Friday July 8
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Temperance and Dietetics,” pp. 202-206; “Discipline,” pp. 287-290, in Education; “Need for Self-Mastery,” pp. 73, 74, in Counsels on Diet and Foods; “The Principles of Stewardship,” pp. 111-113; “Sharing in the Joys of the Redeemed,” pp. 348-350, in Counsels on Stewardship.
It’s so hard from our perspective today, immersed as we are in a greatly fallen world, to imagine what we have lost through the Fall. This evil world is all that we know and, were it not for the Word of God and how it reveals to us our origins and the origins of sin and death and evil, we’d simply take them for granted, as just part of life itself. Yet the story of the Fall shows us that, indeed, this is not how things were to be. Genesis said that Adam and Eve were to have dominion over the world; then, right after they had sinned, suddenly their relationship to the world changed because they changed, and the physical world itself changed as well. Suddenly the dominion they had enjoyed was lost, and the consequences became enormous. “The thorn and the thistle (Gen. 3:17-18), the aftermath of the Flood (Gen. 7:12), the desert and the wilderness, the groaning of the earth for deliverance (Rom. 8:19-22) are some of the word pictures the Bible uses to describe the effect of sin upon the world.”-Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald® Pub. Assn.), vol. 12, p. 254. How thankful we should be for the plan of salvation, which will restore all that was lost and which offers us the promise of a future so much better than the past or the present.
Amen! We appreciate the author sharing truth, especially pointing us to Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy. We want to add a little, though. The Spirit of Prophecy is very clear on the importance of the medical missionary work to be done by the church, which includes us all, not just the hospitals of which many have departed from the counsel given. Here is just one message of thousands indicating the blessings to be given and to be received when we walk in the light of God's counsel.
The preaching of the word is a means by which the Lord has ordained that His warning message shall be given to the world. In the Scriptures the faithful teacher is represented as a shepherd of the flock of God. He is to be respected and his work appreciated. Genuine medical missionary work is bound up with the ministry, and the canvassing work is to be a part both of the medical missionary work and of the ministry. To those who are engaged in this work I would say: As you visit the people, tell them that you are a gospel worker and that you love the Lord. Do not seek a home in a hotel, but stay at a private house and become acquainted with the family. Christ was sowing the seeds of truth wherever He was, and as His followers you can witness for the Master, doing a most precious work in fireside labor. In thus coming close to the people you will often find those who are sick and discouraged. If you are pressing close to the side of Christ, wearing His yoke, you will daily learn of Him how to carry messages of peace and comfort to the sorrowing and disappointed, the sad and broken-hearted. You can point the discouraged ones to the word of God and take the sick to the Lord in prayer. As you pray, speak to Christ as you would to a trusted, much-loved friend. Maintain a sweet, free, pleasant dignity, as a child of God. This will be recognized.
Simple Treatments
Canvassers should be able to give instruction in regard to the treatment of the sick. They should learn the simple methods of hygienic treatment. Thus they may work as medical missionaries, ministering to the souls and the bodies of the suffering. This work should now be going forward inall parts of the world. Thus multitudes might be blessed by the prayers and instruction of God's servants. CEv 18.
The quote from the Review shared in our lesson was good, but it, as often is the case, leaves out an important truth. When quoting Gen. 3:17-18 in an effort to reveal the loss of dominion over the world, the Review and our lesson ought to have included Gen. 3:16. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." It was not just Adam who suffered a great loss, but Eve also lost much. Why is this important to point out? Because God wants us to know, and because there is much lost to us when we trust in the institutions which have perverted the truth and have encouraged and fostered rebellion in the church. The ordination of women elders is contrary to Scripture. It reveals that the world has come into the church and many in leadership positions are as was Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Shall the example presented in the history of the children of Israel have any weight with us? Shall those who claim to believe the truth be influenced to judge from their human feelings as did Israel? Let the Bible speak and away with the wisdom of faulty men who turn to the world for their morality. Women are not to rule over men. Even before sin, it was not so.
Discussion Questions:
Though the immediate context of these texts (Exod. 23:10-12; Deut. 11:11-12; 20:19-20) doesn’t have to do with ecology as understood today, what principles could one take from them that could help us understand our need to be good stewards of the environment? Also, how do we know if and when we have crossed the line from being a steward of the environment to being a worshiper of it?
