Sabbath: Idols of the Soul
Read for This Week’s Study: Eccles. 9:10; Matt. 18:1-4; Matt. 18:21-35; Matt. 19:16-30; Gal. 3:21-22; Matt. 19:27.
Memory Text:“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” (Matthew 18:1, NIV).
Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com
As human beings, we are products of our environment, of our culture. These greatly shape our values, beliefs, and attitudes. Whether you were raised in a big metropolitan area or in a village with no clean water, it makes no difference: the culture, the environment that you grew up in has greatly made you what you are. And even if you are able to go to a new environment, the one you have been raised in will leave its mark on you until the grave.
Unfortunately, to some degree, most of our environments and cultures work against the principles of God’s kingdom. The world, after all, is a fallen world, and its values, morals, and customs often reflect that fallen state. What else would they reflect? It’s just so hard for us to see because we are so immersed in our culture and environment.
The work of God in our hearts is, among other things, to point us to the values, morals, and standards of God’s kingdom. As we will see this week, those values, morals, and standards often greatly differ from what we have been born into and reared in. The disciples had to learn these lessons; we do too.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 28.
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As we are conceived and born and mature in this world the society we are in is a foreign atmosphere to the kingdom of heaven. Our character is even affected by our surroundings and our basic ways of coping with life are formulated in us from a very young age. We have selfishness as our basic motivation.
Our most basic ways of coping with life in reacting to our surroundings is formed with the motivation of selfishness in our very young years. When we grow older we have ways of responding to issues in life that are based on our very young establishment of basic motivations or values.
When we learn that we can choose to listen to our our conscience for our basic motivation and we allow the Holy Spirit to formulate our thoughts and feelings within us, we are changing that most natural basic motivation that we were born with and we are allowing God to permeate our experience and to begin to formulate his character within us. We then can actually begin to establish a new foundation for the reason why we do what we do. When we do this by the motivation of God's Holy Spirit we are walking with Jesus instead of walking against Him or contrary to Him, which is natural to us.
Since we are not infinite and our experience is not infinite we could conceivably walk with Jesus to the point that God's character is fully produced in us and perfected in this life.
I think this is a reasonable goal for one who is walking with Jesus and is making the choice for God to rule in every issue of his/her life.
Indeed what a high goal, even the very highest which is to have Christ formed within - the Hope of glory!
I am not sure what goal you may being referring to. Any goal that is empowered by the Holy spirit is possibly achievable. Goal is the word, meaning, unattainable endeavor yet. Once it has been reached, it is complete. How many have reached that goal already? How many have never reached that goal? Only each of us can tell.
Is reaching the goal the purpose of a Christian's goal, or is steadily continuing toward that goal in this life a Christian's purpose? Short of entrance to the kingdom of glory, the ultimate goal, all goals are "pressing on toward the mark of our high calling - in Christ Jesus"!
God's goal for us is to perfect His character in us. This is possible in Him.
Yes...and I pray for the religious values I often imparted for my children's heart will guide them to grow nearer to the Lord or walk thorough the path of faith of righteousness...environment at present may influence them but God will do good e nought to guide everyone to His fold.
We'll just keep in praying that the seeds of love to the Lord as an idol of the soul we've dearly ilkustrates to youngs may grow more powerful.
Have a great weekdays ahead
Is ambition a bad or good thing?
Thanks for the good opportunity, May the good Lord bless us all. Psalms 37:4 says: Delight yourself also in the Lord; and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Ambition is a good thing as long as it is in conformity with God's purpose.
Deut 27:15 “Cursed be the man that makes any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD... and puts it in a secret place”.
Here a curse is pronounced upon those that make an idol and put it in a secret place.
It is not so much open idolatry, but the subtle, concealed idolatry – “the closet idols” that are the most dangerous... Bowing the will to some evil, outside of the public eye.
An idol can be made of anything [they can be made of intangible ideas, ‘pet theories’, etc.], but ultimately an idol is anything that is made into a substitute for God.
Are we at liberty to ignore the warnings? Shall we think that the curse was confined to the Jews only?
Speaking to the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord said, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart” (Eze 14:3). So it has often been, and so it is still today. The apostle seeks to warn us off that ground, “little children, keep yourself from idols” (1Jn 5:21).
Let's keep ourselves from idols of the heart!
This statement from the editors comment on Sabbath troubled me :"As human beings, we are products of our environment, of our culture. These greatly shape our values, beliefs, and attitudes. Whether you were raised in a big metropolitan area or in a village with no clean water, it makes no difference: the culture, the environment that you grew up in has greatly made you what you are. And even if you are able to go to a new environment, the one you have been raised in will leave its mark on you until the grave".
