a sign that we are not truly saved.  True salvation does not make us sinless, but it makes us sin less and feel worse (1 Jn 2:3-4).  Eighth, we should avoid sin because it hurts the ones we love.  Eve’s sin hurt Adam, and Adam’s sin hurt the entire human race.  Sin, even private sin, is never personal.  It is always social and will always have a negative impact on the people we care about the most.  Ninth, we should avoid sin to be effective witnesses (Mt 5:13).  Nobody listens to an hypocrite.

How can we overcome sin?  First, we must be born again.  In salvation Christ breaks the power of sin and Satan and gives us the desire and power to walk in obedience (Ez 36:26-27; 2 Cor 5:17; Phil 2:13).  Second, we must make a firm commitment to avoid sin and live for God (Rm 6:12-13).  Third, we must meditate on Scripture (Jn 8:32).  We give in temptation because we believe lies – “just this once won’t hurt,” “nobody will know,” “you won’t get hurt,” “it’s no big deal,” “you deserve this,” “you only live once.”  We must counter those lies by focusing on the truth of God’s word (Ps 119:11).  Fourth, we must abide in Christ (Jn 15:5).  As we stay close to Him, He will empower us to overcome sin.  Fifth, we must be willing to do whatever it takes to overcome sin (Mt 5:29-30).  Sin can only be defeated with total commitment to obedience.

Questions for Discussion:

  1. What is sin?
  2. Why should we avoid sin?
  3. How can we overcome sin?
  4. What do we do if we sin?

For Further Study:

  1. John 15:5
  2. Romans 3:23
  3. Romans 6:12-13
  4. Romans 6:23 
  5. Hebrews 12:1-2
  6. 1 Peter 1:14-15
  7. 1 John 1:9-10
  8. 1 John 2:1-2
  9. 1 John 2:3-6

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