Basic Christianity by John Stott
Week 5: Part Two — The Nature of Man (Man's Guilt)
Read Part Two, Chapter 4 of Basic Christianity by John Stott. Key passages: Romans 3:23; Psalm 51:1-5.
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Having established who Jesus is, Stott now turns to why we need him — and the diagnosis is more serious than we might want to admit.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Stott opens Part Two with a pivotal shift: having established who Jesus is, he now asks why Jesus came. What does it reveal about the structure of the gospel that Stott treats human sinfulness only after establishing Christ's identity? Why does the sequence matter?
2.Stott argues that sin is not merely wrongdoing but a fundamental disorder of the will — a turning away from God toward self. How does this definition differ from the popular idea of sin as simply breaking rules? What changes when sin is understood relationally rather than merely morally?
3.Stott uses the concept of 'self-centeredness' as the root of sin — that we have dethroned God and enthroned ourselves. Where do you see this pattern most clearly in your own life? Is this a diagnosis you recognize, or does it feel unfair or overstated?
a.Stott describes sins of the flesh (sensuality), sins of the spirit (pride, envy, malice), and sins of the tongue. Which category do you find most personally convicting?
b.Why do respectable, religious people often miss the depth of their own sin?
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