Does this mean that the " marks " our environment and culture have left on us will remain for ever eventhough we have accepted Christ and He has made us new creatures? Or eventhough we may have been affected by culture and environment , the marks will not prevent us from experiencing new birth experience and salvation? Help ! Some one please clarify!!
With Christ we can be changed whether like Peter who was a fisherman or Paul who was taught by rabbis
Even though the effects of the environment and culture are with us it is when they go against the word of God that we distance ourselves from them
Some affect positively or negatively so of course we'll adhere only to the positive
Abraham picked up the lifestyle of his pagan community for multiple wives and subsequent children who are in war to this day
That is a culture against God's law
Joseph, I would not be concerned about our past. What is important is the present and the future. Jerimiah 13:23 is helpful I think. An opinion that is troubling may be misunderstood or understood differently, in some instances.
Concerning ambition, there are many scripture that warn against selfish ambition which is want we as humans are prone to. See https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2:3&version=NIV and https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5:20&version=NIV.
The statement that says we are products of our culture is true. Even today we see enough evidence of this displayed in certain Adventist churches. Forinstance we have those who adhere strictly and firmly to the teaching of Paul in 1 Corinthians 11: 3 - 16. Paul here was clearly working on the boundaries of culture for the sake of the gospel. In this text Paul was urging women in the Corinthian churches to cover their heads following a prominent custom in Eastern cultures of the day. He was addressing a specific cultural situation. But he did not intend that his teaching should be applied in all situations.
It is true that in Roman and Greek societies women covered their heads during worship as a sign of piety, high moral value and a clear show of commitment to one's husband. Further, in Biblical times following Moses' experience (Exodus 3:5) there were those loving children of God who adopted the practice of removing one's sandals when approaching God as a sign of respect and due reverence. This practice is still practised in some Adventist churches today but in most Adventist churches, reverence and respect to God is shown in different ways.
The point being made here is that it is true that we are enveloped within our environment and culture that tend to shape our values, viewpoint. In conceding to this fact of life, however, we need to remain alive to the reality that our environment and culture are contaminated by sin. Any teaching based on culture and custom should not be taught as though its vital for our salvation.
I think that often prenatal influences and environment are overlooked when we wonder why some people/children act the way they do. These things leave a huge mark on people for the rest of their lives and it places them in an even deeper disadvantage when fighting against the evils that Satan throws at them. Being very acquainted with foster and adopted children it becomes very evident that some children as they mature and become adults are hard to "save". No matter how much counseling, positive family environment, exposure to Christian values and being placed in some of the most loving Christian homes and families, some children still seem bent on ruining their lives and futures.
Unless they allow Jesus in their heart and submit completely and fully to Him, it seems extremely difficult to reach them and to not have the hereditary tendencies drag them make into poor choices throughout their lives. Perhaps, that is what the author meant by his comments.
Joseph, to some extent I agree with what the writer has written. As long as we remain here on planet earth, the culture and environment will have an influence on our lives, mark this, "UNTIL THE GRAVE" Marks of sin here on earth will be with us though we give our lives to God. But when He comes new creatures indeed we will be. When we give our lives to Christ we become new persons, old man dies and new man come in. in this context, these forces have have no power over us. Our minds, characters, desires habits and practices do change( Revival and Reformation)If I was brought up in a culture and environment were drinking was the order of the day before I met Christ, this changes the moment I accept Christ as my personal Saviour and begin to follow is teaching.
Bu if I was short at, knifed due to some evil activities before meeting Christ, these marks will still be there even after accepting Christ as my Saviour till death. When raised, I will be glorified with new bodies- these marks will not be there.
God knows that we are living in a Fallen World and we are easily prone to follow the fallen nature of man. But with the help of the Holy Spirit we can walk in the narrow way. We need not worry so much about the past footprints of our lives if we trust Him and put our heavy laden to our Lord. Remember we have a hope that Jesus shall wipe every tears from us!
Joseph the comments from editor is basically reminding us that bible principles not only are universal but also eternal, meaning, the principles applies to all while practicing those principles will be different based on the culture, time and environment. like some parts of Africa ladies wearing pants is a no no but here in America its perfectly normal or when other parts of the world are embracing health reforms others actually are surviving on animal products even bush meats (i m referring to Christians) . There are two principles which prevails culture, time and environment; 1. we do nothing which affects our relationship with Heavenly Father and 2. we do nothing which will make others to stumble or doubt our Faith in Christ and the only way out is to trust and believe in His WORD