The Bible Says

Eight Fun Lessons in the Bible
by Stafford and Jo Anne North

Lesson 4

Nice to see you again! This lesson is about God and a problem He had. Have you ever seen someone at school do something wrong: steal a book, tell a lie, or start a fight? When the teacher found who it was, a decision had to be made. Will the person be punished or forgiven? Think about that as we start this lesson.

FIRST A LITTLE REVIEW.

(Draw Here)

 Fill in the blanks and draw (on the left or right) the picture that goes with each part of the Bible story we’ve studied.
 
  1. God and people started in a close ___________________. How wonderful that God wants to be our friend and love us.
  2. God lets people ___________ between right and ___________. What a challenge that God wants us to choose what we do.
  3. People choose to ___________. How terrible that all choose to sin.
  4. Sin _______________ people from God. How sad that our sins keep us away from the blessings God wants to give us.
So here’s God’s problem. Like the teacher at school who found someone doing wrong, God found all people sinning. Should He punish everyone or forgive everyone? What if the teacher lets people lie and steal and fight and does nothing about it? God can’t do that, yet He wants to
forgive. To see how God solved His problem of whether to punish or forgive, read each Bible verse below. Then fill in the answers on this study of Part 5 of the Bible Story.

5. GOD CAN BOTH PUNISH A SIN AND FORGIVE IT

Punish or Forgive?

Your chance to find out!
  1. "The soul that sins, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:20
    What is the penalty for sin? _______
  2. "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
    How many who are old enough to choose have sinned?___
  3. "[God] did it to demonstrate his justice . . . so as to be just and the one who justifies
    those who have faith in Jesus." Romans 3:26
    What quality does God have that requires Him to punish sin? ___________________
  4. "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:36
    What quality does God have that makes Him want to forgive everyone? ___________________
  5. "[God] is not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
    How many does God want to punish for sin? ___________

Make a Match: Draw a line from what God does to the way He is. This will show you why God does what He does.

God punishes people who sin
God forgives people who sin
God created everything		 God is all powerful
God is just
God is merciful
Look back at Part 5. Write below the two words that ask what God must choose between. So, God must punish everyone who has sinned. Yet He wants to forgive everyone because He loves us all. How can he solve this problem? God’s answer to this is the best good news ever given.
GOD FOUND A WAY TO DO BOTH !

6. JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, TOOK MY PUNISHMENT ON THE CROSS. (Part 6)

Here is the good news! God has found a way both to punish our sins and yet forgive them. What great love He has for us! God’s great answer book explains it all. Look in it and find out how God could do this.

Your chance to find out!

In the New Testament, turn to Romans 5:8 and find out how God shows He loves us. While we were sinners, "Christ (Jesus) ________________ for us."
In the very next verse, Romans 5:9, we discover why it is that the ______________ Jesus shed on the cross is so important. Our just, merciful God accepted the punishment (blood) of sinless Jesus in the place of all the sinners in the world. This includes you and me. What good news!
Also in the New Testament , find 2 Corinthians 5:21 which explains it this way: God, the Father, had Jesus, who did not sin, "to be made ______________ for us."
So you found out the good news! We learned in Lesson 1 God is made up of three spirit beings, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The good news is that God , the Father, let God, the Son, take our punishment for sin by being punished
on the cross for sins he did not do.. Then God the Holy Spirit brought the Son back to life again. Turn back a page to see Part 6. Now draw your picture of the cross and the blood of Jesus coming from it .
What if you killed someone and the judge said "you must die!" Then one who had not killed anyone said, "I’ll die in your place." Then did it for you and you went free. Wow! Jesus did this for you. God, the Holy Spirit, put this story in the Bible so you can know this good news!

What do you remember?

Read the sentences on the right. As you read each decide which one tells you about God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit. Draw a line from each sentence to the one on the left it tells about.

About God, the Son (Jesus)

 Both punishes & forgives
Accepts the punishment of Jesus in my place.

About God, the Father

 Put the the good news in the Bible about Jesus dying for me.

About God, the Holy Spirit

 Took my punishment on the cross.

Mail this lesson soon to your friend whose name and address are below. In the next lesson, we’ll learn how you connect with the good news. See you soon. Yellow Bird ! I told you not to try to fly through the page!

My friend’s name __________________________________
My friend’s address _____________________________________________________
Your friend will write a note here about how you did.