Friday: Further Thought ~ What Happened?
Further Thought:
The Bible overflows with calls to sinners and backsliders. Compare Ps: 95:7-8; Isa: 55:1-2, Isaiah 55:6-7; Luke 15:3-7; Luke 19:10.
Image @ Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
What others can you find?
Read Ellen G. White, “The Creation,” pages 44-51; “The Temptation and Fall,” pages 52-62; and “The Plan of Redemption,” pages 63-70, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
“There was a gospel sermon, I think, in those three divine words as they penetrated the dense parts of the thicket, and reached the tingling ears of the fugitives — ‘Where art thou?’ Thy God is not willing to lose thee; He is come forth to seek thee, just as by-and-by He means to come forth in the Person of His Son, not only to seek but to save that which now is lost.” — Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Treasury of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962) Old Testament, vol. 1, p. 11.
Discussion Questions:
|
Summary:
God created us in His own image so that a loving fellowship could exist between Him and us. Although the entrance of sin shattered the original union, God seeks to restore this relationship through the plan of redemption. As dependent creatures, life takes on true meaning and clarity only when we enter into union with our Creator.
(17)
God wants us wholeheartedly back! As fallen as we were as long as we accept Him and worship Him in truth and in spirit...He would fully restore us all to his original intention!
Happy Sabbath 🙏
Around the world Christians are today remembering the pivotal act in the LORD's Plan of Salvation, fulfilling His Promise in Gen 3:15, as set out in more detail by the Holy Spirit though Paul, see texts below.
This Promise, the Plan of Salvation, are all summarized in the LORD's Everlasting Covenant of Love together with His Principles of Life.
The Creation, Temptation, Fall and Promise of Redemption are the first we learn of the Everlasting Covenant even though the word is not used. As we journey through the Word of the LORD we will find this Covenant in several forms, expanded and details added, but it will always be based on the relationship between the LORD and His People, which flows from the Character of the LORD.
As the 24 elders say: Rev 4:11 KJV Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Rom 5:1-2 KJV Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:8 KJV But God demonstrates his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2Co 5:19 KJV To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2Co 5:21 KJV For he hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Further Thought ~ What Happened?
'Because the kind and caring God is the One who seeks humankind, how can we respond to this expression of love by the Father and Jesus Christ even now? How does the Lord expect us to respond?'
One day I left my friend to go home but purposely decided to go another route to go home. I did not know the other route but said, I will go through that route just to get to know the place. At a junction I decided to turn onto another road facing my home town. Worked my way out until I saw a familiar road. Then I drove home because I knew where I was going.
Another day I leave work and was passing by my friend to visit. I decided to take another route to see if I can get to her place, I did not quiet know where I was going so I went on another road but that road didn't quiet looked familiar because it took me up a hill. I turned back, took another road and kept driving, I did not know that I was lost but I kept driving. I was passing unfamiliar homes. As I came to the same junction I saw wks before, then something in my mind became clear that I saw that junction before and was working my way back to her home. As I came to another road, instead of turning right, I turned left and was driving not realizing I was lost again. I turned around and then started driving in the opposite direction, then I found her home. At that time night had set in.
I gave those examples to say, when Adam and Eve were living in perfect harmony with God things went well, they knew where to go and where not to, they never got lost in the garden. They responded to the call of their Lord and Master and were their when he called them. As sin entered, they were lost but never knew at first until something in their minds were rewired and they hid from their Creator. To them, in their lost state he went looking for them both physically and spiritually (although he saw and knew where they were). I will say, he wants them to know that he was aware of what was going on.
When we are living in sin we are lost but do not even know we are lost. Humans cant bring us back neither can we bring back ourselves. It is the working of the Holy Ghost in our lives that brings conviction and conversion. As he works on our lives we realize, then acknowledge we have done something wrong(sin). We ask for forgiveness and try not to do the wrong again.
The Lord expects us/those who said they knew him to respond better/quicker than those who do not know him.
Those words, "Where are you?" can mean so many different things, depending on the tone of voice we imagine. I used to hear those words in a stern, reproving tone.
Now I hear God calling with disappointment,love and longing - disappointment not to see them at their usual meeting place, longing to be with them. He's letting our first parents know that He *still* wants to be with them!
