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“God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son” (JOHN 3:16).
1, 2. (a) What is sin, and how can we defeat it? (See also “Big Idea.”)
Sin can be understood in two ways: the first is the imperfection inherited from Adam, and the second is the mistakes or transgressions we commit daily. However, Jehovah, in his immense love, did not leave us without hope. For approximately 6,000 years, he has been providing help to fight against sin.
Romans 6:23 reminds us that the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God offers is eternal life. This divine gift comes from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who allowed sin to be overcome.
1, 2. (b) What will we see in this article and in the other study articles in this issue of The Watchtower? (See also “Note to the Reader” in this issue.)
Throughout these five studies, several key aspects of sin and repentance will be addressed, and we will see how Jehovah has shown mercy and support from Bible times until today to help us overcome the consequences of sin.
Other studies will look at how congregations should deal with serious sins and how to show love and mercy, even when the decision has been made to disfellowship someone who has not repented.
WHAT DID JEHOVAH DO TO GIVE US HOPE?
3. How did Adam and Eve become sinners?
Adam and Eve became sinners when they disobeyed Jehovah's direct command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Jehovah had given them everything they needed to be happy, but Satan tempted them and offered them the idea that they could live independently of God.
Instead of trusting in their Creator, Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation. The consequences of their disobedience were immediate and devastating. As Jehovah had warned them, they began to grow old and eventually died. This sin not only affected them, but also impacted all their offspring, leading to sin and death for all of humanity.
4. Why does Jehovah hate sin, and why does he help us fight against it? (Romans 8:20, 21)
Jehovah hates sin because it goes against his essence and his purpose for humanity. Isaiah 59:2 highlights that sin creates a barrier between us and our heavenly Father. Furthermore, sin leads to death, something Jehovah never intended for humanity.
Satan, on the other hand, promotes sin because he knows it can damage our relationship with Jehovah. After the fall of Adam and Eve, Jehovah immediately offered a hope of redemption to their descendants.
Romans 8:20,21 points out that although we live in a world affected by sin, those who seek Jehovah's help can receive his support to overcome sin and death. Jehovah not only hates sin, but has also given us the means to fight against it.
5. When and how did Jehovah give humans a ray of hope? (Genesis 3:15)
Genesis 3:15, is known as the first biblical prophecy and contains a message of hope for humanity, after Adam and Eve sinned, Jehovah in his sentence against Satan promised an offspring that would crush Satan and reverse the effects of his rebellion, this offspring is Jesus Christ who came to undo the works of the devil.
Jehovah knew that Jesus' suffering would be painful, but he also understood that the sacrifice of his Son would be the only way to save millions of people from sin and death. Therefore, Genesis 3:15 is not only a proclamation of the final victory over Satan, but also a promise of the restoration of the relationship between God and humans.
WHAT DID HUMAN BEINGS DO IN BIBLICAL TIMES TO PLEASE GOD DESPITE BEING IMPERFECT?
6. What did men of faith like Abel and Noah do to get closer to Jehovah?
Abel and Noah drew closer to Jehovah by showing faith and devotion through sacrifices. Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve. He offered Jehovah the firstborn of his flock, a sacrifice that reflected his love and respect for God.
Noah, who lived centuries later, also showed his faith by offering sacrifices to Jehovah after the flood ended. This showed that even after the flood, Jehovah was still willing to accept sacrifices from people who demonstrated faith and obedience. These sacrifices were symbols of Jehovah's promise to save humanity through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:25 explains that God accepted these sacrifices knowing that in the future Christ's sacrifice would allow for the salvation of humanity from sin and death.
7. What do we learn from Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son?
The episode of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac highlights the extreme degree of faith and obedience that this man had in Jehovah. Despite how incomprehensible the request to sacrifice Isaac may have seemed, Abraham trusted in Jehovah.
This story is a prophetic illustration of the sacrifice that Jehovah himself would make by sending his son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of humanity. While Jehovah stopped the sacrifice of Isaac, he did not do the same with his own son.
Abraham, with his willingness to obey God in everything, taught us a lesson of faith and trust, while Jehovah showed us the immense love he feels for us by giving his son for our salvation.
8. What did the sacrifices made under the Law of Moses show? (Leviticus 4:27-29; 17:11).
The sacrifices established in the Law of Moses were intended to orally forgive the sins of the Israelites. The shed blood of animals served as a reminder that life is sacred and that sin has serious consequences. However, these sacrifices could not permanently remove sin, as they were only temporary until the perfect sacrifice arrived.
However, Jehovah revealed that the offspring who was the only begotten son of God would be the definitive sacrifice, Jesus as the Lamb of God would be the one who through his death would eliminate the sins of humanity permanently.
WHAT DID JESUS DO TO RESCUE HUMANITY?