There is an intermediate step. One does not have to worship nature in order to be following those who do. We need to be very careful when we open our mouth and tell others what they need to do in regards to being good stewards of the Earth. A good example is supporting ceasing from labor one day a week in order to benefit "mother earth". We cease from labor one day a week because God's law tells us to do so, not because we will produce less carbon dioxide. A "green sabbath" is not from God, but a plan hatched from below. It is something the pope has taken hold us in order to advance the sun day around the world. Satan is working in harmony with him to deceive if possible the very elect. That is not possible because they are looking unto Jesus for their wisdom and their power to overcome the evil one.
Think about the natural world as we know it now. Is it a friend or a foe, and how can you justify your answer?
The natural world is full of sin as a result of the fall. But, God created and works through nature. We still are blessed by the sun, rain, and soil. Seeds still produce food and material for shelter. Without the trees, where would we be. They feed upon carbon dioxide and produce oxygen to meet our needs. A most wonderful truth is presented to us in Desire of Ages in one of the most beautiful narrations I have ever read.
Now sin has marred God's perfect work, yet that handwriting remains. Even now all created things declare the glory of His excellence. There is nothing, save the selfish heart of man, that lives unto itself. No bird that cleaves the air, no animal that moves upon the ground, but ministers to some other life. There is no leaf of the forest, or lowly blade of grass, but has its ministry. Every tree and shrub and leaf pours forth that element of life without which neither man nor animal could live; and man and animal, in turn, minister to the life of tree and shrub and leaf. The flowers breathe fragrance and unfold their beauty in blessing to the world. The sun sheds its light to gladden a thousand worlds. The ocean, itself the source of all our springs and fountains, receives the streams from every land, but takes to give. The mists ascending from its bosom fall in showers to water the earth, that it may bring forth and bud. Pg 20.
Discuss the question asked at the end of Sunday’s study about the meaning and purpose of human life. What answer would you give to someone who asked you that question? How should our answers differ from those who don’t believe in God or salvation?
How can one reflect a God who he does not believe exists? He cannot. But, we who live for the glory of God have as our object in life to reveal Him to others. We have purpose, a very great purpose as we understand why God has allowed sin to continue. Why does God not put an end to suffering and death? Why not put and end to Satan and sin now? Because putting an end to Satan would not put an end to sin. God did not cause Lucifer to sin. And, why did 1/3 of the angelic host sin? God has a problem beyond what we see on this Earth. It is a problem in the universe that He will resolve where man can retain free will and yet, God has promised sin will never arise again. "He will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time." Nahum 1:9.
How can this be? How can God leave man free and guarantee he will never ever sin? Amazing! You and I are the centerpiece of His plan. When God reveals to the universe the results of sin, and the fact that the lowest of the low, that is us who live 6,000 years after sin, can live without sinning, then how hard will it be for the holy angels to live without sinning!!
We are His witnesses of the power of grace to keep from sin. Do you believe this? Many in the church do not believe this. They have been taught God is going to take to heaven those who have not developed a character that clings to Christ in order to overcome sin. And, many have taught that there will never come a time when man will not have an intercessor. They do not understand God will bring His church to a point where the character is fixed for eternity. They do not understand when Jesus walks out of the heavenly sanctuary, there will be no more forgiveness of sin, no more interceding on behalf of the sinner. Those who are holy will remain holy, for they understand their continual need of Christ in order to resist the smallest temptation.
How can we reclaim the word dominion in a way that helps restore its original meaning? That is, how was dominion at first a good thing? How can it be today as well?
Let us contemplate the one dominion we ought to understand God will restore to all who will make a full surrender of their will to the will of God. It is found in Genesis when Adam and Eve are still in the garden. They have no hope of anything, for they have eaten the forbidden fruit that promised them death. But, God made a covenant in their hearing. "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed."
This is the promise that we can claim if we will fulfill our part of the covenant. Christ has fulfilled His part in suffering and dying for our sins. He stands at the door of the heart drawing all unto Himself. He awaits our part. We must cease resisting His love. We must learn of Him. We must feed upon Jesus. We must "eat His flesh" and "drink His blood" if we want to have spiritual life. When we come into this world, we are need of a Savior to do any good thing. We must be born again of His Spirit. We must be reconciled to God if we want to obtain enmity towards Satan and sin. When we come into the world we are at enmity with God and are aligned with Satan and sin. But, we may be restored to dominion over self. We may regain the power to go good because it is good. We may resist sin in the power of the grace offered.
If we will spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Christ, by beholding Him we shall be changed into his image by His Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18). It is a promise. The loveliness of Jesus will produce the fruits of His Spirit in the life of all who will behold it daily. Such a work entrusted to poor erring man!! That we might be His witnesses to a universe soon to be restored to eternal security!!