It makes me think of how often I have disappointed Him in the same way - failing to meet Him in private worship or failing to meet Him on time for the beginning of the Sabbath.
Lord, please forgive me! Help me to keep our meeting times always uppermost in my mind. I need to spend this time with You so that you can fill me with your Spirit and use me as a channel of Your love for those around me.
So "What happened?", the creatures formed from the dust of the ground in the image of God replaced God's will with their own. Can we still do this today as Christians?(see Isa 4:1)
1. "How are we to respond?"
Jesus' message among men was “Repent ye, and believe the Gospel”. When asked by those convicted of their sin what they should do to be saved, Peter replied “Repent, and be converted”(Mark 1:15, Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38; 3:19,).
2.Why do we need to address the theory of evolution at all? It is nothing and there is nothing to address. "Always speak in the affirmative" is our instructions. We need only to hold up truth and the reasons for our faith.
3. To paraphrase the 2nd question: "Why must we abide in the Vine?"
"Without Me, you can do nothing (good)".
2. Such response may not be helpful in moving someone who thinks there is some evidence for evolution to where your beliefs are.
Dana, I'm addressing our study guides, not the subject itself IF someone brings it up with sincere questions(1 Pe 3:15), which has happened to me often by those who accept it. Does our study guide need to be taking jabs at false theories in order for members to learn the truth, or should we just focus on the truth from Scripture? The simple act of repeating a falsehood to argue against it among ourselves serves no purpose, but instead, gives the idea undue attention and focus in the minds of many people. Aren't we counseled to avoid such questions in our teaching/preaching?
When a sincere objection arises, we are to give our reason for truth, not our opinion of the falsehood, which only leads to arguments of opinions. We have no mandate to argue, only to witness for truth. This is what I have come to understand.
Robert as Dana has already said, the question does come up and so the study guide needs to equip us for when those questions come up. People bring it up so the lesson guide needed to bring it up. As a writer I have to be anticipating the questions my readers will have and answer them.
Although the theme is so familiar, this week’s study has prompted me to look at the 'Beginning' with fresh eyes. Today, my thoughts are drawn to Isa.40:31KJV – “They that wait upon the Lord, shall ….. I have found something very profound in this short declaration. Have our first parents “jumped the gun” – so to speak? Is at the heart of all our trouble the urge to follow the ‘thought’ up with action as soon as it pops into our mind?
Has our Father told us to be patient, to trust His Word to sort things out so life can develop in its right order – His Way - ? I believe so, over and over again we are admonished to allow our Father’s Will to set things in motion, correct/heal things, and move forward; always looking to Him from whom all blessings flow before considering the next step forward in our life brings peace of mind – Psalm 121:1-2KJV; Prov.3:5-6.
Our nature is based on our Father’s Character/Nature; this is the model to follow as we live our life; no short-cuts, but keeping steady on this narrow but solid Path through Life. Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s quote is so applicable: “Thy God is not willing to lose thee; He has come forth to seek thee, just as by-and-by He means to come forth in the Person of His Son, not only to seek but to save that which now is lost.” The believer’s life is already hid in Christ Jesus - yielding and patiently following His Path will cause us to ‘mount up with wings like an eagle, and run and not grow weary’.
Every step along the way our Father is right beside us, helping us to overcome temptation, guiding us through rough waters, providing rest by the River of Life – His Living Word of Truth, in prayer and worship.
Our ‘time’ with the Father is not just the isolated act of prayer, study or worship. We are His children 24 hours a day and are as such with and in His presence all the time! It is because we are His children that we pray and worship Him and study His Word of Life and Truth! We get to know our loving Father better and better, and that is wonderful!
‘Waiting upon the Lord’ should be the Christian’s motto, our call sign, our hashtag – #”waiting upon the Lord”. Resting and waiting in Him expresses our faith and trust; there are so many occurrences throughout the day were we can practice patient kindness. All life can be wrapped into ‘waiting upon the Lord’ as we decide to do the right thing instead the ‘act now’ thing! Actually, living like this is like stepping out of the demanding pressure cooker of life and submerging oneself in a pool of warm, soothing, relaxing water. A wise person once told me to resign as the General Manager of the Universe first thing in the morning. 😊 It’s only now, in my retirement age, that I experience the difference a yielded life makes and regret to have missed the blessing of the mind at peace during the ‘demanding days’ of my life!
