Rebellion and Redemption

Paul and the Rebellion

Lesson #10 for March 5, 2016

Scriptures: [Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 3:12-17; 12:14-26; 15:12-18; Ephesians 6:11-17][i].

1.    This lesson will look primarily at the writings of Paul and see what he told us of prime importance about the great controversy theme.

2.    Read 1 Corinthians 4:9ii. Paul recognized that our little world is the lesson book of the universe. The entire universe is watching to see what God will do with this one rebellious spot in the universe. They are waiting to see what God will do with this mess!

3.    Paul also recognized that Satan had become incredibly skilled at deception (2 Corinthians 11:14iii) and is willing to use even preternatural powers to deceive. (2 Thessalonians 2:9iv) Preternatural is a word we use to describe supernatural powers working on the side of evil.

4.    What is Satan’s primary goal in the great controversy? What was his goal when he started the rebellion in heaven? He did not know about humans yet. Satan is not satisfied just to get humans to sin; he wants to defeat and defame God in any way he can. He has been very successful at getting humans to sin. We are all sinners. (1 Kings 8:46; 2 Chronicles 6:36; Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:10,23; 5:12; 1 John 1:9-10)[v] But, since he has been ultimately defeated by the life and death of Jesus, he wants to delay the second coming as long as possible and take down with him as many people as he can.

5.    So, this lesson will focus on what Jesus Christ has done for us. That is wonderful, good news; but, it is only a part of the great controversy.

6.    The plan of salvation involves the whole universe.

Ephesians 1:8-10 (GNB): In all his wisdom and insight 9God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. 10This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head. [Bold type is added.]

7.    Ephesians 3:9-10 (GNB): God, who is the Creator of all things, kept his secret hidden through all the past ages, 10in order that at the present time, by means of the church [that includes us!], the angelic rulers and powers in the heavenly world might learn of his wisdom in all its different forms. [Bold type and content in brackets are added.]

The angels are learning about God from us!

8.    Colossians 1:19-20vi (GNB): 19For it was by God’s own decision that the Son has in himself the full nature of God. 20Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son’s blood [His death on the cross] on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven. [Bold type and content in brackets are added.]

9.    Through the plan of salvation, a larger purpose is to be wrought out even than the salvation of man and the redemption of the earth. Through the revelation of the character of God in Christ, the beneficence of the divine government would be manifested before the universe, the charge of Satan refuted, the nature and result of sin made plain, and the perpetuity of the law fully demonstrated.—Ellen G. White, The Signs of the Times, February 13, 1893 par. 12; December 22, 1914 par. 4; The Messenger June 7, 1893 par. 5; Bible Echoes July 15, 1893 par. 3; That I May Know Him 366.4.

10.    But the plan of redemption had a yet broader and deeper purpose than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that Christ came to the earth; it was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world might regard the law of God as it should be regarded; but it was to vindicate the character of God before the universe. To this result of His great sacrifice-its influence upon the intelligences of other worlds, as well as upon man-the Saviour looked forward when just before His crucifixion He said:

“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me.” John 12:31,32.

The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man would not only make heaven accessible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and His Son in their dealing with the rebellion of Satan. It would establish the perpetuity of the law of God and would reveal the nature and the results of sin.—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets 68.2-69.0 (1890); Reflecting Christ 50.3 (1985). [Bold type is added.]

Salvation means healing!

11.    It was in order that the heavenly universe might see the conditions of the covenant of redemption that Christ bore the penalty in behalf of the human race. The throne of Justice must be eternally and forever made secure, even tho the race be wiped out, and another creation populate the earth.

By the sacrifice Christ was about to make, all doubts would be forever settled, and the human race would be saved if they would return to their allegiance.

Christ alone could restore honor to God’s government. The cross of Calvary would be looked upon by the unfallen worlds, by the heavenly universe, by Satanic agencies, by the fallen race, and every mouth would be stopped....

