Brenton Malnofski: Discussion Questions

1. An example of total depravity I’ve witnessed over the past week would be in Lithuania. We had a chance to talk to some local students. A few members of our team talked to one girl who was heavily focused on achieving academic success. This girl was so set on it, that she would write test answers on her arm in Korean to pass. I also saw graffiti on the side of a building, with the words “Is there life after work?” written. This suggested to me that it’s common for those people to constantly be working themselves to death. To me, this is an example of total depravity because the ambition for success becomes sinful when it overtakes a desire for God. Achieving success isn’t inherently evil. But the disconnect from God means that sin has permeated it.
An example of humanity being created in the image of God would be how I witnessed one of our team members voluntarily cleaning dishes at a missionary family’s home in Lithuania. She didn’t have to do that, nor was she asked. She was there as a guest, the one being served. And yet, she decided to lower herself and be a servant in the midst of that. That is definitely reflective of the image of God, and the example set by Jesus.

2. The relationship between Adam’s sin and our own is vastly complex, and yet, not really. Adam’s sin was disobedience. Along with Eve, he was deceived by the serpent and bought into the lie that he had to do/could do something in order to be like God. The fundamental problem with Adam’s disobedience is that he forgot about the truth regarding his identity: he is already like God, literally made in His image. So when the serpent came in, he was able to feed into the lie by making Adam believe he had something to achieve. Adam then did something that God explicitly told him not to. The unfortunate reality is that we do this constantly with our relationship to God. We forget our identity and are more easily tempted by lies, which gives way to sin. Another common thread between Adam’s sin and ours is that it leads to separation from God. We’re never completely cut off from Him, but sin does pervert and distort everything it touches. And that includes everything God intended for good.

Brenton Malnofski wrote:1. An example of total depravity I’ve witnessed over the past week would be in Lithuania. We had a chance to talk to some local students. A few members of our team talked to one girl who was heavily focused on achieving academic success. This girl was so set on it, that she would write test answers on her arm in Korean to pass. I also saw graffiti on the side of a building, with the words “Is there life after work?” written. This suggested to me that it’s common for those people to constantly be working themselves to death. To me, this is an example of total depravity because the ambition for success becomes sinful when it overtakes a desire for God. Achieving success isn’t inherently evil. But the disconnect from God means that sin has permeated it.
An example of humanity being created in the image of God would be how I witnessed one of our team members voluntarily cleaning dishes at a missionary family’s home in Lithuania. She didn’t have to do that, nor was she asked. She was there as a guest, the one being served. And yet, she decided to lower herself and be a servant in the midst of that. That is definitely reflective of the image of God, and the example set by Jesus.

2. The relationship between Adam’s sin and our own is vastly complex, and yet, not really. Adam’s sin was disobedience. Along with Eve, he was deceived by the serpent and bought into the lie that he had to do/could do something in order to be like God. The fundamental problem with Adam’s disobedience is that he forgot about the truth regarding his identity: he is already like God, literally made in His image. So when the serpent came in, he was able to feed into the lie by making Adam believe he had something to achieve. Adam then did something that God explicitly told him not to. The unfortunate reality is that we do this constantly with our relationship to God. We forget our identity and are more easily tempted by lies, which gives way to sin. Another common thread between Adam’s sin and ours is that it leads to separation from God. We’re never completely cut off from Him, but sin does pervert and distort everything it touches. And that includes everything God intended for good.

I really like what you said when talking about Adam's sin and our own. It's so true that Satan uses the same lies and tricks on us today and it's pretty sad how often we fall for it. It's so healthy for us to ask for God's help in understand how much we are truly who he says we are so that we don't stumble in deception. I think one of the things I wrestle with about Adam's story is that the serpent said "you will be like God" and we always look at that thinking Adam is already like God he just doesn't believe or trust that truth. But then Genesis 3:21 God says, " The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil". So did the serpent lie? Was this just an aspect of God He didn't want man to be like because the knowledge leads to potential eternal death? I'm still confused and am developing my thoughts here so let me know if you have any answers!