Daily Lesson for Thursday 28th of November 2024

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because [he has] not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. . . . Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that [his] deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light” (John 3:18-21, NIV; compare with John 1:10).

The rejection of Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, leaves us open to doubt and to the temptations of the devil. It is to turn from light to darkness.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

Eve was given light on how to relate to the tree in the center of the garden. Satan tempted her to bring the light into question. She tested God’s word by reasoning that a God of love would not destroy the creatures whom He created. She also relied upon the data of her senses. The serpent has eaten of the fruit and now has the power to speak. Perhaps the serpent is right. If I partake of the fruit, I may become like God! Deceived, she turned away from the light. And her husband chose the same path.

Read Matthew 4:1-4. What principles did Christ use in the wilderness of temptation to combat the deceptions of Satan?

Christ had at His disposal the same humanistic tool of thought used by Adam and Eve, the antediluvians, and Israel at Kadesh Barnea. He could have asked why a God of love would leave His Son in the wilderness for 40 days and nights without food and protection. He also could have determined to prove His Sonship by turning stones into bread! Instead, He answered with the Word of God. He operated on the level of heavenly things rather than on earthly patterns of thought. How easily He could have rationalized His way to a wrong decision, which so many people, even people of faith, often do.

<–Wednesday Friday–>

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-09-condemnation/

Daily Lesson for Wednesday 27th of November 2024

Some of the saddest accounts in all of Scripture occur in the Gospel of John. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. . . . [The Light] was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:5,10-11, NKJV). The “I AM” was rejected by many of His own people.

No wonder Paul later warns, “Do not cast away your confidence” (Hebrews 10:35, NKJV). As we have seen again and again, Christ was rejected because people did not accept His Word.

Image © Kim Justinen at Goodsalt.com

“The contemporary humanistic way of thinking begins with doubt. People question everything in order to determine what is truth. That which survives the fire of cross-examination they accept as rock-solid knowledge, something on which to place one’s faith. Some apply the same method to the Bible, calling everything into question from a scientific, historical, psychological, philosophical, archaeological, or geological perspective in order to determine what is truth in the Bible. The very method itself starts with and builds upon doubt in the veracity of Scripture. Christ asked, ‘When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’ (Luke 18:8).”—E. Edward Zinke and Roland Hegstad, The Certainty of the Second Coming (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000), p. 96.

The sin of the Hebrews when they were at Kadesh Barnea was to doubt the Word of God. God had asked them to go up and take the land. Twelve spies were sent to Canaan to spy out the land. They came back with two reports. The majority gave a negative report. There are giants in the land, walled cities, weapons we have never seen before, and well-trained armies. By contrast, we have been slaves in the land of Egypt with little military experience. Ten spies voted no, based upon the overwhelming evidence from a human standpoint. Two spies voted yes based upon their faith in the overwhelming power of the Word of God.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-09-rejecting-the-source-of-life/