DISCOVER THE BIBLE FOR YOURSELF

Lesson One
MANKIND’S SINFULNESS

1.  The Bible is an amazing history book from God's point of view that explains why Jesus had to come to earth to save us from the result of our sins.  But what is sin?  Romans 3:23 defines it by saying everyone has sinned by _____________________________ of the glory of ______________.  Actually, when we sin we ultimately hurt ourselves, and God does not want us to hurt ourselves.

There are fourteen lists of sins in the Bible, many of which overlap.  One list is in Romans 1:29-31.  List them here: ________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Another list is in Revelation 21:8.  List them here: _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Are there more sins of action or more of attitude? ____________________

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO MAKE OURSELVES PERFECT

2.  The Bible is divided into two distinct parts.  Part I is called the Old Testament and Part II is the New Testament.  The Old Testament demonstrates that, no matter how hard or how long mankind tried, we could not be perfect.  Only when we recognized this were we ready for Jesus to come and accept him as our perfect substitute.  Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus was tempted _______________
________________ we are, but with what difference? _______________________________________

Within the Old Testament there were two distinct eras of worship.  (1) In the Patriarchal era, worship was held within the family, directed by the father (pater) and with very few rules and no such thing as organized religion.  (2)  In the Mosaic era, God set up a series of intricate laws which, if kept exactly, would make us perfect.

O.T. PATRIARCHAL ERA

3.  The Tree of Life was left behind after Adam and Eve sinned where (Genesis 3:22-23)? _________
_______________________________  The Tree of Life today is where the throne of God is (Revelation 22:3).  Where is the throne of God (Revelation 4:2)? ________________________________________

4.  The sons of Adam and Eve were who (Genesis 4:1-2)? _______________ and ________________.  They worshipped God by bringing various (Genesis 4:3-4) _______________________ to him.  when Cain did something in his worship that is not explain but was displeasing to God and which Cain knew, what did he do to his brother who worshipped like God asked him to (Genesis 4:8)? __________________
Did God try to warn Cain before he sinned (Genesis 4:6-7)? _________

5.  Nine generations later, Noah was how old when he began to build the ark (Genesis 5:32)_______ and how old when he finally completed it (Genesis 7:6)? _______  during all that time, what did God do (I Peter 3:20)? _____________________________________________  Why?  Because he does not want anyone to (II Peter 3:9)? ____________________.  Centuries later, the water used to save Noah was compared to water used in what Christian rite (I Peter 3:20)? ________________________________

6.  Ten generations after the flood, God told Abram (Abraham) in Chaldea (Babylon, today's Iraq) to go to a land God would show him (Genesis 11:28).  There God would make of Abram a great (Genesis 12:2) _______________________ later called Israel.  Abram finally arrived in the land of (Genesis 12:5) _______________________.  Although Abram obeyed God in this great act of faith, he also lied by telling people his wife was his what (Genesis 12:11-12)? ____________________

7.  When Abraham was 100 years old, his miracle son was born to him named (Genesis 21:5) ______________________.  This son grew up and fathered twin sons named (Genesis 25:24-26)? ________________ and ______________.  But Isaac, too, was sinful, for he lied by telling some people his wife was his (Genesis 26:7) _____________________

8.  When Jacob grew up, he lied and managed to take what two things from his twin brother (Genesis 27:36)? _____________________________________________________________________.  Despite his sinfulness, many years later, God changed Jacob's name to what (Genesis 32:28)? ________________.  Later when these sons were grown and had large families of their own, they were known as the twelve what (Genesis 49:28)? _________________________________________________

9.  During a severe famine, Jacob/Israel took his family to Egypt.  How many of his family took up their residence there (Exodus 1:5)? ______  Many years later, the Egyptians made the descendants of Israel (Israelites/Jews) slaves with hard (Exodus 1:11-14) _________________.  How many years were the Israelites in Egypt (Exodus 12:40)? ____________  During all that time, the slaves prayed to be freed, but it did not happen in the lifetime of most of them.  Had God heard their prayers all along (Exodus 3:7)? _________  Would they have been strong enough in earlier years to form a nation? _______________  (Sometimes we think God is saying no when he is really saying things will be better if postpones.)  Who did God have lead the Israelites out of their slavery and Egypt (Exodus 6:13)? ______________________ and ____________________  How many male Israelites were there by now (Exodus 12:37)? ___________________  With an average of one wife and four children per man, that would be some 3,000,000 Israelites.

