Sabbath: Paul and the Rebellion
Read for This Week’s Study: Rom. 5:12-21, 1 Cor. 3:12-17, 1 Cor. 12:14-26, Eph. 6:11-17, 1 Cor. 15:12-18.
Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com
Memory Text: “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory'” (1 Corinthians 15:54, NIV).
Paul’s writings abound with the great-controversy theme. There’s no question that Paul believed not only in the reality of Satan but also in the reality of his work of deceit and death. In numerous places, Paul warned of Satan’s “schemes” (Eph. 6:11, NIV), of his powerful deceptions (2 Cor. 11:14), and even of his supernatural powers (2 Thess. 2:9).
But as anyone who has read Paul knows, the apostle’s emphasis has always been on Christ and His ultimate victory for us. However much Satan succeeded in overcoming God’s covenant people through the centuries, the devil utterly failed against Jesus, and in Jesus all the covenant promises have been fulfilled, thus ensuring salvation for all who claim it in faith and obedience, Jew and Gentile. Christ’s faithfulness also ensures the ultimate demise of Satan (Heb. 2:14) and the end of the great controversy.
This week we will look at some of the images and metaphors that Paul used in explaining the reality of the battle and how we are to live, working together for the good of the whole as a church and a community of believers engaged in this cosmic struggle.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 5.
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Though discomfort, hardships, troubles and suffering make life miserable for all, the ultimate enemy of life is death. As wretched as things may seem on this earth there is somehow a sense of hope among the nations that things may improve, even if only by human effort. With this thought many cling to life even in the most extreme circumstances. In cases of great suffering others may still be shattered when death removes their loved ones. Such is the preciousness of life.
Against this backdrop 1 Corinthians 15:54 rings with hope for those who may accept its sentiment by faith. Christians of every generation have longed for death to be swallowed up in victory. Still the believer will have to wait for it and hold on by faith; for it is the last enemy to be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26).
The Father has granted authority to the Son of God to eradicate the sting of death, which is sin (1 Corinthians 15:26-28, 55-57). This is to be accomplished when Christ’s ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary is complete and He returns for the redeemed, who are the beneficiaries of this joyous event (Romans 2:6-7). The unrighteous are ultimately swallowed up by death, before death itself is abolished (Revelation 20:12-15; 21:4).
Until then the faithful turn their hearts toward Heaven and grow to detest that with which they must part - sin and sinfulness. Those who long for death to be relegated to history need also long for sin to disappear from their own lives and their community, and the world. These sigh and cry for the stain on the Creator’s work (Ezekiel 9:4).
Why not hold firmly to the Living One, He who holds the keys (Revelation 1:18).
The kind of training Paul received from above helped him to help us get to understand and always stay conscious of the great controversy. That's why his message is stocked with warnings and reminders and encouragements. As he writes, he ensures that his readers get every bit that constitutes the character of that artiful foe that they wittingly or unwittingly are involved with. And the LORD has been good and true to His promises; the Spirit attends whosoever genuinely studies these scriptures for He is true and pure love.
Let us not allow our feelings or thoughts or Satan’s lies dictate what is true. “Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). God’s word is truer than anything we feel, think or see. Faith is not a feeling. It is a choice that we must make to take God at His Word. Let us "take up the shield of faith with which we will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one" Victory is ours through faith in Christ Jesus
Paul's background and eventual conversion set the stage for him to see in Jesus the fulfillment of the Old Testament types and promises, which helps us understand his desire to reach out to the Jews though sent to the gentiles. He never lost his desire to open the eyes of his own nation, the one-time favored people of God, and yet how trying it must have been to see the hardness of their hearts continue in obstinate pride. Paul's teaching and epistles centered in the crucified and risen Savior of the world, foreshadowed over the centuries while many had observed the forms with no knowledge of their true meaning, especially in those final days of their waning probation which closed before his own heart was touched by grace. All this experience prepared him well to effectively resist those Jews who still thought to focus on the Law as being the sinners salvation.
Maybe we can see in part why God sent Paul to the gentiles, since the disappointment of the Jew's continued resistance was such a perplexing burden to him. It speaks of the gospel's power that one so "legalistic" turned out to be so effective in reaching out to the gentiles. This is what full surrender through living faith and genuine conversion can do. Paul's example reveals the work of God in the heart of any who are willing to forsake all for Christ; the Way, the Truth and the Life for repentant sinners.
Robert, was Paul "willing to forsake all for Christ"? If he 'was', when did that happen? What caused or led him to *willingness*? This may answer some questions that some may have, since the believer is God's workmanship or creation. God alone is responsible for what his workmanship produces, not so?
Kenny, conversion is a process that to some might come instantly and others gradually. In either case, the growing in grace follows in the daily life which is "as a light that shines more and more unto the perfect day"(Prov 4:18). When Paul saw Jesus clearly, experienced the forgiveness of his sins and felt the accepting love of Christ's followers toward himself, their one-time persecutor, well, I would think his response grew with every revelation of such grace toward sinners, of whom he felt he was chief.
Was it then, after he became "willing", that Christ decided to save him? That is just part of Christ's work of salvation on the sons of God. None seeks after God. None becomes "willing" spontaneously, of oneself. None repents of oneself. God leads His children to repentance.
Also Christ was not born like us slaves of sin. He was called Holy Thing. In Him was no sin. He was the second Adam, the representative Man. "Holy, undefiled, innocent, separate from sinners..."1Pt 4:26 "In Him there is no sin"1 John 3:5. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf..." 2 Cor 5:21
Kenny, Jesus is called holy because He exercised His free will to not rebel against the Law of God, choosing rather to be faithful in everything. If He couldn't sin, He could not be our substitute or surety could He? He could also never be our Example to follow. Just think about it. He was made lower than the angels, of which 1/3 have chosen to remain sinners.
Hebrews 2 states about Jesus: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;...For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham(Not sinless Adam)....For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."
While we can become slaves to sin of our own free will, if we are born slaves already, then there is no free will is there?
As for when Christ decided to save Paul, or anyone/everyone, the Bible tells us that He made this choice "from the foundation of the world" and even "before the world began". This applies to everyone, whether they end up choosing to accept salvation or not. He will give to each the desire of their heart in regards to salvation, but died to give all the opportunity for complete restoration from sin and eternal life with God.
Do you realize fully the extent of justification and the power of God to sanctify every willing soul? Do you comprehend that everyone saved from sin will be found "faultless" before the presence of God's glory with "exceeding joy"?!(Understand what that implies) Do you realize how this actually works? That it's real and obtainable, but will only be obtained by the "144,000" because they choose it daily/hourly as Jesus their Example did? All others will pass on the opportunity and cling to their cherished sin(s). God waits for those people to stand and choose, and until then the angles will hold the four winds for yet another generation.
The lesson on Sabbath afternoon mentions 2 Cor 11:14, a reference to Satan's powerful deception by his transformation into "an angel of light". There is commentary on this verse connecting it to The Apocalypse of Moses (a Jewish writing I have NEVER heard of) which has Eve's account of how the enemy deceived mankind. It states "Satan appeared in the form of an angel and sang hymns like the angels". My question: Given our first Fundamental Belief, what is our (SDA) church's position on writings that are not of the Holy Bible as we know it today?