Our Father is very happy as He brings His Children back into the heavenly family. Why is it so important for Him to let us know how we ought to behave with one another? The answer is quite simple – “because this is the way we live and behave around here (heaven)!” If one wants to be part of the Father’s heavenly family now and forever, one needs to learn to behave! Our God and Lord promises more joy and gladness of heart for all who join His Family because He is our always loving, ready to assist, patient FATHER.
Christianity is different from all pagan religions in the while in pagan religions the people make sacrifices to get the gods to accept them, in Christianity God provides Himself a sacrifice to get the people to accept Him. This is one way we can see that Christianity is not made up by man as man has never made up such a wonderful plan. Do you see any other ways that Christianity is different from pagan, man made religions?
These gods, to which they offers these sacrifices, have to be made from something that already exists. Our God is the maker of all things and is worthy of our adoration and praise.
What Happened?
Adam purposefully chose to cast his loyalty with Satan. He became his servant (slave) (Rom 7:16). Everyone of us was in Adam, our Head, when he rebelled. We partook in his rebellion (Rom 5:12,19). Since it was God who set up the test He, being just and good, acknowledged their choice: They had no more access to the Tree of Life; they lost the ability to appreciate Spiritual things and respond appropriately to God... We are sure of God’s acknowledgement because He had to redeem His sons and daughters from sin slavery under Satan (Heb 2:9-18).
Kenny, if your comment "Everyone of us was in Adam, our Head, when he rebelled. We partook in his rebellion (Rom 5:12,19). was true, then Jesus sinned(Heb 2:14,16). However, a close read of Rom 5:12 shows that " death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned"(See also Eze 18:4). Sin is transgression of the law, and none of us are guilty of Adam's sin, only our own.
I agree with what you state to be the consequences of Adam and Eve's sin of faithlessness - their choosing not to trust God's word.
But I don't think we "partook in his rebellion" when Adam sinned. It doesn't make logical sense, since we were not there to rebel, and God invites us to "reason" with Him. (Isaiah 1:18)
Instead, I believe, Adam and Eve, by their rebellion, separated themselves from God. They changed masters, so to speak. They changed allegiance from the Kingdom of God to the kingdoms of this world.
As their sons and daughters, we, are born alienated from God. Our natures are naturally self-centered, which is the opposite of the nature of Christ.
Christ, by contrast, was born of the Spirit, in harmony with the heart of the Father and naturally motivated by self-renouncing love like that of the Father. That is why He was not subject to death like humans born separated from the Father.
Christ's work of salvation is to bridge that gap of alienation and connect humanity again to the heart of the Father. When we submit to His will, He will transform our hearts to be motivated by self-renouncing love like the love of the Father and the Son.
Inge, are you saying Jesus was above temptation and could not have sinned? Was our propitiation fixed beyond all chance of failing? Do you think this would allow Christ to be our Example, since we cannot help but fail? Would Satan remain silent over this if Jesus the "Son of man" was really Jesus the Divine and Almighty God, which He was before His incarnation as a babe in the manger whose mother was Mary?
I read that Jesus was subject to temptation, in fact, temptations far greater than I would ever face.
Also, separation from God is a choice isn't it? I'm not referring to the physical separation that our fallen nature requires, which keeps God's consuming glory hidden from our mortal, fallen nature. Jesus was flesh after the seed of Abraham(fallen) and neither immortal or divine, being subject to death through having laid His divinity aside(Phil 2:5-7, Heb 2:14,16). If Jesus was divine in nature, this would have made Him unqualified to take our place in death or be our Example for life wouldn't it?
Robert, no, I'm not saying that Jesus could not have sinned.
I am restating that Jesus was "born of the Spirit" (thus in harmony with the heart of the Father) at his physical birth. Luke 1:35 He did, indeed have a divine nature as well as a human nature. The Bible is unequivocal on this.
