SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2--2nd Quarter 2022--Fall

[Richard Myers]

 Lesson 2 April 2-8

The Fall

Commentary in Navy                  Inspiration in Maroon

Sabbath Afternoon     This is one of the most important Sabbath School lessons I have seen in my 35 years in the church.  The  subject of Gen 3:15 and 16 is not understood by many ministers in the North American Division and I am sure it is also true in the Trans-European Division and Australia. And, maybe the rest of the world church. Verse 15, the first half is never taught. It is not in harmony with what most believe the gospel to be. And verse 16 reveals the simple truth that the NAD and the Trans-European and Australia have rejected. Both the New Testament and the Old Testament teach that women are not to rule over men in the home nor in the church.

Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 3; 2 Cor. 11:3; Rev. 12:7-9; John 8:44; Rom. 16:20; Heb. 2:14; 1 Tim. 2:14, 15.

Memory Text: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15

Amid all that God had given our first parents in Eden came also a warning: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Gen. 2:16, 17. This warning against eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil shows us that, though they were to know good, they were not to know evil.

We certainly can understand why, can’t we?

And, too, the threat of death attached to the warning about disobedience (Gen. 2:17) would be fulfilled: they will die (Gen. 3:19). Not only forbidden to eat from the tree, they were also driven from the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24), and thus had no access to what could have given them eternal life as sinners (Gen. 3:22).

However, amid this tragedy comes hope, which is found in Genesis 3:15, called the protoevangelium, or “the first gospel promise.” Yes, this verse presents the first gospel promise found in the Bible, the first time humans are told that, despite the Fall, God has made a way of escape for us all.

Amen! It is the "everlasting covenant" made before the foundation of the Earth was laid. There was no hope for Adam and Eve prior to this proclamation that God would give an opportunity to guilty man to hate Satan and sin. Man is born aligned with Satan and at enmity with God. Here we read that God wants to put enmity between us and Satan. What we are not told is the conditions that exist for man. But, we are told what the conditions are for God. Jesus was to pay the price for our sins, the sins of the whole world. Unless Christ suffered for every sin of every human, man could not obtain this hatred toward Satan and sin and eternal life.

The promise is the same as that found in the "new covenant." Man could become a partaker of God's divine nature if both conditions are met. Jesus has fulfilled His part. What must we do in order to fulfill our part?

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 9.

[Richard Myers]

Sunday        April 3
The Serpent

Read Genesis 3:1, 2 Corinthians 11:3, and Revelation 12:7-9. Who is the serpent, and how does he deceive Eve?

The text begins with “the serpent.” The syntax of the phrase suggests emphasis: the word “serpent” is the first word of the sentence. Also, “the serpent” has the definite article, indicating that this is a well-known figure, as if the reader should already know who he is. The reality of this being is, thus, affirmed from the first word of the chapter.

Of course, the Scriptures identify the serpent as the enemy of God (Isa. 27:1) and explicitly call him “the Devil and Satan” (Rev. 12:9, NKJV). Likewise, in the ancient Near East, the serpent personified the power of evil.

“In order to accomplish his work unperceived, Satan chose to employ as his medium the serpent — a disguise well adapted for his purpose of deception. The serpent was then one of the wisest and most beautiful creatures on the earth. It had wings, and while flying through the air presented an appearance of dazzling brightness, having the color and brilliancy of burnished gold.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 53.

When talking about the devil, in whatever form he appears, the Bible is not talking mere metaphor. In Scripture Satan is depicted as a literal being and not just some rhetorical symbol or an abstract principle to depict evil or humanity’s dark side.

The serpent does not present himself as an enemy of God. On the contrary, the serpent refers to God’s words, which he repeats and seems to support. That is, right from the start, we can see that Satan likes to quote God and, as shall later be seen, even quotes the Word of God itself (Matt. 4:6).

Note also that the serpent does not argue immediately with the woman, but he asks a question that implies that he believes in what the Lord has said to them. After all, he asked: “Has God indeed said … ” (Gen. 3:1, NKJV)? Thus, even from the start we can see just how cunning and deceitful this being was. And, as we will see, it worked too.

If Satan was able to deceive a sinless Eve in Eden, how much more vulnerable are we? What is our best defense against his deceptions?

There is only one defense. We must be partakers of God's divine nature, thus we are given spiritual eyesight. If possible the very elect shall be deceived. But, it is not possible as long as we remain the "very elect" consecrated and fully surrendered to God. When we love the Lord our God with the whole heart, we will have power to resist even the greatest of temptations. How do we know this? Because God has promised if we will surrender the whole heart, He will not allow those who love Him supremely to be tempted beyond what they can bear. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]." 1 Cor. 10:13.