Who is able to describe the last scenes of Christ’s life on earth, His trial in the judgment hall, His crucifixion? Who witnessed these scenes?-The heavenly universe, God the Father, Satan and his angels.—Ellen G. White, The Signs of the Times, July 12, 1899 par 2; compare LHU 257.2 where the key words are omitted! [Bold type is added.]

12.    If we only focus on what Jesus has done for me-and you too, of course-we are taking a self-centered approach to the plan of salvation/healing. We need to take a higher, broader, deeper look at the issues in the great controversy. If we can focus on doing what is right because it is right, not just for ourselves but for the kingdom of God and the entire universe, we will be joining Jesus who has already won the great controversy. (COL 97)

13.    Read Hebrews 2:14-15vii. How does the faithfulness of Jesus ensure the ultimate demise of Satan? This is not an argument about who has the most power; the Devil admits that God does! (James 2:19viii) It is about who has been telling us the truth from the very beginning. Does sin lead to death? Or, doesn’t it? Satan will be completely defeated when everyone in the universe-including Satan himself-admits that God has been telling us the truth and that Satan has been the one lying to us. (Philippians 2:8-11; Romans 3:4)ix

14.    Read Romans 5:12-21[x]. Sin entered our world after the rebellion in heaven. (Revelation 12:7-12xi) Without God’s rescue plan, we all would die since we are all sinners and since sin separates us from God. (Isaiah 59:2xii) By His life and death, Jesus answered and defeated all of Satan’s accusations and arguments against God. Thus, it is possible for us to be saved, that is, healed. By demonstrating to us the truth about God and revealing to us the truth about Satan, the life and death of Jesus give us a clear choice. Will we choose to live loving lives, with the help of the Holy Spirit, as best we can in harmony with the life of Jesus? Or, will we choose to be selfish and die as Jesus died-as a direct result of sin?

15.    In what sense does or did Adam’s sin cause us all to become sinners? Obviously, we are born in a sin-polluted world unlike the “births” of Adam and Eve. But, we have chosen to follow the sinful example of our ancestors. Thus, we share in their sinfulness and condemnation.

16.    It is often suggested by Christians that Jesus won the great controversy by “paying the debt for our sins.” What does it mean to say that Jesus paid the debt/price for our sins? To whom was it paid? Do we owe anything to the Devil? Does God? If we can be saved by having Jesus “pay the debt” for us, why didn’t He just pay the debt for everyone? Or, did He?

17.    It certainly was not fair that we lost paradise because of Adam. We had no part in his and Eve’s bad choices. Yet, we ended up being born in sin. On the other hand, it is not fair that we receive a place in the kingdom of heaven. We had nothing to do with what Jesus accomplished 2000 years ago. Nevertheless, Christ died for us even in our sinful state. (Romans 5:8xiii)

The church of Christ, enfeebled and defective as it may be, is the only object on earth on which He bestows His supreme Regard.—Ellen G. White, Melbourne, Australia, December 23, 1892; General Conference Bulletin, 1893, pp. 408, 409. Read again before the General Conference in session, February 26, 1899; TM 15.1; IHP 284.2. See Matthew 5:13-16.

18.    Read 1 Corinthians 3xiv. Paul clearly believed that God is ultimately responsible for the growth and maturity of the church. Different pastors and different church members may serve different roles in that process; but, God is ultimately responsible.

19.    Read [1 Corinthians 3:12-15 and Matthew 7:24-27]xv. These verses make it very clear that we need not only to hear but also to obey God’s word, building our spiritual temples on the Rock of Jesus Christ. This is not a discussion about our individual health or well-being. It is a discussion about how the church as a body is supposed to grow. So, how can we be sure that we are correctly representing God-and not just ourselves or the church-in everything we say and do? Compare Ephesians 2:20xvi.

20.    Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-26xvii. Paul made a very good case by using the human body as an example. Each of us may be given different skills or talents; but, each of us can play a role in the building up of God’s body, the church. A body that consists of nothing but an eye or an ear or a foot would be useless as far as we understand it.

21.    Read 1 Corinthians 12:8-18xviii. What important skills do you have that you can use to help build up God’s church? Do you recognize skills that others in your church family have that could be useful in building up the church?

