A Theological Flow Chart: Grace, Sin & Salvation

In Genesis 11, we find the fascinating story of the Tower of Babel – a powerful illustration of human pride and our tendency to place ourselves at the center of our lives instead of God. This ancient account provides profound insights into the nature of sin and God’s response to our rebellion.

What Is Theology and Why Does It Matter?

Theology – from the Greek words “theos” (God) and “ology” (study of) – is simply the study of God. Understanding theology helps us in two critical ways:

1. It helps us define what we value rather than passively accepting the world’s values
2. It provides common ground for believers from different backgrounds to build upon

When we don’t clearly understand what we believe, we have no choice but to accept what the world tells us is important. Having a clear theological foundation gives us stability in an ever-changing culture.

The Theology Flowchart: Starting with Grace

At the beginning of our theological understanding is grace – the unmerited gift of God’s love. This is sometimes called “prevenient grace” because it comes before any action on our part. We don’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. It’s simply given because of who God is and who we are to Him.

We see this illustrated in Genesis 1, where after creating humanity, God declared everything “very good.” This demonstrates God’s love for us simply because we are His creation.

How Do Humans Respond to God’s Grace?

Unfortunately, humanity’s response to God’s love is often sin. The definition of sin is “alienation from God – our willful act of turning from God as the center of life and putting ourselves and our own wills at the center”.

We see this pattern in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve chose to eat from the one tree God had forbidden. Despite having everything they could want, they chose the one thing God said not to touch.

This pattern continues in our lives today. There’s likely something in each of our lives that God would say “don’t touch that” – yet we’re drawn to it, believing it will bring satisfaction, contentment, or joy.

What Does the Tower of Babel Teach Us About Sin?

The Tower of Babel story perfectly illustrates sin’s nature. The people gathered and decided to build a tower to heaven. On the surface, this might seem like a good thing – perhaps they wanted to honor God or demonstrate His creative power working through them.

But Genesis 11:4b reveals their true motivation: “… so that we may make a name for ourselves”

Their motivation wasn’t to glorify God but to glorify themselves – “so that we may make a name for ourselves.” This is the essence of sin – putting our will, our desires, and our glory at the center instead of God’s.

What Are the Different Types of Sin?

Sin manifests in two primary ways:

1. Sins of commission – the wrong things we actively do
2. Sins of omission – the good things we fail to do when we have the opportunity

Both types create separation between us and God. When we place ourselves at the center of our lives, we push God out of His rightful place, and everything becomes misaligned.

How Does God Respond to Our Sin?

The beautiful truth is that God doesn’t give up on us. Despite our sin and rebellion, God offers salvation – “the knowledge that we have been found by God after feeling lost and alone”.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells the parable of the shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to find the one that’s lost, and the woman who searches diligently for her lost coin. In both stories, there’s great rejoicing when what was lost is found.

This illustrates God’s heart toward us. He actively seeks us out when we’ve wandered away. Sometimes He uses others to bring us back to Himself, but God is always the one doing the work of salvation in our lives.

Life Application

God’s grace initiates our relationship with Him, our sin creates separation, but God’s salvation bridges that gap. This week, consider these questions:

1. Where in your life might you be building your own “Tower of Babel” – something that appears good but is actually about making a name for yourself?
2. Are there areas where you’ve placed yourself at the center instead of God? What would it look like to restore God to His rightful place?
3. Who has God placed in your life that might need to experience His love through you? Consider who you might invite to worship with you, as you never know how God might be working in their lives.
4. When was the last time you experienced the joy of being “found” by God? Take time this week to thank Him for His persistent pursuit of you.

Remember, there is “more happiness in heaven over one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 who already have turned to God.” – Luke 15:7. Your story of being found by God is worth celebrating!

Sermon video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkkCaTz-zCE

[Blog post created by Sermon Shots from original sermon content preached by Rev. Kent F. Jackson on September 21, 2025.]