[Richard Myers]

Monday         April 4
The Forbidden Fruit

Read Genesis 2:16, 17 and Genesis 3:1-6 (see also John 8:44).

 2:16   And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 
 2:17   But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 

 3:1   Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 
 3:2   And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 
 3:3   But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 
 3:4   And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 
 3:5   For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 
 3:6   And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 

Compare the words of God’s commandment to Adam with the serpent’s words to the woman. What are the differences between the speeches, and what is the meaning of these differences?

Note the parallels between God’s conversation with Adam (Gen. 2:16, 17) and Eve’s conversation with the serpent. It is as if the serpent has now replaced God and knows even better than He does. At first, he merely asked a question, implying that the woman had, perhaps, misunderstood God. But then Satan openly questioned God’s intentions and even contradicted Him.

Satan’s attack concerns two issues, death and the knowledge of good and evil. While God clearly and emphatically stated that their death would be certain (Gen. 2:17), Satan said that, on the contrary, they wouldn’t die, all but implying that humans were immortal (Gen. 3:4). While God forbade Adam to eat from the fruit (Gen. 2:17), Satan encouraged them to eat the fruit because by eating of it they would be like God (Gen. 3:5).

Satan’s two arguments, immortality and being like God, convinced Eve to eat the fruit. It is troubling that as soon as the woman decided to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit, she behaved as if God were no longer present and had been replaced by herself. The biblical text alludes to this shift of personality. Eve uses God’s language: Eve’s evaluation of the forbidden fruit, “saw that … was good” (Gen. 3:6), reminds of God’s evaluation of His creation, “saw … that it was good” (Gen. 1:4, etc.).

These two temptations, that of being immortal and of being like God, are at the root of the idea of immortality in ancient Egyptian and Greek religions. The desire for immortality, which they believed was a divine attribute, obliged these people to seek divine status as well, in order (they hoped) to acquire immortality. Surreptitiously, this way of thinking infiltrated Jewish-Christian cultures and has given birth to the belief in the immortality of the soul, which exists even today in many churches.

Think of all the beliefs out there today that teach there’s something inherently immortal in all of us.

That would mean God is in all of us. That is Spiritualism, God in everything. Those who believe we do not need to be converted to have life, believe God is in the sinner. Has this not entered into God's church also?  When we are fully surrendered, then Jesus abides in us through the third person of the godhead, the Holy Spirit. Then 2 Peter 1:4 applies, we become partakers of the divine nature as long as the Holy Spirit remains in the heart.

How does our understanding of human nature and the state of the dead provide us such powerful protection against this dangerous deception?

We are evil by nature and thus do not have eternal life. We are given temporal life that we might learn of God and surrender all we have and all we are to the One who has given all for us. Those who sin one known sin, will surely die eternally unless they truly repent and love the Lord our God with all of the heart, mind, soul, and strength. Why do so many believe a lie originated in the Garden of Eden? They have been taught that they have life even when sinning a known sin. Those who teach otherwise, are teaching a monstrous teaching. From an influential teacher in God's church teaches "the monstrous teaching in the Seventh-day Adventist Church is that when one sins, he must be re-justifed."  "Re-justified" means to receive forgiveness of sins truly repented of. In other words, one may sin a known sin and retain salvation. Yet, multitudes can read what we read in this week's lessons and ignore the truth just as did Eve. Adam did not believe the lie. He did not believe God to  be a liar as did Eve. He sinned because he loved his wife more than he loved God. Which one applies to you when you sin a known sin? Do you believe God to be a liar and you will not die as He said? Or is it because you do not hate sin enough to cease sinning?

[Richard Myers]

Tuesday        April 5
Hiding Before God

Read Genesis 3:7-13. Why did Adam and Eve feel the need to hide before God? Why did God ask the question “Where are you?” How did Adam and Eve seek to justify their behavior?

After they sinned, Adam and Eve felt naked because they lost their garments of glory, which reflected God’s presence (see Ps. 8:5, compare with Ps. 104:1, 2). The image of God had been affected by sin. The verb “make” in the phrase they “made themselves coverings” (Gen. 3:7, NKJV) was so far applied only to God the Creator (Gen. 1:7, 16, 25, etc.). It is as if they replaced the Creator as they attempted to cover their sin, an act that Paul denounces as righteousness by works (Gal. 2:16).

