Daily Lesson for Wednesday 19th of February 2025

The Greek term translated “predestination” here and elsewhere in Scripture (prohorizo) does not itself teach that God causally determines history. Rather, the Greek term simply means “to decide beforehand.”

Image © Rolf Jansson from GoodSalt.com

Of course, one can decide something beforehand unilaterally, or one can decide something beforehand in a way that takes into account the free decisions of others. Scripture teaches that God does the latter.

Here and elsewhere (for example, Romans 8:29-30), the term translated “predestined” refers to what God plans for the future after taking into account what God foreknows about the free decisions of creatures. Thus, God can providentially guide history to His desired good ends for all, even while respecting the kind of creaturely freedom that is required for a genuine love relationship.

Ephesians 1:11 proclaims that God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (NKJV). Does this mean that God determines everything to happen just as He desires? Read in isolation, Ephesians 1:9-11 might seem to affirm this view. However, this interpretation would contradict the many texts we saw earlier that show that people sometimes reject “the will of God” (Luke 7:30, NKJV; compare with Luke 13:34, Psalms 81:11-14). If the Bible does not contradict itself, how can these passages be understood in a way that is consistent with one another?

This passage makes perfect sense if one simply recognizes a distinction between what we might call God’s “ideal will” and God’s “remedial will.” God’s “ideal will” is what God actually prefers to occur and which would occur if everyone always did exactly what God desires. God’s “remedial will,” on the other hand, is God’s will that has already taken into account every other factor, including the free decisions of creatures, which sometimes depart from what God prefers. Ephesians 1:11 appears to be referring to God’s “remedial will.”

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-08-gods-ideal-and-remedial-wills/

Daily Lesson for Tuesday 18th of February 2025

That God is all-powerful does not mean that He can do the logically impossible. Accordingly, God cannot causally determine that someone freely love Him. If freely doing something means to do something without being determined to do it, then by definition it is impossible to make someone freely do something. In short, as we have seen, and must re-emphasize—God cannot force anyone to love Him, for the moment it’s forced, it is no longer love.

Image Copyright Kevin Carden Goodsalt.com

The greatest commandment, to love God, provides evidence that God does, indeed, want everyone to love Him. However, not everyone does love God. Why, then, does God simply not make everyone love Him? Again, that is because love, to be love, must be freely given.

According to Numbers 23:19, “ ‘God is not man, that [H]e should lie’ ” (ESV). God never lies (Titus 1:2); God always keeps His word and never breaks a promise (Hebrews 6:17-18). Accordingly, if God has promised or committed Himself to something, His future action is morally limited by that promise.

This means that, insofar as God, in most cases, grants creatures the freedom to choose otherwise than what God prefers; it is not up to God what humans choose. If God has committed Himself to granting creatures free will, humans possess the ability to exercise their freedom in ways that go against God’s ideal desires. Tragically, many people do exercise their freedom in this way, and accordingly, there are many things that occur that God wishes did not, but that are not, strictly speaking, up to God.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-08-to-love-god/

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter’s author, John C. Peckham, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/8free-will-love-and-divine-providence-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/

View an in-depth discussion of Free Will, Love, and Divine Providence/a> in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:

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With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/8-free-will-love-and-divine-providence-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion/

The studies in this quarters pamphlet encourage us to see God’s Love and Justice, just as we may sing in 
Hymn 79 – O Love of God, How Strong and True! which is a beautiful theme hymn for our studies.

Our memory text this week shows us that we may have
Wonderful Peace – Hymn 466.

With all the choices we make as humans, we wish to
Trust And Obey – Hymn 590 and follow where God wants to lead us, for our own best. The time of learning in Monday’s study shows us that “God is all-powerful (omnipotent)”, as does
Hymn 84 – God The Omnipotent.

Tuesday has us singing 
The Wonder Of It All – Hymn 75, the wonder of God’s love, as do 
Hymn 79 – O Love Of God,
How Strong And True! and 
Hymn 77 – O Love Of God Most Full. This love is so freely given as is found in verse 2 of 
Hymn 189 – All That Thrills My Soul.

“Christ Has Overcome The World” (Thursday’s title) is sung in 
Hymn 491 – In The Hour Of Trial and then gives the beauty of John 16:33 where “Christ has overcome the world”. Oh, 
What A Wonderful Saviour – Hymn 335.

The Final Thought on Friday gives us the blessed assurance story, 
For God So Loved The World – Hymn 78.

Please continue to search the scriptures this week to be blessed, and to bless others.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/8-free-will-love-and-divine-providence-singing-with-inspiration/