LIVING AS CHILDREN OF GOD

Key Text: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” (1 John 3:1, KJV)

The Student Will:

Know: Understand that we are God’s children and are called to be like Him.
Feel: Be enveloped in God’s love.
Do: Respond to God’s love by resisting the temptation to sin.

LESSON OUTLINE:

Know: We Are Called to Be Like Our Father

1. How do you understand the concept of being like the Lord “when we shall see Him” How does the idea of children being like their earthly parents help deepen our understanding of this concept?

Because we are adopted into God’s family, we are no longer aliens, orphans, or strangers left to wander in sin’s hopeless desert. Rather, God has drawn His circle of love around us, and we have become the privileged heirs of His covenantal promise. Hence, “we are children of God” (1 John 3:2, NKJV). That’s our present privilege now. The world may not understand it. The community around us that is alien to the revelation of Christ may not fathom it. But we are sure of it. What’s more, there is a future attached to the present privilege. We do not know fully what that future will be like, but “we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (SDA Bible Study Guide, Learning Cycle)

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” (Psalms 17: 15)

2. Satan wanted to be like God; Adam and Eve wanted to be like God. How does this ambition differ from the promise that we will be like God when we see Him?

”Satan wanted to be like God in power and may have craved the adoration of all created beings. However, it seems that he was not interested in being like God in character. His desire to be like God in power did not deepen his relationship with God but, to the contrary, has disrupted and ruined it. Although Christians will be like God, they do not desire to take God’s place. They want to be like Him in loving others, in selfless service, in exhibiting purity of thought and righteousness of action. They respect the basic difference between Creator and creature and do not want to do away with it. For them the issue is love, not power.” (SDA Bible Study Guide, August 10, 2009)

Feel: Enveloped in a Blanket of Love

3. What synonyms does the word lavished bring to mind? How do you feel when you realize that this describes how God loves you?

Lavish is defined as: 1. To expend or give in great amounts or without limit; 2. To give or bestow in abundance; 3. Shower (http://dictionary.reference.com/)

“The Father adopts all the children of the Son. The Son indeed calls them, and makes them his brethren; and thereby he confers upon them the power and dignity of the sons of God. It is wonderful condescending love of the eternal Father, that such as we should be made and called his sons—we who by nature are heirs of sin, and guilt, and the curse of God—we who by practice are children of corruption, disobedience, and ingratitude! Strange, that the holy God is not ashamed to be called our Father, and to call us his sons!” (Matthew Henry Commentary -Online)

4. Sometimes we get impatient waiting for our promised inheritance in heaven. How can we nurture a spirit of patience and joy?

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth? Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Luke 21: 34-36, KJV)

“That in everything ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1: 5-8).

“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 6-15, KJV)

Do: Resisting and Rejoicing

5. How does the Cross provide the antidote for our inadequacies?

Men can never be successful in removing sin in their lives. “Every effort to achieve a righteous life trough one’s own strength is doomed. Christ said that everyone who has sinned is a slave of sin. Only divine power can emancipate us from this slavery. But Christ has assured us “If the Son makes you free you shall be free indeed”” John 15: 4, 5 (SDA Fundamental Beliefs pp. 102, (2005))

Christ atoning sacrifice at Calvary marked the turning point in the relationship between God and humanity. Thought there is a record of people’s sins, as a result of the reconciliation God does not count their sins against them (2 Cor. 5: 19). This does not men God dismisses punishment or that sin no longer arouses His wrath. Rather, it means that God has found a way to grant pardon to repentant sinners while still upholding the justice of His eternal law. For a loving God to maintain His justice and righteousness, the atoning g death of Jesus Christ became “a moral and legal necessity”. God’s justice requires to be carried to judgment. God must therefore execute judgment on sin and thus on the sinner. In this execution, the Son of God took our place, the sinner’s place according to God’s will. The atonement was necessary because man stood under the righteous wrath of God. Therefore, the cross is the demonstration of both God’s mercy and justice. (SDA Fundamental Beliefs Boise Idaho: PPPA 2005 pp 126, 127)

“Christ death was the only way possible for humans to be saved and have the promise of eternal life. To miss that is to miss the point of the entire gospel.” (SDA Bible Study Guide, August 12, 2009)

6. Why is no cost too high that enables you to put sin out of your life?

“The issue of sin must be clear to everyone. It cannot be taken lightly. The followers of Christ cannot play with sin. They cannot continuously sin. They may fall in sin here and there, but they have separated from sin and o not practice a life of sin. They are not dominated by sin. Tough sin is real, Christian shave no choice but to put it away from their lives, no matter the cost.” (SDA Bible Study Guide, August 12, 2009)

“Through His death, Christ broke the dominion of sin, terminated the spiritual captivity, removed the condemnation and curse of the law and made eternal life available to all repentant sinners.” (SDA Fundamental Beliefs, Boise Idaho: PPPA 2005 pp 109)

“Through the power of Christ saving grace, they may walk as Christ walked, daily enjoying the things that please God (John 8: 29). Fallen humanity’s hope is to accept God’s invitation to enter into Hs covenant of grace. Through faith in Jesus Christ we can experience this relationship that assures our adoption as children of God and heirs with Christ to His kingdom.” (SDA Fundamental Beliefs, Boise Idaho: PPPA 2005 pp 109)

Summary: God lavishes His love on us, calling us to be His children and offering us the victory over sin.