22.    God is the One who gives us spiritual gifts. We are not allowed to pick which gift/gifts we would like to have or what gift/gifts God should give us. But, if we use our gifts or talents as God intends, they will multiply.

23.    Some people suffer with what we call an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease occurs when one organ or part of the body fights against another part of the body. It is usually the immune system fighting against one of the solid organs. These diseases can be very difficult to treat. It is the same way when a part of the church body attacks another part of the church body in one way or another.

24.    Read Ephesians 6:11-17xix. What are the weapons that Satan uses? He uses lies and deception. It can only be defeated by knowing the truth. Can we defeat him by using our own power? Never! Only by Bible study, prayer, and witnessing can we gain the spiritual weapons from the Holy Spirit which will enable us to overcome Satan.

None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great [594] conflict. To every soul will come the searching test: Shall I obey God rather than men? The decisive hour is even now at hand. Are our feet planted on the rock of God’s immutable word? Are we prepared to stand firm in defense of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus?—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy 593.2. [Bold type is added.]

25.    After reading the passage in Ephesians 6, do you feel comfortable that you are wearing and using all parts of the Christian’s armor? Look briefly at a military uniform as discussed in Ephesians 6xx. The belt of truth is used to hold several of the pieces of armor in place. Jesus spoke frequently about the truth. (John 1:14,17; 4:24; 8:32; 14:6)xxi The righteousness that Paul spoke about in Ephesians 6:14xxii-if understood in the context of its Old Testament usage-refers to upholding justice for everyone including the poor, the widows, and the orphans. We all need protection from Satan’s deceptions; that is the role of the shield of faith. If by faith we have a close relationship with Jesus Christ, we will be protected from the Devil’s deceptions. A counterfeit can only be discovered by knowing the truth.

26.    How do you understand the role of the sword of the Spirit? Is a sword a weapon of selfdefense? Or, a weapon for attacking the enemy? Consider how Jesus used Scripture. (Matthew 4:4,7,10xxiii)

27.    Paul spoke about the ultimate enemy-death. Remember that he stated plainly that sin pays its wage: death. (Romans 6:23xxiv) But, in 1 Corinthians 15:1-18xxv, Paul made it very clear that he believed absolutely in the resurrection of the dead. He said that if Jesus has not been raised from the dead, then our hope is gone. But, he was certain that Jesus did rise from the dead; and thus, we have hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17xxvi)

28.    From the moment Jesus arrived as an infant on planet earth, Satan’s number one goal was to get Him to sin. When he failed to accomplish that, he determined to make life so difficult for Jesus that He would give up and go back to heaven without finishing His mission on this earth. Failing that, Satan and his angels did everything they could to prevent Jesus from rising from the dead. But, they failed in that final goal as well.

When Jesus was laid in the grave, Satan triumphed. He dared to hope that the Saviour would not take up His life again. He claimed the Lord’s body, and set his guard about the tomb, seeking to hold Christ a prisoner. He was bitterly angry when his angels fled at the approach of the heavenly messenger. When he saw Christ come forth in triumph, he knew that his kingdom would have an end, and that he must finally die.—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages 782.4.

29.    In 1 Corinthians 15:52-53xxvii, Paul concluded his discussion, assuring us that one day we corruptible and mortal beings might actually be able to accept from God the incorruption and immortality that God was originally planning for us. Although Adam was at first designed to live forever, the human race soon deteriorated to the point of living only for a relatively short time. Soon, however, we will have the opportunity to inherit eternal life in a world even better than the one that Adam received in the beginning.

Not only man but the earth had by sin come under the power of the wicked one, and was to be restored by the plan of redemption. At his creation Adam was placed in dominion over the earth. But by yielding to temptation, he was brought under the power of Satan. "Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." 2 Peter 2:19. When man became Satan's captive, the dominion which he held, passed to his conqueror. Thus Satan became "the god of this world." 2 Corinthians 4:4. He had usurped that dominion over the earth which had been originally given to Adam. But Christ, by His sacrifice paying the penalty of sin, would not only redeem man, but recover the dominion which he had forfeited. All that was lost by the first Adam will be restored by the second.—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets 67.1. Compare Signs of the Times, November 4, 1908, par 9.

