Ephesians
Sabbath School Lesson 2
God’s Grand, Christ-centered Plan
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Sabbath School Lesson 1
Paul and the Ephesians
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For the Quarter 3 Sabbath School Lesson on Ephesians, go here:
Adult Bible Study Guide | Next Quarter (adventist.org)
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JUNE 11, 2023
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has published clear statements regarding human sexuality, homosexuality, and transgenderism. All these statements were published after a careful study of God’s Word found in the Holy Scriptures, as it provides the authoritative basis to appropriately understand His will on all issues facing humankind including that of human sexuality. From our study of God’s Word, joined with reading the Spirit of Prophecy, we find human sexuality portrayed as a heaven-ordained institution of marriage between one man and one woman. In expressing our understanding of God’s will on human sexuality, we have done so with Christ-like love and compassion knowing that all have sinned and fall short of His glorious standard for living (Romans 3:23). As a church family, we are to be an extension of God's love for all humanity and be intentional in supporting those who struggle with sin in all its forms while nurturing a lifestyle that is in harmony with God’s Word. We believe that all sinful humankind can be new creations in Christ as II Corinthians 5:17 indicates: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
In recent weeks, some local individuals or sometimes local church organizations in their local settings have sought to provide support for those living alternative human sexuality lifestyles that are inconsistent with our biblical understanding of this issue and published voted statements of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. For some in their local settings, there have even been deliberate efforts to advance the cause of alternative human sexuality lifestyles without regard for the authority of God’s Word and the counsels provided in Spirit of Prophecy. Although these activities have been locally-sponsored, through social media they have been announced far and wide creating confusion and concern among church members who have been asking for a clear yet kind position on the matter from church leaders at various levels.
The General Conference affirms the voted statements on human sexuality, homosexuality, and transgenderism published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and does not support, endorse, or condone activities that seek to promote human sexuality behaviors not in accordance with God’s Word. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the General Conference and its divisions will continue to work with the various levels of our church structure to resolve the issues emerging from these locally-sponsored activities while maintaining Christ-like love and compassion for all people. The General Conference and other church entities will work diligently, according to the precepts and instructions of the Holy Word of God, to bring clarification and resolution to challenges that are faced. Every member of the church worldwide should stay close to the Word of God in daily living and through earnest prayer ask for God’s direct intervention in situations where there is a departure from His divine instructions in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. Undoubtedly, there will be more attempts by various groups to undermine the plain instructions from the Word of God and the voted statements of the world church on these matters. When individuals wish to share concerns, work closely with local church, conference, union, or institutional leaders in Christ-like love and compassion to address locally-sponsored activities that are not in harmony with God’s Word.
Let us hold fast to God’s precious Holy Word, the Bible, accepting Christ’s justifying and sanctifying righteousness as we look forward to His soon second coming.
Three Cosmic Messages
Sabbath School Lesson 13
Ablaze with God's Glory
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Buying and selling during the mark of the beast:
The Reality of Buying and Selling and Mark of the Beast
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Many people in the Adventist Church want to believe that the 10 Commandments were given and created long before the world began.
Sometimes this is because they want to reinterate to the world how important they are, and that they were given before anyone was referred to as a Jew or Hebrew.
So, let's analyze that thinking. Because we feel the Sabbath is so important, we want to believe that it too, was enacted even before this world began.
However, we have God Himself creating the Sabbath on the 7th day of creation. If God did not create the Sabbath on the literal 7th day of creation, then the Sabbath does not itself declare a literal 7 day creation week.
The only Biblical record we have of God blessing and sanctifying the 7th day is in the creation story.
Many would have more reason to believe that creation was not a literal 7 day creation. God not creating the Sabbath in the 7 day creation week also throws our entire theology on its ear.
Jesus actually gave us the best answer:
Mark 2:27 (ESV): "And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.""
We think that soldifies it. Man was not created until the 6th day of the creation week. The Sabbath was created AFTER man, not before.
This means that the 4th commandment was not created until man was. You cannot look at that any differently.
The 5th commandment mentions parents. Adam and Eve were the first parents. The first humans, to be exact. Angels do not have mothers and fathers, nor do they bear children.
We can also look at the 7th concerning adultery. Were angels and other heavenly citizens engaged in promiscuity?
Number 10 mentions coveting a neighbor's wife. The 4th, 5th, and 10th infer marriage. We know of no marrying in heaven, and if this was in regard to other universal beings, it would not make sense. Man is the subject of all 10 commandments.
We can say without a shadow of a doubt, that the Biblical 10 Commandments were started at the creation of this world, not before.
That said, as in the plan of salvation, it would not be wrong to say that the plan of the 10 Commandments was in place before creation.
Three Cosmic Messages
Sabbath School Lesson 12
The Seal of God and Mark of the Beast: Part 2
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Buying and selling during the mark of the beast:
The Reality of Buying and Selling and Mark of the Beast
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> Download current Sabbath School lesson here.
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Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Belief 2
The Trinity
There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three coeternal Persons.
God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present.
He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His
self-revelation.
God, who is love, is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.
Deuteronomy 6:4 (ESV): "“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.""
1 Timothy 1:17 (ESV): "To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
Matthew 28:19 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"
2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV): "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
Ephesians 4:4–6 (ESV): "There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
1 Peter 1:2 (ESV): "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood..."
Memory Verse for Sabbath School Lesson 12:
Memory Text: “Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, ’Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads’”(Revelation 7:2, 3, NKJV).
The Reality of Buying and Selling and the Mark of the Beast
Your human efforts will not get you through. You must trust that Jesus will sustain you.
People are buying property in rural areas outside of cities, thinking it will save them. Unfortunately, the government keeps very good property records. You will owe property tax. So not only will you need to "buy and sell" to pay that tax, the government can track you.
Are you storing food? Not a bad idea to store a little food for an emergency event. However, it will not sustain you in the last days. That is putting your trust in your efforts. Do you think your neighbors will not find out? If it is the time of great trouble, they will rob and kill you.
Same thing holds of you are planting a garden in hope of eating off the land. The world will be a disastrous place, hardly fit for growing anything. Can you keep the hungry mobs away?
Many are storing gold, thinking it can be used as currency to get around buying and selling. Your gold will be worthless. Who would want it? Food, water, and shelter are going to be scarce for everyone. You cannot eat gold. Jesus warned about putting your faith in earthly riches.
A lot of people are misinformed about the great tribulation and buying and selling. it means exactly that. You will not be buying and selling unless you have the mark of the beast.
That means your cellphone is gone. You cannot even charge it, as that takes electricity. You will not own property, a house, or pay any bill.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church will not be around very long. The organization will cease to exist. The buildings, hospitals, colleges, churches, academies, and more, will not be sustained without buying and selling. They must be abandoned by the church, as no bills are able to be paid.
Think of what personally is involved with buying and selling. Gasoline, food, water, electricity, insurance, cellphones, internet, car registration, property taxes. None of these can be paid for by someone who does not have the mark.
Don't be foolish about buying and selling, thinking you can outsmart the evil powers. You should put your trust 100% in God.
Three Cosmic Messages
Sabbath School Lesson 11
The Seal of God and Mark of the Beast: Part 1
You may use this for presenting and studying the current Sabbath School Lesson.
------------------------------
> Download the notes for this lesson's video here.
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Buying and selling during the mark of the beast:
The Reality of Buying and Selling and Mark of the Beast
----------------------
> Download current Sabbath School lesson here.
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