Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:12)
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
To be saved, we must first acknowledge our sins. However, I think it’s difficult to understand and acknowledge this right away. It can suddenly feel like we’re being forced to accept a sin we don’t remember committing.
But if we don’t acknowledge our sins, how can we say to Jesus, who paid the price for us, “Thank you, I accept your gift?”
I believe the sinful nature inherited from Adam and Eve’s sin is a lack of God’s love. (God’s love in the Bible is agape in Greek, unconditional love that seeks nothing in return.)
Consider today’s society. Despite advancements in science and AI technology, global conflict and crime rates are still rising, yet people’s hearts haven’t changed much. Throughout history, we have remained a self-centered society, prioritizing power, wealth, and material possessions, and placing ourselves above others. Recent studies have shown that the top 1% of the wealthy control approximately 45% to 50% of the world’s wealth, while the top 10% control approximately 76% to 85%.
The Bible teaches that any talent, however great, is worthless if it is not based on love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Because Adam and Eve fell into Satan’s trap and distanced themselves from God, even if they became as wise as God, lacking God’s love, they tend to become self-centered and prioritize themselves.
God is love, and He is eternal. “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him ” (1 John 4:16). In other words, our sin is a lack of God’s love, and humans alone cannot create a peaceful world full of love.
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. ”(1 John 3:16) When we begin to understand God’s great love, we awaken to a transformation of attitude—one of humility, repentance, and loving one another. This is the precious guidance of Jesus: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39, Luke 10:27, Mark 12:29-31)
