The Plan of Redemption

April 21 – 27, 2024

Key Text

“For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

Study Help: Early Writings, 149–153; Patriarchs and Prophets, 63–70

Introduction

“As soon as there was sin, there was a Saviour. … As soon as Adam sinned, the Son of God presented Himself as surety for the human race.” The Faith I Live By, 75

Sunday

1 GOD’S PROVISION IN OUR BEHALF

1.a. Since when has fallen humanity had a Saviour? Revelation 13:8. How is God able to consider Christ as having already died for them from the foundation of the world? Romans 4:17, last part

Note: “The plan of salvation had been laid before the creation of the earth.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 63

1.b.  Why was no one except the Son of God able to redeem the fallen race? Isaiah 43:11; John 14:6; Acts 4:12

Note: “Only one equal with God could make atonement for its [the law’s] transgression. None but Christ could redeem fallen man from the curse of the law and bring him again into harmony with heaven.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 63

1.c. Why did Christ have to die for us? Hebrews 9:22; Ephesians 1:7

Note: “To many it has been a mystery why so many sacrificial offerings were required in the old dispensation, why so many bleeding victims were led to the altar. … In every bleeding sacrifice was typified ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ John 1:29.” Our High Calling, 47

Monday

2 THE PLAN OF SALVATION ANNOUNCED

2.a. What did our first parents understand when they heard the sentence pronounced upon Satan? Genesis 3:15

Note: “God declares: ‘I will put enmity.’ This enmity is not naturally entertained. When man transgressed the divine law, his nature became evil, and he was in harmony, and not at variance, with Satan. There exists naturally no enmity between sinful man and the originator of sin. Both became evil through apostasy. The apostate is never at rest, except as he obtains sympathy and support by inducing others to follow his example. For this reason fallen angels and wicked men unite in desperate companionship.” The Great Controversy, 505

“ ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.’ This sentence, uttered in the hearing of our first parents, was to them a promise. While it foretold war between man and Satan, it declared that the power of the great adversary would finally be broken.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 65, 66

2.b.      Upon what was the plan of salvation established? John 3:16

Note: “The time came that a change must be made, or the image of God would be wholly obliterated from the hearts of the beings He had created. All heaven watched the movements of God with intense interest. Would He once more manifest His wrath? Would He destroy the world by fire? The angels thought that the time had come to strike the blow of justice, when, lo, to their wondering vision was unveiled the plan of salvation. Wonder, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth! God sent His only begotten Son into the world to save the world! Amazing grace! ‘Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.’

“God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Outraged justice might have passed speedy sentence upon man. But in love and mercy God gave him another opportunity.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 569, 570

2.c. To how many is the plan of salvation made available? 1 John 2:2; Revelation 22:17; 2 Peter 3:9

Tuesday

3 GOD’S FOREKNOWLEDGE

3.a. How does the psalmist convey the reality of God’s foreknowledge of every human being? Psalm 139:1–4

3.b.  What does the apostle Paul mean when he says, “The Lord knoweth them that are His.” 2 Timothy 2:19? Give examples: Jeremiah 1:5; Galatians 1:15

3.c. How did God reveal His foreknowledge concerning Esau and Jacob? Genesis 25:23

Note: “God knows the end from the beginning. He knew, before the birth of Jacob and Esau, just what characters they would both develop. He knew that Esau would not have a heart to obey Him. He answered the troubled prayer of Rebekah and informed her that she would have two children, and the elder should serve the younger. He presented the future history of her two sons before her, that they would be two nations, the one greater than the other, and the elder should serve the younger. The firstborn was entitled to peculiar advantages and special privileges, which belonged to no other members of the family.” The Story of Redemption, 87

3.d.  In what sense is everyone predestined for salvation? Ephesians 1:3–6, 11, 12. Why, then, will anyone be lost? John 3:18, 36; 6:37

Note: “God wills that all men should be saved; for ample provision has been made, in giving His only begotten Son to pay man’s ransom. Those who perish will perish because they refuse to be adopted as children of God through Christ Jesus. The pride of man hinders him from accepting the provisions of salvation. But human merit will not admit a soul into the presence of God. That which will make a man acceptable to God is the imparted grace of Christ through faith in His name. No dependence can be placed in works or in happy flights of feelings as evidence that men are chosen of God; for the elect are chosen through Christ. …

“When the repenting sinner comes to Christ, conscious of his guilt and unworthiness, realizing that he is deserving of punishment, but relying on the mercy and love of Christ, he will not be turned away.” Our High Calling, 78

Wednesday

4 ONGOING ACCOUNTABILITY

4.a. Where are our names written when we turn from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God? Luke 10:20. Where are our actions recorded? Philippians 4:3

Note: “All who choose Christ’s kingdom of love and righteousness and peace, making its interest paramount to all other, are linked to the world above, and every blessing needed for this life is theirs. In the book of God’s providence, the volume of life, we are each given a page. That page contains every particular of our history; even the hairs of the head are numbered. God’s children are never absent from His mind.” The Desire of Ages, 313

4.b Explain why the doctrine “once-saved-always-saved” is in conflict with the Bible. 1 Corinthians 9:27; Hebrews 6:4–6; Revelation 3:5

Note: “When we become children of God, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, and they remain there until the time of the investigative judgment. Then the name of every individual will be called, and his record examined by Him who declares, ‘I know thy works.’ If in that day it shall appear that all our wicked deeds have not been fully repented of, our names will be blotted from the book of life, and our sins will stand against us.” The Signs of the Times, August 6, 1885

4.c  What is required of those who have been called and elected? Matthew 24:13; 2 Peter 1:1–11

Note: “Every soul is to strive with ‘all diligence’ to add constantly to his spiritual attainments, strengthening every grace, increasing in efficiency that he may grow in usefulness and holiness, as a fruit-bearing tree in the Lord’s garden. He is to be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. True religion leads to the cultivation of the gifts that make a man more precious in God’s sight than the gold of Ophir.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 943

Thursday

5 THE ETERNAL PURPOSES OF GOD

5.a By what name is the plan of redemption called in the Bible? Romans 16:25, 26; Colossians 1:26, 27

Note: “God had a knowledge of the events of the future, even before the creation of the world. He did not make His purposes to fit circumstances, but He allowed matters to develop and work out. He did not work to bring about a certain condition of things, but He knew that such a condition would exist. The plan that should be carried out upon the defection of any of the high intelligences of heaven—this is the secret, the mystery which has been hid from ages.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, 1082

5.b How do we know that the door of probation will not remain open forever, and that there will come a time when there will be no second chance for unrepentant sinners? Revelation 10:6, 7. Compare Luke 13:23–25; 17:28–30

Note: “The gospel dispensation is the last period of probation that will ever be granted to men. Those who live under this dispensation of test and trial and yet are not led to repent and obey will perish with the disloyal. There is no second trial.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 971, 972

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    Since redemption is through the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14), how were God’s faithful servants saved before the cross of Calvary?