30.    Think what it is like to live in a world of death dominated by Satan himself. As we approach the end of this world’s history, God will gradually withdraw His restraining powers and allow Satan to have even more control. That will be a scary time to be alive. But, it will also be an exciting time for those who understand the final outcome of the great controversy.

Enfeebled and defective, needing constantly to be warned and counseled, the church is nevertheless the object of Christ’s supreme regard. He is making experiments of grace on human hearts, and is effecting such transformations of character that angels are amazed, and express their joy in songs of praise. They rejoice to think that sinful, erring human beings can be so transformed.—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol 7, 16.4 (1902); “The Signal of Advance,” RH, January 20, 1903, par. 13. [Bold type is added.]

31.    Do these various metaphors such as the church building, the human body, etc. help us to understand how we can better relate to other members of the church to which we belong? Does the hope of the resurrection help you to survive your daily struggles against evil? What can we do on a day-by-day basis that demonstrates that we are clearly on God’s side in the great controversy? Do we live day-by-day as if we really believe that Satan is a defeated foe?

Isaiah 25:8 (GNB): The Sovereign LORD will destroy death for ever! He will wipe away the tears from everyone’s eyes and take away the disgrace his people have suffered throughout the world. The LORD himself has spoken!

1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (GNB): So when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into the immortal, then the scripture will come true: “Death is destroyed; victory is complete!”

“Where, Death, is your victory?

Where, Death, is your power to hurt?”

32.    Clearly, this lesson teaches that the church needs to work toward unity-but not uniformity. We cannot all have the same talents or be exactly alike. But, we should rejoice in our differences so long as we are all pulling in the same direction.

33.    When we place our trust in Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to have access to our minds and lives on a regular basis, we will be transformed over time to become more and more like Jesus Himself. (GC 555xxviii)

Christ and His righteousness-let this be our platform, the very life of our faith.

That which he taught, we are to teach. His commission to his followers is: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” “and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”—Ellen G. White, The Review and Herald, August 31, 1905 par. 15; Ev 190.2.

34.    Having a right relationship with God and being changed on a day-by-day basis to become more like Him is the very essence of our message.

Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have answered, “It is the third angel’s message in verity.”—Ellen G. White, The Review and Herald, April 1, 1890 par. 8; Ev 190.3; 1SM 372; LDE 199.4.

35.    How do you understand the differences between the first Adam and the second Adam who is Jesus Christ? (Romans 5:12-14xxix) Would it be true in your thinking that if Christ is not planning to come back again to take His friends home with Him, there was no reason for Him to come the first time?

36.    Satan and his evil host recognize that they are in a battle for their very existence. If a group of us develop the kind of faith relationship with Jesus Christ that characterized the first disciples on the day of Pentecost and receive the latter rain, Satan’s doom is sealed. Does Satan really understand and accept the idea that he is a defeated foe? Or, after 2000 years, does he think he is doing pretty well? Do his angels understand and accept that they are defeated foes? What do they say to each other about that problem of theirs?

37.    Satan certainly is not happy to see Christians of different backgrounds and different ideas working together in unity. He is constantly determined to sow discord, division, tensions, prejudices, and even hatred among church members.

38.    In that context, what is the essential unity that God is looking for among us? Could the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a worldwide organization with people from hundreds of different cultures and languages ever present a unified front?

39.    Is it really important that we belong to a church organization? Or, is it only necessary that we study our Bibles, pray, and witness when we have an opportunity? Did Paul consider it important to join a church group? What is the primary reason for belonging to a church group? Isn’t it God’s plan that we learn from each other? If we cannot manage to live in harmony with a small group of people with whom we associate in our own churches, how can we expect to live in harmony with people from all ages and all the different cultures and languages who have ever lived?

