Lesson 2 for the 10th of April, 2010
God gave the man moral
freedom.
Freedom involves making
right or wrong decisions.
Every right decision we
make increases our
freedom.
Every wrong decision we
make reduces our
freedom (sin rules our
lives)
Freedom of choice is extremely
important for God. He gave it to us
although he knew that a wrong use
of it would mean a great sacrifice:
Jesus.
EMBARRASSMENT “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and
they realised that they were naked; so they sewed
fig leaves together and made coverings for
themselves” (Genesis, 3: 7)
FEELINGS OF
GUILT (FEAR)
“He answered, "I
heard you in the
garden, and I
was afraid
because I was
naked; so I hid."”
(Genesis, 3: 10)
TRYING TO
EXEMPT ONESELF
FROM GUILT
(BLAMING
SOMEONE ELSE)
“The man said, "The woman you put here with me--she gave me some
fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."” (Genesis, 3: 12-13)
EMBARRASSMENT
FEELINGS OF GUILT
TRYING TO EXEMPT
ONESELF FROM GUILT
This process is repeated every
time we make a wrong decision.
We can act in two different
ways:
I. Getting rid of our guilt (or
minimizing it) and going
deeper into sin.
II. Admitting responsibility for
our wrong decision and
asking Jesus for forgiveness
and help to make better
decisions in the future.
We still have free will. Everything we do is
our responsibility.
Gideon
(Judges, 7
and 8)
Solomon
(1 Kings, 3
and 11)
What choices did these biblical
characters make?
He accepted
God’s call
He defeat a
Midianite army
with 300 men
He made an
ephod of gold
as a memorial
It was an
obstacle for
Gideon and
Israel
He chose
wisdom to
govern Israel
He governed
with wisdom, his
kingdom had
peace
He married
pagan wives
He worshipped
the gods of his
wives
We still have free will. Everything we do is
our responsibility.
Jehoshaphat
(2 Chronicles,
18 and 20)
He ask God for
help before the
battle
He obtain
victory without
fighting
He formed an
alliance with
Ahab
He almost died
in the battle of
Ramah
He left all to
follow Jesus
He became
one of the 12
apostles
He didn’t stay
awake and
pray on
Gethsemane
He denied
Jesus three
times
Peter
(Luke, 5 and 22)
What choices did these biblical
characters make?
“I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you”
(Psalms, 119: 11)
“Finally, brothers, whatever is
true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable--if
anything is excellent or
praiseworthy--think about such
things” (Philippians, 4: 8)
“Set your minds on things
above, not on earthly
things” (Colossians, 3: 2)
“God did not mean in his threatenings that children would be compelled
to suffer for their parents' sins, but that the example of the parents would
be imitated by their children. If the children of wicked parents should
serve God and do righteousness, he would reward their right doing. But
the effects of a sinful life by the parents are often inherited by the
children. They follow in the footsteps of their parents. Sinful example has
its influence from father to son, to the third and fourth generations. If
parents indulge in depraved appetites, they will, in almost every case,
see the same reproduced in their children. The children will develop
characters similar to those of their parents. If parents are continually
rebellious, and inclined to make void the law of God by precept and
example, their children will generally pursue the same course. The
example of God-fearing parents, who respect and honor by their own
course of action God's rule of right, will be imitated by their children and
their children's children; and thus the influence is seen from generation
to generation”
E.G.W. (The Signs of the Times, June 3, 1880)
“Maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.
Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and
their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth
generation” (Exodus, 34: 7)
Every choice we make affects the people around us in a positive or
negative way.
“We all have an influence, and that
influence is telling upon the destiny of
others, for their present and future good,
or for their eternal loss”
E.G.W. (The Review and Herald, June 22, 1886)
“We little know the bearing of our acts upon the experience of others.
What we do or say may seem to us of little moment, when, could our
eyes be opened, we should see that upon it depended the most
important results for good or for evil”
E.G.W. (Counsels on Sabbath School work, cp. 4, pg. 102)
The place we were born, our genetic inheritance, our family, our school (if
we had that privilege) ... Everything has an influence on us and conditions
our power of choice.
The most important choice in our lives doesn’t depend on any
circumstances.
“Jesus, our Advocate, is acquainted with
all the circumstances with which we are
surrounded and deals with us according
to the light we have had and the
circumstances in which we are placed”
E.G.W. (Testimonies for the church, vol. 2, cp. 8, page 74)
Everyone is free to
accept Jesus as his
personal saviour.
When we choose to accept Jesus
─regardless of the circumstances─,
He qualifies us for making right
decisions and growing in our
Christian life.