2    What was the first gospel message preached to Adam and Eve?

3    Give examples revealing the foreknowledge of God.

4    What do you know about the book of life?

5    What is “the mystery which hath been hid from ages”? Colossians 1:26

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Creation and Fall of Humanity

April 14 – 20, 2024

Key Text

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 44–62

Introduction

“Satan exulted in his success. He had now tempted the woman to distrust God, to question His wisdom, and to seek to penetrate His all wise plans. And through her he had also caused the overthrow of Adam.” The Story of Redemption, 38

Sunday

1 THE CREATION OF HUMANITY

1.a. What was God’s purpose in creating the human family? Genesis 1:26–28

Note: “God created man for His own glory, that after test and trial the human family might become one with the heavenly family. It was God’s purpose to repopulate heaven with the human family, if they would show themselves obedient to His every word.” God’s Amazing Grace, 344

1.b.  Even though our first parents were created in God’s image, why did they have to be tested? Genesis 2:16, 17; Isaiah 43:7

Note: “Adam was to be tested to see whether he would be obedient, as the loyal angels, or disobedient. If he stood the test, his instruction to his children would have been only of loyalty. His mind and thoughts would have been as the mind and thoughts of God.” God’s Amazing Grace, 344

Monday

2 THE TEMPTATION AND FALL

2.a. What simple test did God give to Adam and Eve to see whom they would believe—God the Creator or Satan the deceiver? Genesis 2:16, 17; 3:1–5

Note: “Like the angels, the dwellers in Eden had been placed upon probation; their happy estate could be retained only on condition of fidelity to the Creator’s law. They could obey and live, or disobey and perish. God had made them the recipients of rich blessings; but should they disregard His will, He who spared not the angels that sinned, could not spare them; transgression would forfeit His gifts and bring upon them misery and ruin.

“The angels warned them to be on their guard against the devices of Satan, for his efforts to ensnare them would be unwearied. While they were obedient to God the evil one could not harm them; for, if need be, every angel in heaven would be sent to their help. If they steadfastly repelled his first insinuations, they would be as secure as the heavenly messengers. But should they once yield to temptation, their nature would become so depraved that in themselves they would have no power and no disposition to resist Satan.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 53

2.b.  Which commandment of God’s law did Adam and Eve transgress by believing and obeying Satan? Exodus 20:3. How did their transgression affect all their descendants? Romans 3:23; 5:12, 19

Note: “How attentively the angels listened to the words of Satan, the originator of sin, as he placed his own ideas above the commands of God and sought to make of none effect the law of God through his deceptive reasoning! How anxiously they waited to see if the holy pair would be deluded by the tempter and yield to his arts. They asked themselves, Will the holy pair transfer their faith and love from the Father and Son to Satan?” The Signs of the Times, May 12, 1890

“Adam was endowed with a nature pure and sinless, but he fell because he listened to the suggestions of the enemy. His posterity became depraved; by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.” The Youth’s Instructor, June 2, 1898

Tuesday

3 WORTHLESS ARTIFICIAL COVERING

3.a. As soon as their eyes were opened, what did Adam and Eve realize? And what did they do? Genesis 3:7

Note: “The love and peace which had been theirs was gone, and in its place they felt a sense of sin, a dread of the future, a nakedness of soul. The robe of light which had enshrouded them, now disappeared, and to supply its place they endeavored to fashion for themselves a covering; for they could not, while unclothed, meet the eye of God and holy angels.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 57

3.b.  Describe the spiritual condition of humanity since the Fall. Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:10–18

Note: “Through sin the whole human organism is deranged, the mind is perverted, the imagination corrupted. Sin has degraded the faculties of the soul. Temptations from without find an answering chord within the heart, and the feet turn imperceptibly toward evil.” Maranatha, 91

3.c. Nevertheless, how are many still trying to cover their spiritual nakedness? Proverbs 30:12; Luke 18:9–12

Note: “The white robe of innocence was worn by our first parents when they were placed by God in holy Eden. … This robe of light was a symbol of their spiritual garments of heavenly innocence. Had they remained true to God it would ever have continued to enshroud them. But when sin entered, they severed their connection with God, and the light that had encircled them departed. Naked and ashamed, they tried to supply the place of the heavenly garments by sewing together fig leaves for a covering.

“This is what the transgressors of God’s law have done ever since the day of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. They have sewed together fig leaves to cover the nakedness caused by transgression. They have worn the garments of their own devising, by works of their own they have tried to cover their sins and make themselves acceptable with God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 310, 311

Wednesday

4 SELF-JUSTIFICATION

4.a. What questions did God ask Adam before pronouncing the death sentence upon him? Genesis 3:9–11

4.b.      How did Adam and Eve try to justify themselves? Genesis 3:12, 13

Note: “Adam could neither deny nor excuse his sin; but instead of manifesting penitence, he endeavored to cast the blame upon his wife, and thus upon God Himself: ‘The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.’ He who, from love to Eve, had deliberately chosen to forfeit the approval of God, his home in paradise, and an eternal life of joy, could now, after his fall, endeavor to make his companion, and even the Creator Himself, responsible for the transgression. So terrible is the power of sin.

“When the woman was asked, ‘What is this that thou hast done?’ she answered, ‘The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.’ ‘Why didst Thou create the serpent? Why didst Thou suffer him to enter Eden?’—these were the questions implied in her excuse for her sin. Thus, like Adam, she charged God with the responsibility of their fall.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 57, 58

4.c. What is the tendency of sinful men and women when their eyes are opened to their guilt? Romans 2:1–3

Note: “The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies; it was indulged by our first parents as soon as they yielded to the influence of Satan, and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Instead of humbly confessing their sins, they try to shield themselves by casting the blame upon others, upon circumstances, or upon God–making even His blessings an occasion of murmuring against Him.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 58

Thursday

5 THE SENTENCE

5.a. What sentence did God pronounce upon our first parents and upon the earth? Genesis 3:16–19

Note: “So long as Adam remained loyal to heaven, all nature was in subjection to him. But when he rebelled against the divine law, the inferior creatures were in rebellion against his rule. Thus the Lord, in His great mercy, would show men the sacredness of His law, and lead them, by their own experience, to see the danger of setting it aside, even in the slightest degree. …

“The warning given to our first parents—‘In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die’ (Genesis 2:17)—did not imply that they were to die on the very day when they partook of the forbidden fruit. But on that day the irrevocable sentence would be pronounced. Immortality was promised them on condition of obedience; by transgression they would forfeit eternal life. That very day they would be doomed to death.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 59, 60

5.b.      What did humanity lose by the Fall? Genesis 3:22–24

Note: “Had man after his fall been allowed free access to the tree of life, he would have lived forever, and thus sin would have been immortalized. But cherubim and a flaming sword kept ‘the way of the tree of life’ (Genesis 3:24), and not one of the family of Adam has been permitted to pass that barrier and partake of the life-giving fruit. Therefore there is not an immortal sinner.” The Great Controversy, 533, 534

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    On what condition do we have the privilege of taking the place of those who were expelled from heaven?

2    How were our first parents put to the test?

3    What have men and women tried to do over a period of 6,000 years?

4    Why is self-justification in wrongdoing a greater sin than disbelief and disobedience?

5    What were the immediate results of Adam’s transgression?

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Origin of Evil

April 7 – 13, 2024

Key Text

“And He said to them [the seventy], ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’ ” Luke 10:18

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 33–43; The Story of Redemption, 13–19

Introduction

“Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God and who stood highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven.” The Great Controversy, 493

Sunday

1 THE ORIGIN OF EVIL AND SIN

1.a. Who was the originator of sin and evil? John 8:44; 1 John 3:8

Note: “Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God and was highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven. Lucifer, ‘son of the morning,’ was first of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled. He stood in the presence of the great Creator, and the ceaseless beams of glory enshrouding the eternal God rested upon him.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 35

1.b. How does the Bible describe the original character of Lucifer and the sinful thoughts that arose in his mind? Ezekiel 28:15, 17

1.c. In what sense did Lucifer exalt himself? Isaiah 14:13, 14. Using the symbol of the prince of Tyre, how does Ezekiel describe Lucifer’s self-exaltation? Ezekiel 28:2

Note: “Lucifer allowed his jealousy of Christ to prevail, and became the more determined.