40.    Seventh-day Adventists believe in a final resurrection of the righteous and, ultimately, after the millennium, a resurrection of the wicked. We do not believe that people go directly to heaven, hell, or purgatory at the time of death. Do you believe that our position is more accurate and better represents God in the great controversy than the position of our Christian friends?

41.    Do you look forward to the resurrection? Or, would you prefer to live through the final events of this earth’s history and be translated without tasting death?

© 2016, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged.    Info@theox.org

i-Romans 5:Adam and Christ

12 Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned. 13 There was sin in the world before the Law was given; but where there is no law, no account is kept of sins. 14 But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, death ruled over all human beings, even over those who did not sin in the same way that Adam did when he disobeyed God's command.

Adam was a figure of the one who was to come. 15 But the two are not the same, because God's free gift is not like Adam's sin. It is true that many people died because of the sin of that one man. But God's grace is much greater, and so is his free gift to so many people through the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. 16 And there is a difference between God's gift and the sin of one man. After the one sin, came the judgment of “Guilty”; but after so many sins, comes the undeserved gift of “Not guilty!” 17 It is true that through the sin of one man death began to rule because of that one man. But how much greater is the result of what was done by the one man, Jesus Christ! All who receive God's abundant grace and are freely put right with him will rule in life through Christ.

18 So then, as the one sin condemned all people, in the same way the one righteous act sets all people free and gives them life. 19 And just as all people were made sinners as the result of the disobedience of one man, in the same way they will all be put right with God as the result of the obedience of the one man.

20 Law was introduced in order to increase wrongdoing; but where sin increased, God's grace increased much more. 21 So then, just as sin ruled by means of death, so also God's grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:12 Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in building on the foundation; others will use wood or grass or straw. 13 And the quality of each person's work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone's work; the fire will test it and show its real quality. 14 If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward. 15 But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.

16 Surely you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you! 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys God's temple. For God's temple is holy, and you yourselves are his temple.

12:14 For the body itself is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. 15 If the foot were to say, “Because I am not a hand, I don't belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, “Because I am not an eye, I don't belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were just an eye, how could it hear? And if it were only an ear, how could it smell? 18 As it is, however, God put every different part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19 There would not be a body if it were all only one part! 20 As it is, there are many parts but one body.

21 So then, the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!” Nor can the head say to the feet, “Well, I don't need you!” 22 On the contrary, we cannot do without the parts of the body that seem to be weaker; 23 and those parts that we think aren't worth very much are the ones which we treat with greater care; while the parts of the body which don't look very nice are treated with special modesty, 24 which the more beautiful parts do not need. God himself has put the body together in such a way as to give greater honor to those parts that need it. 25 And so there is no division in the body, but all its different parts have the same concern for one another. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness.

15:Our Resurrection

12 Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? 13 If that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. 15 More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death—but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ. 16 For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. 18 It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks. 12 For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. 13 So put on God's armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.

14 So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, 15 and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. 16 At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. 17 And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you.

ii-1 Corinthians 4:9 For it seems to me that God has given the very last place to us apostles, like people condemned to die in public as a spectacle for the whole world of angels and of human beings.

iii-2 Corinthians 11:14 Well, no wonder! Even Satan can disguise himself to look like an angel of light!

iv-2 Thessalonians 2:9 The Wicked One will come with the power of Satan and perform all kinds of false miracles and wonders,

v-1 Kings 8:46 “When your people sin against you—and there is no one who does not sin—and in your anger you let their enemies defeat them and take them as prisoners to some other land, even if that land is far away,

2 Chronicles 6:36 “When your people sin against you—and there is no one who does not sin—and in your anger you let their enemies defeat them and take them as prisoners to some other land, even if that land is far away,

Psalm 14:Good News Translation (GNT)

3 But they have all gone wrong;

they are all equally bad.

Not one of them does what is right,

not a single one.

Romans 3:10 As the Scriptures say:

“There is no one who is righteous,

23 everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence.

Romans 5:12 Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned.

