God's Love and Justice
Sabbath School Lesson 4
God Is Passionate and Compassionate
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> Download the notes for Lesson 4 video here.
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> Download 1st Quarter 2025 Lessons: God's Love and Justice
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Romans 8:1 (NIV):
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
This verse assures believers that through faith in Christ, they are free from condemnation. It highlights the security and freedom that come from being united with Jesus. Those who are "in Christ" are no longer judged guilty because Christ has paid the penalty for sin on their behalf.
Romans 5:8 (NIV):
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
This verse emphasizes God's immense love for humanity. Even when we were in a state of sin and rebellion, God initiated reconciliation through the sacrifice of Christ. It underscores that our right standing before God is not based on our efforts but on His love and grace.
Together, these verses reveal the foundational truth of the gospel:
We are justified and secure in our relationship with God because of Christ's sacrifice.
God's love is unconditional, and His grace reaches us even when we are undeserving.
Our standing before God is not based on our own righteousness but on the righteousness of Christ, who bore our sins and removed condemnation.
This teaches that believers can live in confidence and gratitude, knowing they are deeply loved and fully accepted by God through Jesus.
More: Lesson 3 - To Be Pleasing to God
When the younger son returns home after squandering his inheritance, the father welcomes him with open arms and throws a grand celebration. However, the older son refuses to join the feast. His reaction is telling: he is angry and resentful, expressing frustration that despite his years of faithful service, he never received such a celebration. He says, "Look, all these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me even a young goat to celebrate with my friends" (Luke 15:29).
This response reveals several things about the older son’s heart. The older son believes his obedience makes him more deserving of the father's love and blessings. He fails to see that his father’s love isn’t earned—it’s freely given. This reflects the attitudes of the Pharisees, to whom Jesus addressed this parable.
Instead of rejoicing in his brother's return and restoration, the older son focuses on fairness. He views his brother’s redemption as unjust, forgetting that grace is not about fairness but unmerited favor.
Despite his proximity and obedience, the older son is distant from his father’s heart. He misunderstands the nature of their relationship, seeing himself as a servant rather than a beloved child. His complaint shows he serves out of duty rather than love.
The father’s response to the older son is both tender and profound. He reminds him, "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (Luke 15:31-32).
This gentle rebuke invites the older son to shift his perspective: to recognize his privileged position as always being in the father's presence and to embrace the joy of restoration.
The older son challenges us to examine our hearts. Do we ever fall into the trap of thinking our good deeds make us more deserving of God’s blessings? Do we resent His grace when it’s extended to others? The parable calls us to rejoice in God’s mercy and adopt the father’s heart—a heart that celebrates the redemption of the lost.
The older son's actions remind us that it’s not enough to simply stay near the Father; we must share in His love and joy for others.
More: Lesson 3 - To Be Pleasing to God