The Problem Jesus Came to Solve Was Sin (Gospel Series Pt 2)
Why the gospel only makes sense when we understand the real human problem
Today, many assume humanity’s deepest problems are emotional pain, trauma, injustice, loneliness, or lack of acceptance. These realities are real and often deeply painful, and Scripture never dismisses human suffering. Yet the Bible consistently diagnoses something deeper beneath every human struggle. According to Scripture, the fundamental human problem is not merely woundedness or hardship, but sin. Until that truth is understood, the message of repentance — and even the necessity of the cross — will never fully make sense.
Sin Is More Than Mistakes
In modern conversation, sin is often reduced to poor choices, personal flaws, or moral imperfections. It becomes something accidental, explained away by upbringing, environment, or weakness. But Scripture speaks far more seriously about the human condition.
Sin is not merely doing bad things; it is living independently of God. Romans 3 describes humanity with unsettling clarity, declaring that none are righteous and that no one naturally seeks after God. The biblical picture is not of people occasionally failing to live up to their best selves, but of hearts turned away from their Creator. Sin represents humanity choosing self-rule over submission to God’s authority. It is not simply wrongdoing; it is rebellion at its root.
This is uncomfortable language in a culture that prefers to see moral failure as misunderstanding rather than defiance. Yet Scripture insists that our problem runs deeper than behavior. We do not merely stumble into sin; we naturally gravitate toward autonomy.
Humanity Is Not Spiritually Neutral
A common modern assumption is that people are essentially good and spiritually neutral — capable of choosing God whenever they wish if given enough encouragement or information. The Bible presents a far more sobering picture. Sin affects not only actions but desires, affections, and instincts. It shapes what we love, what we trust, and what we pursue.
This does not mean humanity is as evil as possible, nor does it deny the presence of kindness, beauty, or moral awareness in the world. Rather, it means that sin reaches into the core of who we are. Our problem is not simply that we make wrong choices from time to time; it is that our hearts themselves are disordered.
Because of this, humanity does not merely need better habits or stronger motivation. We need transformation. This is why Jesus did not come primarily as a moral teacher offering strategies for improvement. He came as a Savior announcing rescue.
We Are Not Primarily Victims Needing Affirmation
Modern culture often frames humanity almost entirely through the lens of victimhood. People are seen primarily as products of circumstances who need validation and affirmation above all else. There is partial truth here, since people genuinely suffer and are often wounded by others and by broken systems. Scripture acknowledges suffering deeply and compassionately.
However, the Bible refuses to stop there. It teaches that while we are often victims of a fallen world, we are also participants in its brokenness. We contribute to it through our own sin. We do not merely experience wrong; we commit it. This distinction matters because it shapes how salvation itself is understood.
If humanity’s deepest need were affirmation, Jesus would have come mainly as a comforter reassuring people of their worth. Instead, He came calling people to repent. His call was not lacking compassion; it was rooted in a deeper understanding of humanity’s true danger — separation from God caused by sin. We are not only people who have been wronged; we are sinners who need reconciliation.
Why Repentance Makes No Sense Without Sin
When sin is minimized or redefined, repentance begins to feel unnecessary or even offensive. Why turn away from anything if nothing is fundamentally wrong? Why seek forgiveness if guilt before God does not exist?
This explains why many modern presentations of Christianity struggle to explain repentance clearly. When sin becomes merely brokenness or emotional pain, salvation is reimagined as healing or self-discovery rather than rescue. Yet Jesus preached repentance because humanity faced a real spiritual crisis. Repentance is not religious negativity; it is the appropriate response to reality. People only turn around when they realize they are heading in the wrong direction.
The Gravity Scripture Reveals
Throughout Christian history, many theologians — particularly within the Reformed tradition — have emphasized the seriousness of sin because Scripture itself does. The Bible teaches that humanity cannot save itself, that moral corruption reaches the heart rather than remaining confined to behavior, and that good works cannot erase guilt before a holy God.
No amount of kindness, spirituality, or moral improvement can repair the rupture between humanity and God. This truth is not meant to produce despair but clarity. If our problem were shallow, a teacher or example would have been enough. Because our problem is deep, we needed a Savior.
When the Bad News Becomes Good News
The gospel only becomes good news when we understand the bad news correctly. If sin is small, the cross becomes unnecessary, and salvation becomes optional. But when we see sin as Scripture describes it — a rebellion that separates humanity from a holy God — the message of Jesus begins to shine with breathtaking hope.
Repentance is not humiliation; it is the beginning of rescue. Jesus did not come merely to affirm humanity’s worth but to deal with humanity’s guilt and restore what had been broken.
And that leads to the next unavoidable question: if sin truly separates us from God, and if we cannot repair that separation ourselves, how can forgiveness possibly exist?
In the next post, we will look at why Jesus had to die — and why the cross is not merely a symbol of love, but the place where justice and mercy meet.
Rooted in Jesus Grace
Mara Wellspring
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