1 John 1:9 But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make a liar out of God, and his word is not in us.

vi-Colossians 1:19 For it was by God's own decision that the Son has in himself the full nature of God. 20 Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son's blood[a] on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.

vii-Hebrews 2:14 Since the children, as he calls them, are people of flesh and blood, Jesus himself became like them and shared their human nature. He did this so that through his death he might destroy the Devil, who has the power over death, 15 and in this way set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death.

viii-James 2:19 Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe—and tremble with fear.

ix-Philippians 2:Good News Translation (GNT)

8 He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death—

his death on the cross.

9 For this reason God raised him to the highest place above

and gave him the name that is greater than any other name.

10 And so, in honor of the name of Jesus

all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below[a]

will fall on their knees,

11 and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Romans 3:4 Certainly not! God must be true, even though all human beings are liars. As the scripture says,

“You must be shown to be right when you speak;

you must win your case when you are being tried.”

x-Romans 5:Adam and Christ

12 Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned. 13 There was sin in the world before the Law was given; but where there is no law, no account is kept of sins. 14 But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, death ruled over all human beings, even over those who did not sin in the same way that Adam did when he disobeyed God's command.

Adam was a figure of the one who was to come. 15 But the two are not the same, because God's free gift is not like Adam's sin. It is true that many people died because of the sin of that one man. But God's grace is much greater, and so is his free gift to so many people through the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. 16 And there is a difference between God's gift and the sin of one man. After the one sin, came the judgment of “Guilty”; but after so many sins, comes the undeserved gift of “Not guilty!” 17 It is true that through the sin of one man death began to rule because of that one man. But how much greater is the result of what was done by the one man, Jesus Christ! All who receive God's abundant grace and are freely put right with him will rule in life through Christ.

18 So then, as the one sin condemned all people, in the same way the one righteous act sets all people free and gives them life. 19 And just as all people were made sinners as the result of the disobedience of one man, in the same way they will all be put right with God as the result of the obedience of the one man.

20 Law was introduced in order to increase wrongdoing; but where sin increased, God's grace increased much more. 21 So then, just as sin ruled by means of death, so also God's grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

xi-Revelation 12:7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, who fought back with his angels; 8 but the dragon was defeated, and he and his angels were not allowed to stay in heaven any longer. 9 The huge dragon was thrown out—that ancient serpent, named the Devil, or Satan, that deceived the whole world. He was thrown down to earth, and all his angels with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now God's salvation has come! Now God has shown his power as King! Now his Messiah has shown his authority! For the one who stood before our God and accused believers day and night has been thrown out of heaven. 11 They won the victory over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the truth which they proclaimed; and they were willing to give up their lives and die. 12 And so be glad, you heavens, and all you that live there! But how terrible for the earth and the sea! For the Devil has come down to you, and he is filled with rage, because he knows that he has only a little time left.”

xii-Isaiah 59:2 It is because of your sins that he doesn't hear you. It is your sins that separate you from God when you try to worship him.

xiii-Romans 5:8 But God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!

xiv-1 Corinthians 3:Servants of God

3 As a matter of fact, my friends, I could not talk to you as I talk to people who have the Spirit; I had to talk to you as though you belonged to this world, as children in the Christian faith. 2 I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it, 3 because you still live as the people of this world live. When there is jealousy among you and you quarrel with one another, doesn't this prove that you belong to this world, living by its standards? 4 When one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos”—aren't you acting like worldly people?

5 After all, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? We are simply God's servants, by whom you were led to believe. Each one of us does the work which the Lord gave him to do: 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow. 7 The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because he makes the plant grow. 8 There is no difference between the one who plants and the one who waters; God will reward each one according to the work each has done. 9 For we are partners working together for God, and you are God's field.

You are also God's building. 10 Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build. 11 For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid. 12 Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in building on the foundation; others will use wood or grass or straw. 13 And the quality of each person's work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone's work; the fire will test it and show its real quality. 14 If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward. 15 But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.

16 Surely you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you! 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys God's temple. For God's temple is holy, and you yourselves are his temple.

