08/18/2026
Study Guide: Week 6: Sin As Mistrust
Big idea: Sin begins when we stop trusting God’s goodness and start trusting ourselves.
Summary
Throughout this series, we have looked at sin through different metaphors in the lives of real people: predator, self-deception, self-righteousness, and yeast. Each reveals a different way sin works, but underneath these expressions is a deeper root: mistrust.
Jeremiah 17 gives us two pictures of where we place our trust. The person who trusts in himself is like a dry shrub, while the person who trusts in the Lord is like a tree planted by water. The heat still comes, but the difference is where the roots are.
Genesis 3 shows us the root of sin. The serpent questions God's character and convinces Adam and Eve that God is holding out on them. They stop trusting God's goodness and reach for what they believe they need. Mistrust leads to self-reliance, and self-reliance turns us inward.
The Gospel gives us the answer to how we trust God again. The serpent used a tree to plant the lie that God cannot be trusted; Jesus died on another tree to destroy that lie. At the cross, we see that God was not withholding Himself from us: God was giving Himself for us. Grace teaches us to trust God again.
1. The ROOT of sin is MISTRUST
Sin begins when we stop trusting God's goodness and turn away from Him. The question is not simply whether we obey God, but whether we trust Him enough to believe that His ways are good.
2. MISTRUST leads to SELF-RELIANCE
When we stop trusting God, we begin taking control of our own lives.
See the progression: I don't trust God → I take control → I become my own god.
3. SELF-RELIANCE makes us CURVED IN ON OURSELVES
Sin isn't simply being “bad.” Even morality, religion, serving, or doing good things can become self-centered when we use them to earn approval, feel superior, or get something from God.
4. GRACE teaches us to TRUST GOD AGAIN
The answer to sin isn't simply trying harder to trust God. We learn to trust Him by seeing His grace. At the cross, God shows us that He is good and that He held nothing back.
Discussion Questions
1. What have we discovered about sin throughout this series?
Which picture of sin: predator, self-deception, self-righteousness, yeast, or mistrust has been most meaningful or challenging to you? Why?
2. We've seen that sin is more than simply “breaking rules”.
How would you describe sin after going through this series?
3. Read Jeremiah 17:5–8.
What stands out to you about the two trees? What is the difference between them?
4. “Where are your roots?”
What are some things people commonly trust for identity, security, significance, purpose, approval, or happiness?
5. Martin Luther described sin as being “curved in on itself.”
What does that phrase mean to you? How can something that looks good on the outside still be motivated by self-centeredness?
6. What does Genesis 3 reveal about God's character?
What does it tell us about God even after Adam and Eve sin?
7. The serpent's lie was that God was holding out on humanity, while the cross shows that God held nothing back.
What does the cross teach us about God's goodness and love?
8. The sermon says, “Grace teaches us to trust God again.”
What does that mean practically in your life?