“To dispute the supremacy of the Son of God, thus impeaching the wisdom and love of the Creator, had become the purpose of this prince of angels.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 36

Monday

2 WAR IN HEAVEN

2.a. Who sided with Lucifer against God’s sovereignty? Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4

Note: “Leaving his place in the immediate presence of the Father, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels. He worked with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealed his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God. He began to insinuate doubts concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings, intimating that though laws might be necessary for the inhabitants of the worlds, angels, being more exalted, needed no such restraint, for their own wisdom was a sufficient guide. They were not beings that could bring dishonor to God; all their thoughts were holy; it was no more possible for them than for God Himself to err.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 37

2.b.  Describe the result of Lucifer’s rebellion and the warning we should take from it. Revelation 12:7–9

Note: “All the heavenly host were summoned to appear before the Father, to have each case determined. Satan unblushingly made known his dissatisfaction that Christ should be preferred before Him. He stood up proudly and urged that he should be equal with God and should be taken into conference with the Father and understand His purposes. God informed Satan, that to His Son alone He would reveal His secret purposes, and He required all the family in heaven, even Satan, to yield Him implicit, unquestioned obedience; but that he (Satan) had proved himself unworthy of a place in heaven. Then Satan exultingly pointed to his sympathizers, comprising nearly one half of all the angels, and exclaimed, ‘These are with me! Will you expel these also and make such a void in heaven?’ He then declared that he was prepared to resist the authority of Christ and to defend his place in heaven by force of might, strength against strength.” The Story of Redemption, 18

“Rebellion and apostasy are in the very air we breathe. We shall be affected by them unless we by faith hang our helpless souls upon Christ.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 394

Tuesday

3 THE LAW OF GOD UNDER ATTACK

3.a. In that war of arguments, what was Lucifer’s false claim about God and His law? John 8:44, last part

Note: “He [Lucifer] had sought to falsify the word of God and had misrepresented His plan of government, claiming that God was not just in imposing laws upon the angels; that in requiring submission and obedience from His creatures, He was seeking merely the exaltation of Himself.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 42

“Before he was expelled from heaven, Satan had an acquaintance with God. He knew His character; but ever since then, his effort has been to misrepresent that character. It is at his suggestion that religion has been made a series of penances and mortifications, or of splendid sights and pageantries. There are many forms of religion instituted by the enemy of God, that are as Christless as was the offering of Cain.” The Signs of the Times, March 3, 1898

3.b.  What other sins were manifest in Lucifer’s early rebellion? Isaiah 14:13. Besides using self-exaltation and covetousness, what other transgression did Lucifer commit from the early phase of his rebellion? John 8:44, first part

Note: “He [Lucifer] had artfully presented his side of the question, employing sophistry and fraud to secure his objects. His power to deceive was very great. By disguising himself in a cloak of falsehood, he had gained an advantage. All his acts were so clothed with mystery that it was difficult to disclose to the angels the true nature of his work.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 41

3.c. Explain why we need not be deceived by Satan’s charges against God’s law and character. Psalm 119:7–12, 18

Note: “The law of God is the only true standard of moral perfection. That law was practically exemplified in the life of Christ. He says of Himself, ‘I have kept My Father’s commandments’ (John 15:10). Nothing short of this obedience will meet the requirements of God’s word. ‘He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked’ (1 John 2:6). We cannot plead that we are unable to do this, for we have the assurance, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee’ (2 Corinthians 12:9).” The Sanctified Life, 80, 81

Wednesday

4 EXPELLED FROM HEAVEN

4.a. When Satan and his angels were expelled from heaven, where were they exiled? Isaiah 14:12; Revelation 12:9. Why was Satan exiled and not destroyed?

Note: “Even when it was decided that he could no longer remain in heaven, Infinite Wisdom did not destroy Satan. Since the service of love can alone be acceptable to God, the allegiance of His creatures must rest upon a conviction of His justice and benevolence. The inhabitants of heaven and of other worlds, being unprepared to comprehend the nature or consequences of sin, could not then have seen the justice and mercy of God in the destruction of Satan. Had he been immediately blotted from existence, they would have served God from fear rather than from love. The influence of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed, nor would the spirit of rebellion have been utterly eradicated. Evil must be permitted to come to maturity. For the good of the entire universe through ceaseless ages Satan must more fully develop his principles, that his charges against the divine government might be seen in their true light by all created beings, that the justice and mercy of God and the immutability of His law might forever be placed beyond all question.

“Satan’s rebellion was to be a lesson to the universe through all coming ages, a perpetual testimony to the nature and terrible results of sin. The working out of Satan’s rule, its effects upon both men and angels, would show what must be the fruit of setting aside the divine authority. It would testify that with the existence of God’s government and His law is bound up the well-being of all the creatures He has made.” The Great Controversy, 498, 499

4.b. What claim and title has Satan falsely maintained ever since he was thrown to the earth? Luke 4:6; John 14:30

Note: “When Satan declared to Christ, The kingdom and glory of the world are delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it, he stated what was true only in part, and he declared it to serve his own purpose of deception. Satan’s dominion was that wrested from Adam, but Adam was the vicegerent of the Creator. His was not an independent rule. The earth is God’s, and He has committed all things to His Son. Adam was to reign subject to Christ. When Adam betrayed his sovereignty into Satan’s hands, Christ still remained the rightful King.” The Desire of Ages, 129

Thursday

5 SATAN’S INFLUENCE IN THIS WORLD

5.a. What name does the Bible use to depict the spiritual and social atmosphere of Satan’s domain? Matthew 16:18; 23:15; 2 Peter 2:4, first part

5.b.  What has been the main occupation of Satan and his angels since they were hurled down to the earth? Revelation 12:9. Give an example showing how the powers of hell operate. Luke 11:24–26

Note: “Ever since his fall, Satan has worked by means of deception.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 31

“His [Satan’s] spirit now reigns in the children of disobedience. Like him they seek to break down the restraints of the law of God and promise men liberty through transgression of its precepts.” The Great Controversy, 500

5.c. What will be the outcome of the war between light and darkness? Revelation 17:14; 19:11–16

Note: “The warfare against God’s law, which was begun in heaven, will be continued until the end of time. Every man will be tested. Obedience or disobedience is the question to be decided by the whole world. All will be called to choose between the law of God and the laws of men. …

“Then the end will come. God will vindicate His law and deliver His people. Satan and all who have joined him in rebellion will be cut off.” The Desire of Ages, 763

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    How did Lucifer the “light bearer” become Satan the “adversary”?

2    How did he sow discontent among the angels?

3    With what sins did he begin his rebellion against God?

4    Why would it have been too early to destroy Satan when he had to be expelled from heaven?

5    How has he continued his rebellion after he was confined to this earth?

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study God

The Plan of Redemption & The Sanctuary Service

March 31 – April 6, 2024

Key Text

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Psalm 90:2

Study Help: Testimonies, Vol. 8, 255–289

Introduction

“God always has been. He is the great I AM. … He is infinite and omnipresent. No words of ours can describe His greatness and majesty.” Medical Ministry, 92

Sunday

1 A PRACTICAL REVELATION OF GOD

1.a. How near is God to us? Acts 17:24–27; Jeremiah 23:24

1.b.  After the Exodus, God dwelt in what way among humanity so that people could see His glory and character? Exodus 25:8; Psalm 63:2. What was the name of the mountain where God’s sanctuary stood? Psalms 9:11; 76:2

1.c. What did the sanctuary service teach about God and the plan of redemption? Psalms 77:13; 68:24

Note: “The solemn service of sacrifice and worship at the sanctuary and the utterances of the prophets were a revelation of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 592

“The great truths set forth by the types in the service of the sanctuary were brought to view, and faith grasped the central object of all that system—the Lamb of God, that was to take away the sin of the world.” Education, 47

1.d.  How did King David feel when he looked up to the place of the sanctuary in Jerusalem? Psalms 122:1; 134:3