18 You should not fool yourself. If any of you think that you are wise by this world's standards, you should become a fool, in order to be really wise. 19 For what this world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God's sight. As the scripture says, “God traps the wise in their cleverness”; 20 and another scripture says, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.” 21 No one, then, should boast about what human beings can do. Actually everything belongs to you: 22 Paul, Apollos, and Peter; this world, life and death, the present and the future—all these are yours, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

xv-1 Corinthians 3:12 Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in building on the foundation; others will use wood or grass or straw. 13 And the quality of each person's work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone's work; the fire will test it and show its real quality. 14 If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward. 15 But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.

Matthew 7:The Two House Builders

24 “So then, anyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock.

26 “But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell. And what a terrible fall that was!”

xvi-Ephesians 2:20 You, too, are built upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets,[a] the cornerstone being Christ Jesus himself.

xvii-1 Corinthians 12:One Body with Many Parts

12 Christ is like a single body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. 13 In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free, have been baptized into the one body by the same Spirit, and we have all been given the one Spirit to drink.

14 For the body itself is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. 15 If the foot were to say, “Because I am not a hand, I don't belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, “Because I am not an eye, I don't belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were just an eye, how could it hear? And if it were only an ear, how could it smell? 18 As it is, however, God put every different part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19 There would not be a body if it were all only one part! 20 As it is, there are many parts but one body.

21 So then, the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!” Nor can the head say to the feet, “Well, I don't need you!” 22 On the contrary, we cannot do without the parts of the body that seem to be weaker; 23 and those parts that we think aren't worth very much are the ones which we treat with greater care; while the parts of the body which don't look very nice are treated with special modesty, 24 which the more beautiful parts do not need. God himself has put the body together in such a way as to give greater honor to those parts that need it. 25 And so there is no division in the body, but all its different parts have the same concern for one another. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness.

xviii-1 Corinthians 12:8 The Spirit gives one person a message full of wisdom, while to another person the same Spirit gives a message full of knowledge. 9 One and the same Spirit gives faith to one person, while to another person he gives the power to heal. 10 The Spirit gives one person the power to work miracles; to another, the gift of speaking God's message; and to yet another, the ability to tell the difference between gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not. To one person he gives the ability to speak in strange tongues, and to another he gives the ability to explain what is said. 11 But it is one and the same Spirit who does all this; as he wishes, he gives a different gift to each person.

One Body with Many Parts

12 Christ is like a single body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. 13 In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free, have been baptized into the one body by the same Spirit, and we have all been given the one Spirit to drink.

14 For the body itself is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. 15 If the foot were to say, “Because I am not a hand, I don't belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, “Because I am not an eye, I don't belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were just an eye, how could it hear? And if it were only an ear, how could it smell? 18 As it is, however, God put every different part in the body just as he wanted it to be.

xix-Ephesians 6:11 Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks. 12 For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. 13 So put on God's armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.

14 So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, 15 and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. 16 At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. 17 And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you.

xx-Ephesians 6:Children and Parents

6 Children, it is your Christian duty to[a] obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Respect your father and mother” is the first commandment that has a promise added: 3 “so that all may go well with you, and you may live a long time in the land.”

4 Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them angry. Instead, raise them with Christian discipline and instruction.

Slaves and Masters

5 Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling; and do it with a sincere heart, as though you were serving Christ. 6 Do this not only when they are watching you, because you want to gain their approval; but with all your heart do what God wants, as slaves of Christ. 7 Do your work as slaves cheerfully, as though you served the Lord, and not merely human beings. 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each of us, whether slave or free, for the good work we do.

9 Masters, behave in the same way toward your slaves and stop using threats. Remember that you and your slaves belong to the same Master in heaven, who judges everyone by the same standard.

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power. 11 Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks. 12 For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. 13 So put on God's armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.

14 So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, 15 and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. 16 At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. 17 And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you. 18 Do all this in prayer, asking for God's help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people. 19 And pray also for me, that God will give me a message when I am ready to speak, so that I may speak boldly and make known the gospel's secret. 20 For the sake of this gospel I am an ambassador, though now I am in prison. Pray that I may be bold in speaking about the gospel as I should.

