Relationships – Part VII

Opening Question: Do you think people are basically good or evil?

Genesis 6:5, 12
The Lord saw how bad the sins of man had become on the earth. All of the thoughts in his heart were always directed only toward what was evil. God saw how sinful the earth had become. All of the people on earth were leading very sinful lives.

Jeremiah 17:9, 10
A human heart is more dishonest than anything else. It can't be healed. Who can understand it? The Lord says, “I look deep down inside human hearts. I see what is in people's minds.”

Mark 7:20-23
Jesus went on to say, “What comes out of people makes them “unclean.” Evil thoughts come from the inside, from people's hearts. So do sexual sins, stealing and murder. Adultery, greed, hate and cheating come from people's hearts, too. So do desires that are not pure, and wanting what belongs to others. And so do telling lies about others and being proud and being foolish. All those evil things come from inside a person. They make him “unclean.’ ”

Q 2. What is the main problem of the human race, according to the Bible?
Q 3. What do you think the word “heart” means, as we read in the Bible verses above?

Romans 5:8
But here is how God has shown His love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

2 Corinthians 5:21
Christ didn't have any sin. But God made Him become sin for us. So we can be made right with God because of what Christ has done for us.

Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you new hearts. I will give you a new spirit that is faithful to me. I will remove your stubborn hearts from you. I will give you hearts that obey Me.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come!

Q 4. What does it mean when it says “God made Him become sin” for us?
Q 5. What to you think “the old” and “the new” means?
Q 6. What is the solution to man’s heart problem?
Q 7. What do people have to do to solve the problem of their evil hearts?