Conscience Development: Sin and Culpability

Culpability is the action or attitude which makes one liable to punishment. Sin, the failure to do what God requires or the performance of what He forbids, makes us culpable. Scripture has a multitude of words describing different aspects of sin.

Old Testament words include: being bent out of shape, unusable (Avah); breaking up and destruction (Ra); revolt against God's authority (Pasha); agitation and confusion (Rasha); a breach of trust, treachery (Maal); unprofitable behavior (Aven); negligence or ignorance (Asham); wander from, fall short of, miss the mark (Chatha); labor and sorrow (Amal); injustice (Aval). New Testament words include: missing the mark (Hamartia); crossing the boundary line (Parabasis); lawlessness (Anomia); disobedience to a call (Parakow); falling down on the job (Paraptoma); ignorance of the law (Agnoema); defect or shortcoming (Hettema).

Help your children recognize sin in their hearts. Talk about the difference between making good decisions which bring rewards or positive results and bad decisions which bring punishment or negative results. Help them confess sin and replace it with proper values in attitude and action. Help them see their utter failure without God as their source. He is the one they must follow unreservedly.

Topic Sections:

        Introduction
        Why Have Laws?
Sin and Culpability

Next Page: Personal Responsibility
Appeals and Rewards