When God approaches, He asks them the rhetorical question “Where are you?” (Gen. 3:9, NKJV), the same kind of question that God will ask Cain (Gen. 4:9). Of course, God knew the answers to the questions. His questions were asked for the benefit of the guilty, to help them realize what they have done and yet, at the same time, to lead them to repentance and salvation. From the moment humans sinned, the Lord was working for their salvation and redemption.

Even before they sinned, from before the foundation of the Earth was laid, God and Jesus had agreed to provide a second chance.

In fact, the whole scenario reflects the idea of the investigative judgment, which begins with the judge, who interrogates the culprit (Gen. 3:9) in order to prepare him for the sentence (Gen. 3:14-19). But He does it also to prompt repentance, which will ultimately lead to salvation (Gen. 3:15). This is a motif seen all through the Bible.

At first, as so common with sinners, Adam and Eve both try to evade the charge, seeking to blame others.

They were at enmity with God and aligned with Satan and sin. As we are until we are born again of the Spirit.

To God’s question Adam responds that it was the woman whom God had given to him (Gen. 3:12) — she led him to do it. It was her fault (and, implied, it was God’s as well), not his.

Eve responds that it was the serpent who deceived her. The Hebrew verb nasha’, “deceive” (in Gen. 3:13, NKJV), means to give people false hopes and makes them believe that they are doing the right thing (2 Kings 19:10, Isa. 37:10, Jer. 49:16).

Adam blames the woman, saying that she gave him the fruit (some truth to this), and Eve blames the serpent, saying he deceived her (some truth to this, too). But in the end, they both were guilty.

Trying to blame someone else for what they have done? Why is it so easy for us to fall into the same trap?

It is our nature unless we be filled with the third Person of the godhead. We are selfish and  are living for self until we are converted and remain converted.

[Richard Myers]

Wednesday         April 6
The Fate of the Serpent

 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15.

What did the Lord say to the serpent here, and what hope is implied in these verses?

Jesus is speaking to Satan in the hearing of Adam and Eve. Before these Words were spoken, they had no hope. They were told they would die. Now, they hear that they may be transformed from hating God to hating Satan and sin. Very many who profess to be Christians have not known God. The natural heart has not been changed, and the carnal mind remains at enmity with God. They are Satan’s faithful servants, notwithstanding they have assumed another name.” EW 273. They were aligned with Satan and could do no good thing in their fallen nature. They also understand that Jesus must suffer and that Satan will be killed. They would better understand there were conditions to be met by both God and man in order for this transformation from sinner to saint. They with us are given a second chance to live eternally. We are granted a period of probation to learn of God's love and to yield our carnal hearts to Him who gave all that we might live.

God begins His judgment with the serpent because he is the one who initiated the whole drama.

No, God begins with a promise that Adam can be transformed in nature by being reconciled to God. He had no hatred of sin nor Satan. Then, Satan hears that his head will be "bruised."

The serpent, too, is the only being who is cursed in this narrative.

We reach here a kind of “reversal” of Creation. While Creation led to life, the appreciation of good, and blessings, judgment leads to death, evil, and curses — but also, to the hope and promise of salvation. Attached to the somber picture of the crushed serpent eating the dust (Gen. 3:14) shines the hope of the salvation of humankind, which appears in the form of a prophecy. Even before the condemnations of Adam and Eve, which will follow, the Lord gives them the hope of redemption (Gen. 3:15).

They are already condemned to die, and they know it. It is the curses that are to come. It will be interesting to see how the lesson deals with the curse on women.

Yes, they have sinned; yes, they will suffer because of their sin; and, yes, they will die, too, because of the sins. But despite all that, there is the ultimate hope, the hope of salvation.

Compare Genesis 3:15 with Romans 16:20, Hebrews 2:14, and Revelation 12:17. How is the plan of salvation, as well as the great controversy, revealed in these texts?

Notice the parallels between Genesis 3:15 and Revelation 12:17: the dragon (serpent), enraged (enmity); the seed (offspring); and the woman in Eden and the woman in Revelation 12:17. The battle (the great controversy) that moved to Eden, with the Fall, will continue to the end of time. However, the promise of Satan’s defeat was already given in Eden, in that his head will be crushed, a theme more explicitly revealed in Revelation, which depicts his final demise (Rev. 20:10). That is, right from the start, humanity was given hope that there will be a way out of the terrible mess that came from the knowledge of evil, a hope that we all can share in right now.

Why is it so comforting to see that, in Eden itself, where sin and evil on earth began, the Lord started to reveal the plan of salvation?