Monday

2 THE SANCTUARY’S PURPOSE

2.a. Why did God ask for Israel to build Him a sanctuary? Exodus 25:8

Note: “From a race of slaves the Israelites had been exalted above all peoples to be the peculiar treasure of the King of kings. God had separated them from the world, that He might commit to them a sacred trust. He had made them the depositaries of His law, and He purposed, through them, to preserve among men the knowledge of Himself. Thus the light of heaven was to shine out to a world enshrouded in darkness, and a voice was to be heard appealing to all peoples to turn from their idolatry to serve the living God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 314

“God commanded Moses for Israel, ‘Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them’ (Exodus 25:8), and He abode in the sanctuary, in the midst of His people. Through all their weary wandering in the desert, the symbol of His presence was with them.” The Desire of Ages, 23

2.b.  On what condition could God’s people dwell, by faith, in His sanctuary? Psalm 15:1–5. What assurance was theirs? Psalm 91:1–9. What assurance do we have as a steadfast anchor for the soul? Hebrews 6:19, 20; 10:19, 20

Note: “To Israel, whom He [God] desired to make His dwelling place, He revealed His glorious ideal of character. The pattern was shown them in the mount when the law was given from Sinai. …

“But this ideal they were, in themselves, powerless to attain. The revelation at Sinai could only impress them with their need and helplessness. Another lesson the tabernacle, through its service of sacrifice, was to teach—the lesson of pardon of sin, and power through the Saviour for obedience unto life.” Education, 35, 36

“God designed that the temple at Jerusalem should be a continual witness to the high destiny open to every soul. … The courts of the temple at Jerusalem, filled with the tumult of unholy traffic, represented all too truly the temple of the heart, defiled by the presence of sensual passion and unholy thoughts. In cleansing the temple from the world’s buyers and sellers, Jesus announced His mission to cleanse the heart from the defilement of sin—from the earthly desires, the selfish lusts, the evil habits, that corrupt the soul.” The Desire of Ages, 161

Tuesday

3 GOD’S OMNIPRESENCE

3.a. Through whom does God dwell with each one of His servants? Isaiah 57:15; 66:1, 2; John 14:16, 17, 23. What is His condition for dwelling in us?

Note: “The Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative, but divested of the personality of humanity, and independent thereof. Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally. Therefore it was for their interest that He should go to the Father, and send the Spirit to be His successor on earth. No one could then have any advantage because of his location or his personal contact with Christ. By the Spirit the Saviour would be accessible to all. In this sense, He would be nearer to them than if He had not ascended on high.” The Desire of Ages, 669

“If we know God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, unspeakable gladness will come to the soul. Oh, how we need the divine presence! For the baptism of the Holy Spirit every worker should be breathing out his prayer to God. Companies should be gathered together to call upon God for special help, for heavenly wisdom, that the people of God may know how to plan and devise and execute the work.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 170

3.b.  How do the apostles Paul and John present the condition on which we may have the presence of God with us? 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; 1 John 3:24

Note: “In the human heart, cleansed from all moral impurity, dwells the precious Saviour, ennobling, sanctifying the whole nature, and making the man a temple for the Holy Spirit.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 387, 388

“This is the test; the proof of our love is that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. ‘He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings.’ ‘He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.’ Here is a promise on condition. Shall we not rationally conclude that why the church has so little of the realizing sense of the presence of God, is their indifference to do the things He has specified, and they are giving to the world a misrepresentation of the character of Christ.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 1037

Wednesday

4 GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS

4.a. Since no human being has ever seen God the Father, what are we to realize about our need of Christ’s revelation? John 1:18

Note: “What speech is to thought, so is Christ to the invisible Father. He is the manifestation of the Father, and is called the Word of God. God sent His Son into the world, His divinity clothed with humanity, that man might bear the image of the invisible God. He made known in His words, His character, His power and majesty, the nature and attributes of God. Divinity flashed through humanity in softening, subduing light. He was the embodiment of the law of God, which is the transcript of His character.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, 1131

4.b.  What is promised to the pure in heart? Matthew 5:8. How should this affect our life in a practical way?

Note: “The pure in heart discern the Creator in the works of His mighty hand, in the things of beauty that comprise the universe. In His written word, they read in clearer lines the revelation of His mercy, His goodness, and His grace. The truths that are hidden from the wise and prudent are revealed to babes. The beauty and preciousness of truth, which are undiscerned by the worldly-wise, are constantly unfolding to those who have a trusting, childlike desire to know and to do the will of God. We discern the truth by becoming, ourselves, partakers of the divine nature.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 26, 27

“The pure in heart shall see God. His presence can be revealed; comprehended it cannot be. This knowledge is too wonderful for us. There are feelings that cannot be communicated. Some things one cannot say. Words are tame, and our thoughts come far short of taking all in; for there is an infinity beyond our thoughts.

“If we are to be colaborers with God, we must hold direct communion with Him: we must ask His guidance in everything we undertake.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 6, 381

Thursday

5 WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

5.a. What is the character of God like? Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 Peter 1:16

5.b. What other attributes belong to God’s character? Exodus 34:6; 1 John 4:8

 5.c. God’s throne is established upon what principles? Psalm 89:14. What is round about God’s throne? Revelation 4:3. Explain how justice and mercy go together in the plan of God. Psalm 85:10

 Note: “It is not justice alone that is to be maintained; for this would eclipse the glory of the rainbow of promise above the throne; men could see only the penalty of the law. Were there no justice, no penalty, there would be no stability to the government of God.

“It is the mingling of judgment and mercy that makes salvation complete. It is the blending of the two that leads us, as we view the world’s Redeemer and the law of Jehovah, to exclaim, ‘Thy greatness hath made me great’ (2 Samuel 22:36).” God’s Amazing Grace, 70

5.d.  What is the evidence that God created not only angels but also humans with free will? Deuteronomy 30:19; Joshua 24:15

Note: “He [God] takes no pleasure in a forced obedience; and to all He grants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntary service.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 34

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    Where does God want to dwell right now?

2    What condition does God require in His “temple” before He will dwell there?

3    Do we reflect the characteristics of God revealed in the sanctuary?

4    How can we see God?

5    Describe the character of God. How can we prove from the Bible that men and women were created free moral agents?

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Recipe – Cannellini Bean and Spinach Soup

Cannellini Beans

Cannellini beans are white kidney beans with a mild, nutty flavor and smooth, tender texture. Also known as Italian white kidney beans they resemble kidney beans in size and shape, but are creamy off-white in color. Popular all over the world, cannellini beans are integral to the classic Mediterranean dishes, particularly Italian cuisine. It’s not surprising as few foods can compare in nutritional properties and the benefits that they can deliver to health.

The nutritional and healthful qualities of cannellini beans, as well as those of many other legumes, have been thoroughly investigated. Researchers have come to the conclusion that their rich insoluble fiber, protein, minerals, amino acids, and vitamins makes them a real “superfood.”

3.5 oz. of dry cannellini Contains
(% of daily value)
calcium 24% phosphorus 43%
iron 130% zinc 33%
manganese 78% potassium 38%

These beans are a very good source of several B-complex vitamins like folates, pyridoxine, thiamin (vitamin B1), pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and niacin. Most of these vitamins work as cofactors for the enzymes in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism. Dry cannellini beans hold 388 μg (mcg) of folates (97% of daily value). Folate, along with vitamin B12, is one of the essential cofactors for DNA synthesis and cell division.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating about 3 cups of legumes per week. To meet the weekly Dietary Guidelines for legumes, eat half a cup of beans every day. Round out the meal by incorporating cannellini beans in salads, pasta dishes, spreads, and soups.