O.T. MOSAIC ERA

10.  The first law God gave this new nation was to keep a Feast called the Lord's (Exodus 12:11) ___________________________.  It was also called the (Exodus 12:17) Feast of __________________
Bread.  They were to kill a lamb and put its what on their doorposts (Exodus 12:5-7)? ____________
Centuries later, who was to become the Lamb of God, saving us with his blood (John 1:36)? __________________  The Israelites were to eat bread made without what (Exodus 12:8)? _________ Therefore, centuries later when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion), what kind of bread did he use (Matthew 26:17 & 26)? ____________________________

11.  One of the Ten Commandments was "Remember THE Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8).  Does this verse indicate they kept the Sabbath day once a year, thrice a year, or every week? ______ ______________________  Comparing this with Acts 20:7, which first day of the week did Christians come together to break bread for the communion? __________________________

12.  During their nomad stage, the Israelites worshipped in a tent called a tabernacle.  What was hung to hide the Most Holy Place (room) from the Holy Place (room) (Exodus 26:33)? _________________
Centuries later in the New Testament, who became the curtain/veil (Hebrews 10:19-20)? __________
In the New Testament era, where is the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9:11-12,24)? __________________

Also in the New Testament era, what is the incense (Revelation 5:8)? __________________________
___________________.  Saints are the (Ephesians 1:1) ______________________ in Jesus, and (I Corinthians 1:2) the _____________________ of God, sanctified (saved) in Christ.  Does this mean that saints are living Christians or long-dead Christians? _____________________

13.  Under the Law of Moses, if someone sinned unintentionally, were they still guilty (Leviticus 4:27)? _____________  Scan Leviticus 11:4-7 and list four meat sources the Israelites were not to eat under the Law of Moses: _______________________________________________________________________
After giving birth, and during her monthly period, women were considered ritually what (Leviticus 12:2)? _______________________  Whenever people had a sore on their head or chin, who did they have to go see (Leviticus 13:29-30)? _________________________  Every year in the seventh month, they were to live seven days in (Leviticus 23:34, 42-43) ___________________________ made of branches.  According to Leviticus 25:10, every 50 years everyone had to return what to the original owner? ___________________  No one could lend (Leviticus 25:37) ________________ for interest.  If a husband died with no children (Deuteronomy 25:5-6), his brother had to have relations with the widow so that her firstborn would bear the ___________________ of the deceased husband.  These are just a few of the intricate 600 regulations in the Law of Moses, the Old Testament law.

14.  The Day of Atonement was once a year for the purpose of what (Leviticus 16:29-30)? _________ ________________________________  The High Priest was to sprinkle what on the altar (Leviticus 16:18)? ______________________  Then he was to confess what as he laid his hands on the scape goat (Leviticus 16:21)? ______________________________________________________________________
But what did they have to do year after year to have God re-forgive their sins (Hebrews 10:1)? ____ ____________________________________________  According to Numbers 19:2,4,6 the blood of a red heifer must be sprinkled and its body burned to ashes.  the ashes were to be put into the (verse 9) _____________________ of impurity for purification from sin.  What was the specific sin (verse 13)? ______________________________________________________________________________________
In the New Testament era, what part of us does the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer make clean (Hebrews 9:13)? _______________________________________________  Is it possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away our sins (Hebrews 10:4)? ________  Who made us sinless and holy once for all in the eyes of God (Hebrews 10:10)? ____________________________