Yes, Jesus was tempted far above how we could possibly be tempted. Probably His greatest temptation was to use His divine power in His behalf. We will never have to face that. Nor will we have to face the temptation to "call ten thousand angels" to escape the cross.
Yes, according to Peter we may all "become partakers of the Divine nature"(2 Pe 1:4), but we are not divine. We too may be born of the Spirit (John 3:5), but we are still fallen in nature and fully human. One may receive these attributes by faith, but still choose fall away. Lucifer, Adam, and Eve were all unfallen and without sin at their creation.
So exactly how was Jesus "different" from Adam's race, except being at birth what we may become when "born again"? He never resorted to using His Divinity, which would have nullified Him as our substitute and example.
As I review your comment again, I guess it was the part about Jesus not being subject to death that makes me wonder what you meant. Clearly, He came to die, so what do you mean "not subject to death"? Maybe you mean not deserving of death due to sinning? I agree with that. Yet we read that He would have died in Gethsemane had the angel not revived Him.
Sorry, Robert, that I was unclear.
By "subject to death," I meant the death that is the wages of sin - the second death, eternal death. The first death is called a "sleep" in the Bible.
Jesus was not born separated from the Father, the Source of life, as all humans are, because He was born of the Spirit.
He is both fully God and fully human. He came to this planet with the risk of eternal separation from the Father - a loss we cannot possibly understand. But praise God that He conquered sin and death by remaining fully subject to the Father and in harmony with His will! By His life and death, He reclaimed this planet for the Father, and all who believe in Him are reinstated into the family as sons and daughters of God.
Ok Inge, that makes more sense.
I do believe that we must realize Jesus lived as a man, apart from His divine power, which we do not have. He lived by faith in the word and power of God as we may. If we repent, we will have every advantage He possessed as the Son of man.
Robert, I'd like to take it one step further beyond
Robert and Inge, I see in Heb 7:1-11 that Levi paid tithes to great Melchizedek IN Abraham “for he (Levi) was still in the loins of his father (Abraham) when Melchizedek met him.”v 10. It’s not subject to logic. These are spiritual things.
Jesus affirmed that as a Son He was one with the Father, that “I am in the Father and the Father is in Me” Jn 14:11. He then said concerning His death that the world would no longer see Him but the Apostles would see Him, “because I live you will live also. In that day you will come to know that I am in my Father, and you IN Me, and I in you.”(Jn 14:19,20) They were resurrected (came alive) with Christ because they were “in Him”, and so are all Christ’s seed, and are seated with Him in the Heavenly IN Christ Jesus (Eph 2:6). Our baptism symbolizes our death, burial, and resurrection in Christ.
God created Adam with his seed in him. Christ’s seed was promised to Him but foreknown IN Him from before the foundation of the world. Adam was a type of Christ. Natural life came with him. Eternal life came with Christ, the Adam of the new creation. Adam was given dominion as a stewardship until the Heir, Christ, would come (Rom 5:14; Col 1:15-17; Heb 1:2,3). It’s through His Son God brings children to birth like Himself doing His will (Rom 8:29). Christ was the exact image of God. We are not restored to first Adam’s state. We are co-heirs with Christ exalted above everything in heaven and earth, except God Himself
Inge, I agree with much of your comment however. 🙏
Kenny, the passage in Heb 7 has been used to "prove" we were all in Adam, but physically that is impossible if you understand the physiology of human development. We came from our fathers, not Adam who died some 5000+ years ago. Yes, each generation can trace their roots back to Adam, but even our fathers don't contain their children since there must be a mother as well.
Levi was Abraham's great grandson, coming from Jacob and Levi's mother. If you want to understand Heb 7, just read Paul's conclusion of it in Heb 8:1. Some have used your same interpretation to claim that we were literally with Jesus on the cross, and thus died with Him for our sin, and from this they have claimed Jesus cannot die for us, citing Eze 18 as "proof". This means I died already for my sins, no matter how great or how many, and have thus propitiated for myself, and yet will live forever. Pagan roots throughout this reasoning.
The conclusion is this, death in this life comes upon me because, like Adam, I have sinned. I am not and could not be guilty with Adam from his transgression. This is the true meaning of Rom 5:12. I am saved by Jesus blood, not mine.