in any way
excusable? Strong men and women often sin through the influence of
those whom they love and admire. Are they thereby excused? What
natural impulses impelled the woman to disobey the divine command?
Were these impulses of themselves wrong? How far did her
experience reflect common human experience? What was the real
nature of her act? Was it wrong or praise-worthy for her to desire
knowledge?

In what form did temptation come to the man in Genesis 3. Does
temptation appeal in a different form to each individual? The
Hebrew word for sin (which means to miss the mark placed before
each individual) vividly and aptly describes the real nature of
sin. The ideal placed before each individual represents his sense
of what is right. If he acts contrary to that ideal or fails to
strive to realize it, does he sin?

IV.

THE EFFECTS OF SIN UPON THE WRONG-DOER.

What was the effect of their consciousness of having disobeyed upon
the man and woman in the ancient story? Did they believe that they
had done wrong, or merely that they had incurred a penalty? Does
sin tend to make cowards of men? Were the feelings of shame, and
the sense of estrangement in the presence of one who loved them,
the most tragic effect of their sin? When a child disobeys a
parent or a friend wrongs a friend is the sense of having injured a
loved one the most painful consequence of sin? Was the penalty
imposed on the man and woman the result of a divine judgment or the
natural and inevitable effect of wrong-doing? Why did the man and
woman try to excuse their disobedience? Was it natural? Was it
good policy? Was it right? If not, why not?

V.

GOD'S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE SINNER.

Jehovah in the story evidently asked the man and woman a question,
the answer to which he already knew, in order to give them an
opportunity to confess their wrong-doing. Parents and teachers
often seek to give the culprit the opportunity to confess his sin.
What is the attitude of the law towards the criminal who pleads
guilty? What is the reason for this attitude? A loving parent or
even the state might forgive an unrepentant sinner, but the effect
of the wrong-doing upon the sinner and upon others may still remain.

While the man and woman remained conscious of their wrong-doing,
though defiant, to abide in Jehovah's presence was for them
intolerable. Are toil and pain essential to the moral development
of sinners who refuse to confes