Sources: foodtolive.com/healthy-blog/cannellini-beans-challenge-dangerous-illnesses; nutrition-and-you.com/cannellini beans

Recipe – Cozy Cannellini Bean and Spinach Soup

Ingredients

2 Tbs. olive oil, or water

½ medium red onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, cut in small chunks

¾ tsp. salt

2 Tbs. flour of choice

1 cup unsweetened oat milk

3 cups vegetable broth

2 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning

1 ¼ tsp. garlic granules or powder

½ tsp. dried tarragon

2-15 oz. cans of cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

3 Tbs. nutritional yeast (optional)

1 packed cup baby spinach

Process

In a large pot add olive oil or water, and onion. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Add carrot and salt, and stir. Cover pot and cook for 4-6 minutes. Stir flour into vegetables until coated. Gradually pour in milk while stirring. Add broth, seasonings, beans, and nutritional yeast. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and stir in spinach to wilt. Serve soup with crackers, sourdough bread, pita bread, or flat bread.

Self Must Die

“Let every word and each desire and all my days be Thine.”
My Maker and My King*

Do you believe that every word you speak and every desire you have should be in harmony with God’s will? Or do you have desires that are not in harmony with God’s will?

While the fundamental principle of God’s law is divine love, and the two great commandments are love to God and love to man—which are the ten commandments in action—we still must cooperate with Him and take up our cross and follow Jesus. When Adam and Eve sinned, the natural selfishness that took the place of God’s principle of righteousness in their hearts was passed on to their subsequent generations, making all of mankind sinful, but not just in action. Sin is a part of the human race, just as much as an arm or an eye; sinful is what we are. Man cannot cut it out; there is no medicine he can concoct that can cure it. Sin can only be removed by the miraculous recreative power of the almighty God. And that miracle began 6,000 years ago.

We find in Genesis 3:15 God promises that the devil would not have control over mankind forever. He said that if a man chose to return his loyalty to God, then He would change that man’s heart and mind, replacing his selfishness with His law of love, and would supernaturally give the man the ability to hate sin, going against his carnal nature. He further promised that He would send His Son to be man’s Saviour, who, though killed by the very people He came to save, would rise again and at the end of the present world, completely destroy sin and Satan. Restoration to the image of God and the absolute destruction of sin—this was the covenant promise of God to His people.

How does God supernaturally put this hatred—this enmity—for sin in the heart? “By looking constantly to Jesus with the eye of faith, we shall be strengthened. God will make the most precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting people. They will find that Christ is a personal Saviour. As they feed upon His word, they find that it is spirit and life. The word destroys the natural, earthly nature, and imparts a new life in Christ Jesus.” The Desire of Ages, 391

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

“God is love and love is life.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 258

Satan Misrepresents the Character of God and Deceives the World

During our study of the mystery of godliness, we have found that this mystery deals directly with the nature of Jesus Christ.

“Never before had there been a being upon the earth who hated sin with so perfect a hatred as did Christ. He had seen its deceiving, infatuating power upon the holy angels, causing them to revolt, and all His powers were enlisted against Satan. In the purity and holiness of His life, Christ flashed the light of truth amid the moral darkness with which Satan had enshrouded the world. Christ exposed his falsehoods and deceiving character, and spoiled his corrupting influence.

“It was this that stirred Satan with such an intense hatred of Christ.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 16, 118

So, what caused the revolt? “With his [Satan’s] hosts of fallen beings he determined to urge the warfare most vigorously; for there stood One in the world who was a perfect representation of the Father, and in His character and practices was a refutation of Satan’s misrepresentations of the character of God.” Ibid.

And he continues still to misrepresent God’s character in the world today.

“It was the purity and sinlessness of Christ’s humanity that stirred up such satanic hatred. His truth revealed their falsehoods. Satan saw God, whom he had charged with the attributes which he himself possessed, revealed in Christ in His true character—a compassionate, merciful God, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Him in repentance and have eternal life.” Ibid.

Jesus came to this world and lived a life that was the very essence of God’s true nature. Satan could lie all he wanted, but Jesus came as a man, compassionate, loving, merciful, pleading with all to choose to return to their Maker—He was God’s law personified and thus could not lie.

But Satan still charges God with his own attributes, and people all around the world believe that if there is a God in heaven, He must not be very loving or merciful. Many so-called Christian doctrines are devices of the devil to misrepresent the character of God to deceive people, but these doctrines are totally contradictory to the Bible’s description of God’s true character.

God Offers Transformation

Many people believe, including many Adventists, that God sent His Son in the same sinful flesh as fallen man, and thereby are unwittingly echoing the very same accusations against God that the devil has been making for thousands of years. Satan said that God was unfair and unjust, even cruel because it was impossible for man to keep the law, to offer perfect obedience to God. And God knows that, but demands it anyway. But God sent Jesus to prove that man, with his human nature, could keep the law and could become a partaker of the divine nature, both of which existed in Jesus—the fleshly nature we have, and the holy nature that God offers to sinful, fallen mankind.

“He [Jesus] came not to our world to give the obedience of a lesser God to a greater, but as a man to obey God’s holy law, and in this way He is our example.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 140

“Satan is ever seeking to bring about a state of things in which righteousness may be termed unrighteousness, and unrighteousness righteousness.” The Review and Herald, April 15, 1890

“If this matter were rightly understood and closely guarded, God’s servants would feel a continual burden of responsibility to counterwork the efforts of the men who do not know what they are about, because they are enchanted by the delusive allurements of Satan. When God’s people are fully awake to the danger of the hour, and work fully on Christ’s side, there will be seen a sharp contrast between their course and that of those who are saying, ‘Good Lord, and good devil,’ and we shall see much firmer and more decided work done to counterwork the schemes of satanic agencies.” Testimonies for the Church Containing Letters to Physicians and Ministers Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, 11

In the humanity of Christ, the covenant promise was fulfilled. God prepared for His Son a human body and inscribed in His human heart His own divine attributes—the principles of righteousness and His law of love. The covenant promise was forever established and ratified when Jesus died on the cross, and the penalty demanded for man’s transgression was paid.

This natural enmity, this hostility that exists in the natural heart of man hates God’s law and the principles of righteousness and the love on which that law is founded. Man cannot love both selfishness and righteousness; the principles are diametrically opposite. If man is willing to return his loyalty to God, then He has promised to supernaturally give to man this enmity against sin through the process of sanctification, which begins with justification by faith. We are told that by studying God’s word, our natural, carnal nature will be destroyed and, in its place a new life in Christ Jesus will be found. This is sanctification.

The Example of Cain

Genesis 4 tells us that in response to God’s request for a burnt sacrifice, Cain brought an offering of fruit from his field. The Bible tells us that there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood, so did Cain’s offering meet that requirement? And what are the implications of his offering?

  1. There was no confession of sin. The apostle John said “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1John 1:9. According to this verse you cannot expect to be forgiven if you do not confess.
  2. There was no acknowledgment that he was in need of a Saviour.

Yes, Cain brought an offering, but his offering did not meet God’s requirements, instead, it showed a reliance on self. Today, there are tens of thousands of people making the same mistake as Cain. Trusting to themselves and to their own wisdom, their self-righteousness prevents them from realizing their own spiritual poverty. The Lord addressed this problem in Revelation 3:17 when He said, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” If we fail to see the spiritual nature of the law and therefore fail to recognize our own spiritual poverty and sinfulness, then we are in the Laodicean condition. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8–10

“Those who have permitted their minds to become beclouded in regard to what constitutes sin are fearfully deceived. Unless they make a decided change, they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment upon the children of men. They have transgressed the law and broken the everlasting covenant, and they will receive according to their works.” Testimonies, Vol. 9, 267

This fearful, Laodicean deception involves breaking the everlasting covenant. Jesus counsels those in the Laodicean church to come to Him for a change of clothing—putting off their own filthy rags and putting on His white raiment—so that they are properly dressed for the wedding supper of the Lamb. We cannot attend the wedding supper clothed in our man-made, natural, fig-leaf garments. We must have a garment woven in the loom of heaven, and this we cannot make for ourselves.

