View an in-depth discussion of God’s Love of Justice/a> in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:

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

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/6-gods-love-of-justice-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion/

Daily Lesson for Wednesday 5th of February 2025

Can God “repent”? If so, what would that mean? We have seen that God’s character never changes. However, some biblical texts speak of God as “repenting” or “relenting.” At least for humans, repentance involves recognition that one has done something wrong. How, then, can some biblical passages depict God as “repenting”?

Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com

In these and many other passages, God is depicted as relenting of judgment in response to some repentance or intercession by people. God promises that, if the people will turn from their wickedness, He will turn from the judgment He planned. God’s turning from bringing judgment in response to human repentance is a common theme throughout Scripture.

These passages explicitly declare that God “ ‘is not a man, that He should relent’ ” (1 Samuel 15:29, NKJV) and “ ‘God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?’ ” (Numbers 23:19, NKJV). Read in light of the other passages, these texts cannot be taken to mean that God does not “relent” at all, but instead they convey the truth that He does not “relent” or “repent” in the ways that humans do. Rather, God always keeps His promises, and while He will change course in response to human repentance, He does so always in accordance with His goodness and His Word. God relents from judgment in response to repentance, precisely because His character is good, righteous, loving, and merciful.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-06-a-repenting-god/

Daily Lesson for Tuesday 4th of February 2025

In Malachi 3:6, God declares, “ ‘I am the Lord, I do not change’ ” (NKJV). While some read this part of the verse and take it to mean that God does not change in any way whatsoever, the rest of the verse and its immediate context shows that the changelessness of God affirmed here is God’s moral changelessness. The rest of the verse indicates that God may change relationally, for God says: “ ‘Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.’ ” And in the very next verse, God proclaims to His people, “ ‘Return to Me, and I will return to you’ ” (Malachi 3:7, NKJV).

Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com

So, God does enter into back-and-forth relationships with His creation, but through all such back-and-forth relationships, and through everything else, God’s character is constant. This is likewise affirmed in James 1:17, which proclaims that all good and perfect gifts come from God, with whom there is no variation. God is not the source of evil.

Here and elsewhere, Scripture repeatedly teaches that God’s charac­ter is unchangeable. In other words, the Bible consistently teaches that God is morally changeless. Yet, God can and does enter into real relationship with creatures, to whom God responds, but always with love and justice.

God cannot deny Himself; God never lies; and God’s promises are unbreakable. We can be confident that the God of the Bible is the same God who (in Christ) willingly gave Himself for us on the cross. He is a God who can be trusted, without reservation, and we can have confidence and hope for the future because, as Hebrews 13:8 puts it, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (NKJV).

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-06-gods-changeless-character/

The studies in this quarter’s 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.

 Once again, our theme hymn shines throughout the week. This is followed by our amazement in 
Hymn 75 – The Wonder Of It All and teaches us of 
O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go – Hymn 76. All these then show us
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise – Hymn 21.

Sunday shows us 
There’s A Wideness In God’s Mercy – Hymn 114, with Monday encouraging us to see 
God, The Omnipotent – Hymn 84 Who shows us all about righteousness and mercy.

We are learning to pray and want for 
My Faith Looks Up To Thee – Hymn 517 (especially in verse 2) asking that “may my love to Thee, pure warm and changeless be” . . . just like God’s changeless and abundant love. 
If You But Trust In God To Guide You – Hymn 510 we may be encouraged and learn so much more of our precious God.

Thursday expounds on “God’s love as perfect love” which we may sing in verse 3 of 
Hymn 191 – Love Divine. Oh, to see that 
There’s A Wideness In God’s Mercy – Hymn 114 as we saw in Sunday’s study time.

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/5-gods-love-of-justice-singing-with-inspiration/

Key Thought: Considering that God may change relationally toward His people when they choose to accept or reject Him, how can we reflect God’s justice to wrongdoing and injustice in the world?
February 8, 2025

1. Have a volunteer read Psalm 23:5; Isaiah 61:8; Jeremiah 9:24; Psalm 85:10.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. How do these texts shed light on God’s concern for justice?
3. Personal Application: What are some examples of perverted human justice? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “I sometimes question God’s goodness because of the people who claim to be Christian. If they are Christian, then God influences people in strange ways in selfish pride, judgmentalism, crimes of all kinds with no remorse or some type of guilt, and a lack of compassion for others.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 9:7,8; 92:15: 145:9-17.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What do these passages tell us about God?
3. Personal Application: How can you learn to trust the goodness of God even when things have gone really bad in your life? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why does God allow for so much evil that is in this world? Can’t He stop it?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Exodus 32:14; Jeremiah 18:4-10.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What do we understand about God relenting in these passages?
3. Personal Application: How does God’s repentance and change in judgment relate in any way to restoration? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “Does God ever change His mind? I thought He never changes. How would or could God change His mind?.” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Matthew 5:43-48.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. How does the great controversy explain all the evil that exists now?
3. Personal Application: Have you ever been treated unjustly? How does your past experiences influence the way you treat others? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared. ”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/6-gods-love-of-justice-teaching-plan/