It is very sad that the lesson does not address the first part of Gen. 3:15. Share in your classes what God promised to do for Adam and Eve and us their children. What does it mean to be given enmity toward Satan? Explain why it was necessary. Explain that Adam and Eve and us are at enmity with God until we cease serving Satan and love the  Lord our God with all of the heart. Quote from Roman 7 and 8 to help your class understand our condition prior to conversion, Romans 7, and after the new birth, Romans 8. And, if we have not His Spirit, we are none of His (Romans 8:9).

“I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15. The divine sentence pronounced against Satan after the fall of man was also a prophecy, embracing all the ages to the close of time and foreshadowing the great conflict to engage all the races of men who should live upon the earth.
 
God declares: “I will put enmity.” This enmity is not naturally entertained. When man transgressed the divine law, his nature became evil, and he was in harmony, and not at variance, with Satan. There exists naturally no enmity between sinful man and the originator of sin. Both became evil through apostasy. The apostate is never at rest, except as he obtains sympathy and support by inducing others to follow his example. For this reason fallen angels and wicked men unite in desperate companionship. Had not God specially interposed, Satan and man would have entered into an alliance against Heaven; and instead of cherishing enmity against Satan, the whole human family would have been united in opposition to God.  Great Controversy; pg 505. 

If you remember it was not long ago that we studied the covenants. The lessons did not address the first part of Genesis 3:15 which offers us the opportunity to be transformed by becoming a partaker of God's divine nature when we are fully surrendered to Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:4).

[Richard Myers]

Thursday         April 7
Human Destiny

Read Genesis 3:15-24.

 3:15   And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 
 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. 
 3:17   And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed [is] the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life; 
 3:18   Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 
 3:19   In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return. 

As a result of the Fall, what happened to Adam and Eve?

While God’s judgment of the serpent is explicitly identified as a curse (Gen. 3:14), God’s judgment of the woman and of the man is not. The only time where the word “curse” is used again, it applies only to the “ground” (Gen. 3:17). That is, God had other plans for the man and the woman, as opposed to the serpent. They were offered a hope not offered to him.

Because the woman’s sin is due to her association with the serpent, the verse describing God’s judgment of the woman was related to the judgment of the serpent. Not only does Genesis 3:16 immediately follow Genesis 3:15, but the parallels between the two prophecies clearly indicate that the prophecy concerning the woman in Genesis 3:16 has to be read in connection to the Messianic prophecy in Genesis 3:15. God’s judgment of the woman, including childbearing, should therefore be understood in the positive perspective of salvation (compare with 1 Tim. 2:14, 15).

Positive?   Yes, the sorrows to come upon both Eve and Adam were for their good, for their salvation. Then, let us look a little closer by taking 1 Tim. 2:14, 15, in context.

 2:14   And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 
 2:15   Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. 

Why did Paul bring up this matter having to do with Genesis 3:16?  Read why Paul has brought it up......

 2:12   But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 
 2:13   For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 
 2:14   And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 
 2:15   Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. 

Paul is expressing what God said in Genesis 3:16, and it is for the good of the woman: "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." 

Why is he telling us about Gen 3:16? Because a woman ought not rule over a man.  "I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man," "thy desire [shall be] to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

Now, we could go on without understanding this, but it would not be good. Why ought we understand Genesis 3:16 in light of 1 Tim 2:12-15? Because Satan has perverted this truth to lead many in God's  church into rebellion against God, His Word, and His world-wide church. Women are not to rule over men in the home or in the church. Because the world has come into the church, we see this in the church. How can we expect those in Babylon who are seeking another church come into our church when they see such rebellion against such a simple truth as 1 Tim. 2:12-15 being supported by Genesis 3:16. Yes, it is a matter of salvation for the woman as the lesson pointed to. Then we ought to understand why. Explain this to your Sabbath School class if God be with you.

Because the man’s sin is due to his listening to the woman instead of listening to God, the ground from which man has been taken is cursed (Gen. 3:17). As a result, man will have to work hard (Gen. 3:17-19), and he will then “return” to the ground where he comes from (Gen. 3:19), something that never should have happened, and that was never part of God’s original plan.

It is significant that against this hopeless prospect of death Adam turns, then, to the woman, where he sees the hope of life through her giving birth (Gen. 3:20). That is, even amid the sentence of death, he sees the hope of life.

Meanwhile, as would any loving parent, God had wanted only good for them, not evil. But now that they knew evil, God was going to do all that He could to save them from it. Thus, even amid these judgments, all hope was not lost for our first parents, despite their open and blatant disobedience to God; even though they — living truly in paradise — had absolutely no reason to doubt God, to doubt God’s words, or to doubt His love to them.

