Sin
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain Christian beliefs about sin and how these beliefs influence Christians today.
Key learning points
- Sin refers to an action against God’s laws or wishes.
- Sin occurs when humans misuse their free will and the punishment is separation from God.
- Original sin refers to the belief that humans are born with a tendancy to sin, inherited from Adam and Eve.
- Christian beliefs about sin can influence individual moral decisions and whole community practices.
Keywords
Free will - God's gift to humanity allowing them to make their own choices
Original sin - belief that human nature is flawed, and that we all have the tendency to sin; traditionally believed to come from Adam and Eve’s disobedience
Punishment - a penalty given to someone for a crime or wrong they have done
Sin - behaviour which is against God's laws and wishes/against Christian principles of morality
Common misconception
Christians do not sin.
Many Christians recognise that humans aren't perfect and sometimes there are times when they will commit sins.
Teacher tip
You may wish to remind students of the creation account in Genesis 2 and its focus on human nature prior to learning cycle 1.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What do Christians believe was the purpose of Jesus’ death and resurrection?
Q2.What is one way the resurrection and ascension might influence Christians today?
Q3.What did Jesus do before he ascended?
Q4.According to Christian belief, Jesus remained on Earth for days after his resurrection before ascending into heaven.
Q5.According to the Gospels, Jesus’ tomb was discovered empty by Mary and other followers.
Q6.Many Christians believe that Jesus’ resurrection demonstrates the triumph of over evil and death.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.According to Genesis, God gave Adam and Eve the ability to make choices. This ability is called will.
Q2.The belief that all humans inherit a sinful nature is called sin.
Q3.Which of the following is not a source of authority for Christians in making moral decisions?
Q4.Why do some Christians confess their sins?
Q5.What is one consequence of sin according to Christian belief?
Q6.How might beliefs about sin influence Christian behaviour today?
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: Sin, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: Sin, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Christianity: Beliefs unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.