Cain was not an atheist. He came to worship God, but he came to worship Him in his own way rather than according to God’s instruction. He decided that God should be satisfied with what he offered.

The Example of Paul

Before Paul was a Christian, he was an exemplary Pharisee, stringent in his belief that he followed the law implicitly. And in his outward life, Paul was blameless in terms of his outward actions (Philippians 3; Acts 26:5). It would be difficult to find anything that he had said or done that was contrary to the law of God, but true obedience involves more than just how a person behaves on the outside.

The problem with the religion of the Pharisees was that it did not touch the soul. Paul was not seeking Godlikeness of character, or for a heart filled with love and mercy. He was satisfied with the religion that touched only the outward life. His righteousness was the fruit of his own works.

But, when Paul was convicted of the spiritual nature of the law he said, “I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.” Romans 7:9. He was alive as a Pharisee without the law and thought he was perfect, but when he understood the spiritual nature of the law, he could see that his heart was evil. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” Verse 18. When Paul understood the spirit of the law, he could see himself for the sinner he was, and then self was able to die.

“When the spiritual character of the law was discerned, when he [Paul] looked into the holy mirror, he saw himself a sinner. Judged by a human standard, he had abstained from sin, but when he looked into the depths of God’s law, and saw himself as God saw him, he bowed in humiliation, and confessed his guilt.” The Review and Herald, July 22, 1890

When sin is limited narrowly to a choice of action, rather than regarded as encompassing every aspect of our existence, the spiritual character of the law is not discerned, and a human standard is set up in the place of the great moral standard of righteousness.

Paul was convicted by the tenth commandment. “I had not known sin except by the law. I had not known lust except the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’ ” Romans 7:7. How is the sin of covetousness related to false gods and false worship?

“All covetousness is condemned as idolatry.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 261

“All selfishness is covetousness, and is, therefore, idolatry.” The Review and Herald, May 23, 1907

“No selfishness is of Christ. Selfishness lies at the foundation of all sin.” The Signs of the Times, April 11, 1900

A person who is not selfish will never commit a sin. You see, this is our problem: we believe that sin is just something we do, but really sin is what is on the inside. Our outward actions are simply an expression of our inward condition. If I have a selfish heart, then I am a sinner, and because of that selfish heart, I will covet what my neighbor has; I will be prideful, desiring worldly fame and fortune, power, and recognition; I will resent that my friend has a better job than I do or a bigger house. These are all feelings, part of a person’s sinful nature and character. They don’t require action to be sin.

“Never should we lower the standard of righteousness in order to accommodate inherited or cultivated tendencies to wrongdoing. We need to understand that imperfection of character is sin.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 330

“The time demands greater efficiency and deeper consecration. … ‘Raise up and send forth messengers filled with a sense of their responsibility, messengers in whose hearts self-idolatry, which lies at the foundation of all sin, has been crucified.’ ” Testimonies, Vol. 9, 27

We see, then, that selfishness is not only a natural human trait of character, it is an imperfection of character that must be crucified. Since imperfection of character is sin, our natural selfishness is sin. All selfishness is covetousness and is therefore idolatry. Self was the idol of Cain and his descendants, and also the Pharisees. Laodicea believed they were worshiping God, but in fact were worshiping at the idol of self.

“Self must be crucified, else sin will remain to defile the whole being. The Cain-spirit must not be allowed to enter the heart; for the hatred it brings is next of kin to murder. …

“They love themselves and their own ways, failing to realize that their ways, their words, and their characters are opposed to God. Such can never reach perfection unless they see themselves as they are.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 21, 1899

Once I understood the spiritual nature of the law, I could see that unless I allow a change in my heart and mind, I am lost, even though I profess to be religious. It was then that I went to the Lord, admitting that I am totally lost unless He saves me. I must put my trust in Him for I cannot save myself.

“Blessed is the soul who can say, ‘I am guilty before God: but Jesus is my Advocate. I have transgressed His law. I cannot save myself; but I make the precious blood that was shed on Calvary all my plea.’ ” Sons and Daughters of God, 120

On the road to Damascus, Paul met Jesus and realized that he was a sinner in need of a Saviour. He also realized that if his natural disposition wasn’t miraculously changed, he would be lost.

While in prison, Paul wrote the book of Philippians and in its chapters we find Paul’s story of transformation—no longer a Pharisee, but now a disciple of Christ.

“For we are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:3–14

The Example of Christ

While Jesus possessed the likeness of sinful flesh in the mortal body of man, He did not possess the same sinful flesh, the disposition of the carnal mind (Romans 8:3; Philippians 2:7; 3:21). Suffering was more keenly felt by Him, for His spiritual nature was free from every taint of sin, and it is this nature, the character of Christ, that He wants to give to you and me.

“Christ’s perfect humanity is the same that man may have through connection with Christ.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 16, 181. “It is the privilege of every believer in Christ to possess Christ’s nature, a nature far above that which Adam forfeited by transgression.” The Upward Look, 18

“The law of God is an expression of His very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth. If our hearts are renewed in the likeness of God, if the divine love is implanted in the soul, will not the law of God be carried out in the life? When the principle of love is implanted in the heart, when man is renewed after the image of Him that created him, the new-covenant promise is fulfilled.” Steps to Christ, 60

In the old covenant, the law was written on tables of stone, but in the new covenant, God says that He will put His law in the hearts of His people, and when the law is written in your heart, you will want to always seek to do what is right. “And if the law is written in the heart, will it not shape the life? Obedience—the service and allegiance of love—is the true sign of discipleship.” Ibid.

It is the love of self that brings unrest. Jesus invites us to accept from Him a new heart and mind. When we are reborn from above, we will have the same mind as Jesus, only then will we find the peace that He offers. “ ‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ ” Matthew 11:28

It is the glory of God to give His virtue to His children. Jesus said to His disciples, “ ‘Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.’ ” John 14:27, first part. The peace that Jesus gives is the result of His love for the law of God and the principles of righteousness written in His human heart, just as they were written in the heart of Adam before his fall.

“From eternal ages it was God’s purpose that every created being, from the bright and holy seraph to man, should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator.” The Desire of Ages, 161 That was God’s purpose from eternal ages. “Because of sin, humanity ceased to be a temple for God. Darkened and defiled by evil, the heart of man no longer revealed the glory of the Divine One. But by the incarnation of the Son of God, the purpose of heaven is fulfilled.” Ibid.

Friends, we were meant to be a temple for the indwelling of our Creator. It is sin that has made us unfit to be His dwelling place.

It is Christ’s mission to deliver you from sin and to make your heart and mind a temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Will you let Him?

* The words to My Maker and My King, were written by Anne Steele as an “expression of praise to her Maker and a heart of thankfulness for all the blessings of life.” Christianmusicandhymns.com/2019/09/my-maker-and-my-king-hymn-story

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at 316-788-5559.

Fantastic Fiber

There are seven broad, needful categories to be considered when it comes to good nutrition—if we are going to experience vibrant health, not just the absence of disease or injury. These categories are carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, fiber, minerals, and water. This article focuses on fiber.

Dietary fiber, unlike fats, proteins, or carbohydrates, includes the parts of plant foods your body can’t digest or absorb. This can be thought of as the “skeleton” or outer coverings of plants and is often called roughage or bulk. So much of the fiber that passes through the stomach, small intestine, and colon, leaves the body relatively intact.

There are two categories of fiber—soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber absorbs water like a sponge. Good examples of soluble fiber are oats, barley, peas, carrots, beets, beans, apples, bananas, grapes, berries, citrus fruits, avocadoes, chia seeds, some nuts and seeds. Good examples of insoluble fiber are whole wheat flour, wheat bran, quinoa, grains, nuts, flax seeds, artichokes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, dark greens, popcorn, potatoes, apples, rhubarb, berries, peaches, avocadoes, and tomatoes. Many, if not most foods in these categories, are composed of a mixture of both soluble and insoluble fiber.