Though we tend to think of “knowledge” in and of itself as good, why is that not always the case? What are some things that we are better off not knowing

Knowledge of evil is not helpful. Knowledge of spiritualism is better left alone. We do not need to see pictures of evil in this world such as what is in Fox's Book of Martyrs. Let us focus on what God has done, and is doing for us. We are healed by His stripes. By beholding His glory we are changed into the same image (character, 2 Cor. 3:18).

[Richard Myers]

Friday         April 8

Further Thought: Consider the connection between “the tree of life” and “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” This relation is already suggested through the fact that they are both located “in the midst of the Garden” (Gen. 2:9). But there is more between the two trees than just a geographical relation. It is because humans have taken the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because they disobeyed God, that they lost access to the tree of life, and could not live forever, at least in this condition. This connection underlies a profound principle. Moral and spiritual choices have an impact on biological life, as Solomon instructed to his son: “do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you” (Prov. 3:1, 2, NKJV). This connection reappears in the future heavenly Jerusalem, where only the tree of life is present “in the middle of its street” (Rev. 22:2, NKJV).

“When God created Eve, He designed that she should possess neither inferiority nor superiority to the man, but that in all things she should be his equal. The holy pair were to have no interest independent of each other; and yet each had an individuality in thinking and acting. But after Eve’s sin, as she was first in the transgression, the Lord told her that Adam should rule over her. She was to be in subjection to her husband, and this was a part of the curse. In many cases the curse has made the lot of woman very grievous and her life a burden. The superiority which God has given man he has abused in many respects by exercising arbitrary power. Infinite wisdom devised the plan of redemption, which places the race on a second probation by giving them another trial.” — Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 484.

A very bold quote in light of the rebellion in the church. A child can understand that women are not to rule over men. It is very sad that men have not loved their wives and allowed them freedom to think for themselves. Because we are not always faithful to cling to Christ, it may be that a woman errs (sins). At times, it would be wise for the husband to let her have her way that she might see the error of her ways faster than being told she was wrong. The strong are to bear with the infirmities of the weak. No matter how unChristian one may be, if we consider ourselves strong, then we ought to help the erring.

Some argue against the truth being quoted in Gen. 3:16. Some teach  that it is not so in the church. But, Paul makes it very clear in 1 Tim. 2:12-15 that it applies in the church as well as in the home. But, in a Laodicean Church, many have no spiritual discernment to understand, and pride hinders accepting the truth.

Discussion Questions:

    God confronted Adam in Eden and asked him questions in order not only to establish his guilt but also to lead him to repentance. This motif reappears with Cain (Gen. 4:9, 10), the Flood (Gen. 6:5-8), the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:5), and Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:21). How is the idea of an investigative judgment revealed in these incidents?
    Why did Eve think that eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would give her wisdom? How could we avoid, in our context, making a similar mistake, that is, openly defying God’s Word in hope of something “better” than what God has offered us?

Calling God a liar is a most serious matter. To believe that I can become wise like God is foolish. How could a holy one believe such a lie? How was it that Lucifer could believe He could replace God? Such foolishness. This is the mystery of sin.  God has established a lesson book for the universe to learn about what sin does. And, our great need of God continually in order to do any good thing. Satan says that we cannot keep God's commandments. God says we can. Who do you believe? Do you believe Satan or sin when God says if we sin we will die eternally. Do we understand our only hope is found in trusting God with all we have and all we are? The rich young ruler gave up eternal life, for giving up the things of this world was too much. Such foolishness!

Without surrendering all to Jesus, we indeed are acting the part of a fool. Yet, God still loves us and sent His innocent Son to prove His love for us while yet sin. 2 Cor. 3:18 provides and answer as to what we can do in order to obtain what God has promised in Gen. 3:15. If we want to hate sin, then we have to love God more than sin. This will happen if we behold His glory (character) daily. We will be changed into His image (character).

Many attend religious services, and are refreshed and comforted by the word of God; but through neglect of meditation, watchfulness, and prayer, they lose the blessing, and find themselves more destitute than before they received it. Often they feel that God has dealt hardly with them. They do not see that the fault is their own. By separating themselves from Jesus, they have shut away the light of His presence.

It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.
 
As we associate together, we may be a blessing to one another. If we are Christ’s, our sweetest thoughts will be of Him. We shall love to talk of Him; and as we speak to one another of His love, our hearts will be softened by divine influences. Beholding the beauty of His character, we shall be “changed into the same image from glory to glory.” 2 Corinthians 3:18.  Desire of Ages; pg 83.

Praise God!!