Chapter 8 - Humble Analysis: Reaching into Bucket Two

This week, we begin to look at those times in our innocent past when we responded sinfully. While it is certainly important for us to understand how to respond to these events in a biblical manner, it is also important for us to understand why we tend to act sinfully when we are wronged.

Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, so death spread to all men because all sinned (Rom 5:12). It is our nature to sin, because we are born sinners. But for us as Christians, there is a flip-side: Although one trespass led to condemnation, one act of righteousness leads to justification and life. Because of Christ and his work, we are no longer slaves to sin, but we are free to live in a manner pleasing to God. And this includes handling our innocent past in a way that accords with Scripture.

Rev. Viars asks 6 questions on pp. 147-148 to help us humbly analyze times in our innocent past when we may have responded in ways that were sinful. May we consider these questions as we seek to better understand how to deal with this aspect of our past and move forward in freedom and forgiveness.