Did You Know? Not one good source of fiber is listed for meat, fish, and animal products. Some would say there is no fiber in these items.

There are many benefits and possible advantages to eating a wide variety of both types of fiber:

  • Lowers total cholesterol including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) commonly known as the “bad” cholesterol
  • Lowers glucose levels
  • May prevent development of type 2 diabetes
  • Increases insulin sensitivity in the body
  • May help with constipation and may also help with loose stools by adding bulk
  • May curb the appetite by adding fullness with fewer calories consumed
  • Helps with weight loss
  • May lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and diverticulitis
  • May help protect against colon cancer, breast cancer, and gallstones
  • Feeds the microbiome (a community of microorganisms living in a given habitat) in the gut
  • Boosts the immune system
  • May lower blood pressure and decrease inflammation, which is a contributing factor to many chronic diseases

The amount of soluble and insoluble fiber varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods.

So how much fiber do we need to eat each day to receive the health benefits listed above? As with just about everything else related to health and lifestyle, the literature varies. Health organizations such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Academy of Medicine recommend 25 grams for women, or 21 grams for those over 50 years old; 38 grams for men, or 30 grams for those over 50. Other integrative or functional health advocates recommend 40 to 60 grams of fiber per day. For example, 43 grams of fiber can be found in ½ cup of oats, a piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter, ½ cup of blueberries, ½ cup of almond milk, an ounce of almonds, ½ cup of pinto beans, ½ cup of brown rice, 1 cup of kale salad with tomatoes, carrots, and celery, 1 ounce of sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, or 1 cup of popcorn snack.

The Hadza tribe of Tanzania is one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes in the world. They are a living example of the connection between dietary fiber and microbiome health. They eat a spectacular 100 grams (one study showed up to 150 grams) of fiber a day at certain times of the year when much food can be gathered. This results in their diet being primarily plant based. “The Hadza consume no processed foods or agriculturally farmed foods—their diet is as natural as it gets! It’s high in fiber and phytochemicals, and low in processed sugars, all of which contribute to the fact that the Hadza experience almost no autoimmune diseases, obesity, diabetes, colon cancer, Crohn’s disease, and other chronic ailments.” During the very dry times of the year, when they have to subsist on more meat obtained from hunting, their fiber content drops greatly, even approaching that of the Western world.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, eating at least 30 grams of fiber a day can lower your risk of colon cancer. They state that every extra 10 grams of fiber may lower your cancer risk by 7%. Is it any wonder the Hadza experience almost no colon cancer?

If there’s one thing the standard American diet (SAD) lacks, it is fiber. Many Americans consume 10 to 15 grams of fiber daily with less than 3% of Americans consuming the recommended grams per day. By contrast, among more than 71,000 subjects participating in the Adventist Health Study-2 from 2001 to 2007, those consuming a vegan diet (5,694 subjects) consumed an average of 46 grams of fiber daily. As Adventists eat more processed foods, consume more oil and sugar, and eat out more frequently, it is likely that, if the study were repeated today, there would be vastly different results.

On the flip side, can consuming too much fiber cause problems or be contraindicated? Too much fiber, especially increasing intake too rapidly, can cause intestinal gas, abdominal bloating, and pain. The key to not experiencing these symptoms is to slowly increase the servings of fiber over time, maybe even over several weeks, especially if previous fiber intake was low. This gives the intestines and gut microbiome some time to adjust to this change in diet.

In order to see all of the benefits of eating fiber, you also need to make sure that you are drinking enough water every day. If the above side effects persist despite a gradual increase in fiber and good water intake, consult your doctor. There are also some specific medical conditions for which a high fiber diet is not recommended. Consult your doctor about increasing your fiber intake if you have any questions. In spite of the few risks that come with a high-fiber diet, the greater risk for Americans is more likely to be consuming less fiber than is recommended and needed.

There is no doubt that getting the recommended amounts or more of fiber per day promotes better all-around health and helps prevent health issues and disease. If you want to find out how much fiber you are getting on a daily basis, you can use a Power Plate Quick Fiber Check, a handy tool to help keep track of your daily intake.

Hurray for fabulous fiber.

Sources: mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-dept/fiber/art-20043983; hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber; healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods; nutrition.gov/topics/whats-food/fiber; Wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber; goodrx.com/well-being/diet-nutrition/what-is-fiber-why-is-it-good-for-you; Steps to Life, Health and Happiness, Fiber; healthline.com/nutrition/seventh-day-adventist-diet; adventisthealthstudy.org/studies/AHS-2; healthyfocus.org/the-hadza-diet-and-the-key-to-a-healthy-microbiome; Quote taken from vitalplan.com/blog/the-6-secrets-of-the-hadza-tribe-what-we-can-learn-about-health-and-longevity; For the Power Plate Quick Fiber Check – livelifestylemedicine.com/fiber?lightbox=dataItem-kxto2xe1

Spring

It’s March and spring is on the way. I thought we could look at some of the things that start to happen in nature as winter’s cold hand finally lets go and the warmer breezes of spring begin to blow.

Crocuses, daffodils, and tulips begin to bloom in early spring. Hyacinths begin to bloom in mid-spring. And when late spring arrives irises begin to bloom.

The animals that have hibernated through the cold winter months start waking up. Soon bears, ground squirrels and chipmunks, groundhogs, hedgehogs, woodchucks, prairie dogs, skunks, bats, box turtles, bumblebees, garter snakes, snails, lizards, ladybugs, and moths will be popping out of their sleeping places to welcome the sunshine and warmer temperatures.

Did you know? In Florida, it rains lizards. When the temperature drops below 45 degrees F, the lizards undergo a temporary cold shock and fall out of trees and off walls and fences. But don’t worry, once the temperature gets warm again, they wake right up. Source: news.miami.edu/as/stories/2022/why-do-lizards-plummet-in-the-cold

Every spring, it is estimated that 3.5 million birds fly back home from the south where they have found food and warm temperatures during the winter months. These include meadowlarks, robins (though some robins do stick around), certain sparrows, bald eagles, ducks and geese, bluebirds, finches, and killdeers. Who hasn’t seen flocks of Canada geese flying overhead on their way to warm southern fields. Some birds fly as much as 1,000 miles to reach their winter home. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, when you hear the backyard birds—robins, sparrows, and the like—singing, that is one of the best predictors that spring is not far away.

“Bluebirds are a sign of spring; warm weather and gentle southern breezes they bring.”

Did you know? The Baltimore oriole and the meadowlark are related. The bald eagle cruises at a leisurely 30 mph, but can dive up to 100 mph. A Ruppel’s griffon vulture holds the record for the highest flying altitude at 37,000 feet (that’s seven miles). The Arctic tern flies 49,700 miles in a year during their round-trip to and from the Arctic to their breeding grounds in the Antarctic. The bird lives 30 years, so that is the equivalent of three trips to the moon and back!

My favorite spring song is from the spring peepers. Frogs! Tiny amphibians singing loudly around dusk.

The barren trees and bushes show signs of life—the eastern redbud, southern magnolia, flowering dogwood, rhododendron and azalea, lilac (my personal favorite), flowering cherry, crabapple, and forsythia. Oak, elm, maple, and sycamore will begin to leaf-out later in mid-April.

As winter’s cold begins to give way to warm spring temperatures, we can praise God for His marvelous handiwork.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” Psalm 19:1–4

Spring and summer bring the beautiful flowers of so many varying colors and green leaves that wave gently in the breezes, along with the fruits and vegetables that can be harvested and eaten during summer and fall or stored away for winter and spring.

Fall brings the bright red, gold, and orange leaves that signal the end of summer and the soon onset again of winter.