Final Greetings

21 Tychicus, our dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord's work, will give you all the news about me, so that you may know how I am getting along. 22 That is why I am sending him to you—to tell you how all of us are getting along and to encourage you.

23 May God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give to all Christians peace and love with faith. 24 May God's grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying love.

xxi-John 1:14 The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son. 17 God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

4:24 God is Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really is.”

8:32 you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

14:6 Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.

xxii-Ephesians 6:14 So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate,

xxiii-Matthew 4:4 But Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Human beings cannot live on bread alone, but need every word that God speaks.’” 7 Jesus answered, “But the scripture also says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 10 Then Jesus answered, “Go away, Satan! The scripture says, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him!’”

xxiv-Romans 6:23 For sin pays its wage—death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

xxv-1 Corinthians 15:The Resurrection of Christ

15 And now I want to remind you, my friends, of the Good News which I preached to you, which you received, and on which your faith stands firm. 2 That is the gospel, the message that I preached to you. You are saved by the gospel if you hold firmly to it—unless it was for nothing that you believed.

3 I passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures; 4 that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures; 5 that he appeared to Peter and then to all twelve apostles. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, and afterward to all the apostles.

8 Last of all he appeared also to me—even though I am like someone whose birth was abnormal.[a] 9 For I am the least of all the apostles—I do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God's church. 10 But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me. 11 So then, whether it came from me or from them, this is what we all preach, and this is what you believe.

Our Resurrection

12 Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? 13 If that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. 15 More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death—but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ. 16 For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. 18 It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost.

xxvi-1 Thessalonians 4:The Lord's Coming

13 Our friends, we want you to know the truth about those who have died, so that you will not be sad, as are those who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will take back with Jesus those who have died believing in him.

15 What we are teaching you now is the Lord's teaching: we who are alive on the day the Lord comes will not go ahead of those who have died. 16 There will be the shout of command, the archangel's voice, the sound of God's trumpet, and the Lord himself will come down from heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first; 17 then we who are living at that time will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

xxvii-1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Listen to this secret truth: we shall not all die, but when the last trumpet sounds, we shall all be changed in an instant, as quickly as the blinking of an eye. For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed. 53 For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die.

xxviii-GC 555=It is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual nature that by beholding we become changed. The mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell. It becomes assimilated to that which it is accustomed to love and reverence. Man will never rise higher than his standard of purity or goodness or truth. If self is his loftiest ideal, he will never attain to anything more exalted. Rather, he will constantly sink lower and lower. The grace of God alone has power to exalt man. Left to himself, his course must inevitably be downward. {GC 555.1}

To the self-indulgent, the pleasure-loving, the sensual, spiritualism presents itself under a less subtle disguise than to the more refined and intellectual; in its grosser forms they find that which is in harmony with their inclinations. Satan studies every indication of the frailty of human nature, he marks the sins which each individual is inclined to commit, and then he takes care that opportunities shall not be wanting to gratify the tendency to evil. He tempts men to excess in that which is in itself lawful, causing them, through intemperance, to weaken physical, mental, and moral power. He has destroyed and is destroying thousands through the indulgence of the passions, thus brutalizing the entire nature of man. And to complete his work, he declares, through the spirits that “true knowledge places man above all law;” that “whatever is, is right;” that “God doth not condemn;” and that “all sins which are committed are innocent.” When the people are thus led to believe that desire is the highest law, that liberty is license, and that man is accountable only to himself, who can wonder that corruption and depravity teem on every hand? Multitudes eagerly accept teachings that leave them at liberty to obey the promptings of the carnal heart. The reins of self-control are laid upon the neck of lust, the powers of mind and soul are made subject to the animal propensities, and Satan exultingly sweeps into his net thousands who profess to be followers of Christ. {GC 555.2}

xxix-Romans 5:Adam and Christ

12 Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned. 13 There was sin in the world before the Law was given; but where there is no law, no account is kept of sins. 14 But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, death ruled over all human beings, even over those who did not sin in the same way that Adam did when he disobeyed God's command.

Adam was a figure of the one who was to come.

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