Bible Lesson 6
Who Are We?
Humans Are Fallen and Broken
Though we were created in the image of God, we did not remain holy and perfect as we were created to be. Instead, we chose sin and we wandered away. Without God in us, we are all thoroughly corrupt and completely wicked.
No one likes to hear this. We like to think that we’re pretty good, or at least better than others.
But how many of the good things we do are actually just motivated by sinful selfishness? We want people to like us. We want to feel good about ourselves. We want people to do good to us in return. We want to be admired. The list goes on.
And how much of the evil we don’t do is simply because we fear the consequences? We don’t sincerely love righteousness; we just don’t want to go to jail, or get a disease, or lose a relationship, or lose privileges at home, or miss opportunities in life.
When we are honest with ourselves, we have to say that apart from God, all of our goodness is actually just disguised sin.
Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, by Thomas Cole, 1828
An *asterisk indicates that the word has a special note. Click on it to see the note.
Somos pecadores rotos
Efesios 2
(1) Antes ustedes estaban muertos a causa de su desobediencia y sus muchos pecados. (2) Vivían en pecado, igual que el resto de la gente, obedeciendo al diablo —el líder de los poderes del mundo invisible—, quien es el espíritu que actúa en el corazón de los que se niegan a obedecer a Dios.
(3) Todos vivíamos así en el pasado, siguiendo los deseos de nuestras pasiones y la inclinación de nuestra naturaleza pecaminosa. Por nuestra propia naturaleza, éramos objeto del enojo de Dios igual que todos los demás.
Salmo 14
(2) El Señor mira desde los cielos a toda la raza humana; observa para ver si hay alguien realmente sabio, si alguien busca a Dios.
(3) Pero no, todos se desviaron; todos se corrompieron. No hay ni uno que haga lo bueno, ¡ni uno solo!
Traducción: NTV
We are broken sinners
Ephesians 2
Before, you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You lived in sin, just like everyone else, obeying the devil – the leader of the powers of the invisible world – which is the spirit that acts in the hearts of those who refuse to obey god.
All of us lived thus in the past, following the desires of our passions and the inclinations of our sinful nature. By our own nature, we were objects of the wrath of God just like everyone else.
Psalm 14
The Lord looks from the heavens at all the human race; he observes to see if there is someone truly wise, if anyone seeks after God.
But no, all turned away; all corrupted themselves. There is not even one who does good, not even one!
1. Listen to the audio as you read along with the Spanish on the left.
2. Open the English translation, and read the two side-by-side, making sure you understand the Spanish.
3. Close the English, and listen to the audio again, reading along in Spanish.
4. Close the Spanish, and listen once more. Maybe shut your eyes, and just try to understand as much as you can.