But even in winter, we are reminded that spring will soon come again by the beautiful evergreen trees—the spruce, cypress, juniper, fir, redwood, and cedar. The needles of the evergreen can change color in the winter, but they do not drop from the tree.

Did you know? The true definition of an evergreen is simply a tree that doesn’t lose its leaves.

“The beauty of [the man who loves God is] his well-ordered life and godly conversation [that] inspires faith and hope and courage in others. This is Christianity in practice. Seek to be an evergreen tree.” My Life Today, 50

Other sources: bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/trees/best-flowering-trees-shrubs; Audubon.org/news/9-awesome-facts-about-bird-migration; faunafacts.com/birds/birds-that-fly-south-for-winter

Even Demons Know

Demons know who Jesus is and believe His word. Can we say the same thing?

“When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, ‘What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?’ ” Matthew 8:28, 29

“Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

“Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’

“But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come out of him!’ And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.” Mark 1:21–26

“Satan is the god of the world; his influence is to pervert the senses, control the human mind for evil, and drive his victims to violence and crime. He sows discord and darkens the intellect. The work of Christ is to break his power over the children of men. Yet how many in every department of life, in the home, in business transactions, and in the church, turn Jesus from their doors but let the hateful monster in.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 2, 317

“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” James 2:19

We are sinful, evil by nature. Alone, we have no desire to put Satan out of our lives. But if we study the word of God and pray for Him to give us the willingness to believe and the power to act upon that belief, then we will come off more than conquerors, with Satan thrown out of our lives as surely as his minions were from those the Bible tells us about.

“Jesus knows the circumstances of every soul. He turns no weeping, contrite one away. He does not tell to anyone all that He might reveal, but He bids every trembling soul take courage. Freely will He pardon all who come to Him for forgiveness and restoration.” The Signs of the Times, October 25, 1905

“It is faith that connects us with heaven and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among men is the same mighty Redeemer today. Faith comes by the word of God. Then grasp His promise, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out.’ Cast yourself at His feet with the cry, ‘Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.’ ” Ibid., January 20, 1904

Let this be our prayer:

Dear Lord, I come to You with a humbled heart to ask for Your transforming power to change my life.

Obedience or Sacrifice?

“I wish I had lived in those times,” exclaimed Henry Sharp, a rather enthusiastic boy, as he finished reading the account of the death of Latimer and Ridley.

“Why?” inquired Mr. Severn, his tutor.

“Because I should like to have been a martyr,” replied Henry slowly; “it seems such a glorious thing to die for what you believe to be right.”

The opinion did not seem to be in the least shared by his school fellows, who showed their astonishment and dissent by various gestures; some were ready to laugh, and looked towards the master, with faces expressive of their ideas of their own superior wisdom, and anticipating the rebuke that was to fall upon their comrade.

But Mr. Severn was not a man to judge things hastily, or to pronounce a remark silly, so he said quietly: “Do you really think so, Henry? Do you believe that you would have courage and firmness to submit to the severe and often lingering agonies which those persecuted men endured?”

“Of course I can’t be sure that I should, sir,” replied Henry; “but it seems to me that the thought of gaining heaven must be enough to sustain anyone in ever so much pain.”

“I can sympathize with your feelings,” continued Mr. Severn, “for I remember that as a boy I, too, had the same idea; but as I grew older and was able to better understand the state of my own heart, I came to the conclusion that I was deceiving myself.

“I found out, in examining myself, that in longing for martyrdom as a means of gaining heaven, I was unconsciously looking upon that pain and suffering as more easy to bear than the yoke which Christ has laid upon us. Or to express myself more simply, I was really thinking that I would rather submit to a cruel death than struggle daily and hourly to live as Jesus would have me live. While I was wishing to give the strongest proof of my love to God, I was really shrinking from the service He had appointed to me, and trying to find an easier way for myself.

“I cannot of course tell what you feel,” continued Mr. Severn; “I only give you my own experience to guide you; but I must add further caution—martyrdom is not a certain means of entering heaven.”

“Not certain!” exclaimed several of his hearers, and Henry looked particularly astonished.

“I admit,” answered Mr. Severn, “that it is difficult to imagine a man, who did not have a firm and saving faith in his Saviour, would be willing to die for his religion; but we have Paul’s own testimony to guide us: ‘Though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.’ ”

“Many have tried to find out paths that please them better than God’s narrow way. You remember the history of Naaman the Syrian. He went to Elisha to be cured of his leprosy, and was willing, as subsequent events proved, to do a great deal to be cured of his fearful and loathsome malady; but when the prophet sent out the message to him to go and dip seven times in the river Jordan, the very simplicity of the means to be employed offended him. If he had been told to undertake some weary pilgrimage, to go through some painful sufferings, no doubt he would have submitted cheerfully; but his pride rebelled against washing in the river Jordan. Nay, even if he must be cured by washing, why not let it be the mightier streams of his own land, Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus! Thus he argued; anything rather than what God’s prophet appointed. And we are very much like Naaman. Sin is like leprosy, and when we ask to be cured of it, we are told that there is but one means—to wash in the fountain that is opened for all sin and for all uncleanness, to rely for cleansing upon the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Human pride revolts against this, and would prefer a salvation which left man to ‘do some great thing’ for himself, and did not merely place him in the purifying stream humbly and confidingly like a little child.

“We must not deceive ourselves but try and forget such fancies for doing some great thing, and endeavor instead to do the everyday duties that are before us. So many more are called upon to perform such deeds, than to do great things, that I believe they are fully pleasing in the sight of God, when done from a simple desire to His glory. We do His will in striving to perform our daily duties, however trivial and simple, as He would have them done; and in believing that, let them be what they will, it is noble work, because it is what He has given us to do. In the Bible, how many instances we have of those who have employed their talents well, receiving more; of men called to greater honors, or more extensive labor, when they were simply employed in attending to their everyday concerns.

“A shepherd guarding his father-in-law’s flock upon Mount Horeb; a voice comes to him, and he is called to confront a powerful king—to free, by signs and wonders, an enslaved people from his unwillingly relaxed grasp—to become the leader and lawgiver of this rescued nation, and to be a favored servant of God.

“Another youth, also employed in keeping sheep; the prophet sent to his father’s house, sees all his brothers, but does not find among them the chosen of the Lord. This youngest is then sent for from his humble occupation, and upon his head is poured the anointing oil, and into his heart the sanctifying grace, which gains for him that glorious title, ‘The man after God’s own heart.’

“Another man plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; Israel’s great prophet passes by and casts his mantle upon him, calling him to be his successor; yes, even to receive a double portion of the Spirit which rested upon him, and he had stood fearless and alone on the side of God among the multitudes of Baal’s prophets and the prophets of the groves.

“Where was Matthew when Jesus called him? At the receipt of custom. Where were Peter, James, and John? Fishing. Where was Gideon when he was called to be a judge of Israel? Threshing wheat. But I need not repeat any more examples; those I have quoted are sufficient to point out what I mean.”

“I suppose my wish was a very foolish one,” said Henry, “and I

have been deceiving myself as you suspected. I have not looked at things in the light you represent them. The view you have would make us more contented with our lot, however humble. It certainly would cause us to feel more interest in our daily duties to think that they are a part of God’s work upon earth.”

“It does indeed” answered Mr. Severn. “Omitting the obvious duties we have been given to do, in the hope of being given a grander duty is a poor way of showing obedience to God. You might think it a greater merit, but it would not be what He has given you to do. The continual sense of our being about God’s work, and of His eye seeing us, gives importance and worth to all we have to do.”

Do you feel, like Henry, that it would be a more glorious thing to make some great sacrifice, rather than to yield your will in very trivial matters, or to submit to the discipline of parents and teachers? Do not forget that “to obey is better than sacrifice.”

Source: Sabbath Readings for the Home Circle, Vol. 1, ©1877, 239–245.