9. What did John the Baptist reveal? (Hebrews 9:22; 10:1-4, 12).
When John the Baptist proclaimed that Jesus was the Lamb of God, he revealed one of the most important truths of the Bible, that Jesus was the promised seed who would crush Satan and remove the effects of sin.
John based his work on the understanding that according to the scriptures the forgiveness of sins required a sacrifice, something that Hebrews 99:22 also reaffirms; under the Mosaic law, animal sacrifice was a temporary system to cover the sins of the Israelites, but these sacrifices could not permanently remove sin. However, by offering his perfect life as a sacrifice, Jesus' death not only temporarily covered sins, but eliminated them completely.
10. How did Jesus show that he came to call sinners?
Jesus made it clear that his mission on earth was to help sinners, those who felt burdened by their mistakes and desired to draw closer to Jehovah.
In Matthew 9:1,13 Jesus explained that just as a doctor cares for the sick, he came to care for sinners. He not only expressed this message in words, but backed it up with concrete actions such as the compassion he felt for the woman crying at his feet and his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.
Jesus also overcame the most serious consequence of sin, death. By resurrecting men, women and children, Jesus demonstrated that his mission was not only to forgive, but also to offer hope beyond death.
11. Why were sinners drawn to Jesus?
Sinners were drawn to Jesus because he offered empathy, compassion, and a real opportunity for redemption. Luke 15:1-2 mentions that tax collectors and sinners were constantly approaching Jesus, which was unusual since people considered impure or morally despicable were shunned by the Pharisees and scribes.
Yet Jesus reached out to them with mercy through his words and actions. Jesus revealed that Jehovah does not desire to punish sinners, but rather to help them repent and overcome sin. This approach attracted many to him who felt valued and motivated to improve their lives.
12. What did Jesus teach about his own death?
Jesus, aware of the purpose of his life, repeatedly taught his followers that his death was inevitable and essential for the redemption of humanity. From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus predicted that he would be betrayed and sacrificed, preparing his disciples for what was to come. This prediction was not a simple warning, but a clear teaching that his death would fulfill the role of the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.
Furthermore, Jesus taught that his sacrifice would not only offer the possibility of forgiveness of sins, but would also draw all kinds of people to himself, demonstrating that his death would have a universal reach.
13. How did Jesus die, and what does his death teach us about Jehovah? (See also images.)
Jesus' death was a cruel and painful process. He was betrayed by one of his apostles, unjustly arrested, slandered by false witnesses and finally tortured and executed on a stake. Despite this terrible agony, Jesus never lost his faith in Jehovah and remained faithful until the last moment of his life.
Jesus' suffering was not only physical, but also emotional, as he was despised and abandoned by many. It caused Jehovah great pain to see his beloved son suffer in that way, but he allowed it to happen, because his love for humanity was even greater. In John 3:16, Jesus explained that Jehovah allowed his death so that all humanity could have the opportunity to be saved and obtain eternal life.
ILLUSTRATION
Series of images: 1. Jesus wearing a crown of thorns. 2. With his hands tied to a pole, he is being whipped. 3. He is carrying his torture stake while other people watch. 4. He is hanging on a torture stake between two criminals while other people insult him. To free us from sin and death, Jehovah was willing to suffer unimaginable pain by allowing his Son to be executed. (See paragraph 13.)
14. What does Jesus’ sacrifice teach you?
Jesus' sacrifice is not only Jehovah's greatest act of love toward mankind, but also a personal expression of his love for each of us. Jehovah gave his only begotten Son to die in our place, demonstrating the value he places on our lives and his desire to save us from sin and death.
This willingness of Jehovah to sacrifice his son shows us to what extent he is committed to our salvation, and invites us to reflect on the immense love he has for us.
15. What must we do to benefit from Jesus' sacrifice?
Jesus' sacrifice is a wonderful gift from Jehovah, which allows us to have forgiveness of our sins and the hope of eternal life. However, to benefit from this sacrifice, we need to do something: we must repent.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus emphasized the importance of repentance in order to draw closer to God and receive His blessings. Repentance is not simply feeling bad about our sins, but recognizing our mistakes, changing our way of thinking, and taking concrete steps to correct our behavior.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What did Jehovah do to give us humans hope?
Jehovah promised a seed that would crush Satan and fix the problems caused by sin in the Garden of Eden, this hope was fulfilled through Jesus Christ.
What did the sacrifices made under the Law of Moses show?
The sacrifices under the law of Moses showed that the forgiveness of sins required the shedding of blood, and they prefigure the sacrifice of Jesus that would take away sins once and for all.
What did Jesus do to rescue humanity from sin and death?
Jesus offered his life as a sacrifice, fulfilling the prophecies and taking away the sin of the world. His death opened the way for human beings to overcome sin and death through faith in him.
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