LIVING AS CHILDREN OF GOD

Lesson 7 for the 15th of August, 2009

God makes us his sons and promises

us something greater

God wants us to remain pure in this

world

Jesus appeared to wash our sins and to

undo the devil’s works

Living without sin

PROBLEM: SIN

SOLUTION

DIVINE PURPOSE

DIVINE DECISION

HUMAN DECISION

SONS OF GOD

Gaze ye upon the boundless height, depth and width of

divine’s love – pure and

selfless – that, while we are sinners, God receives us in his family as

His sons!

People who haven’t had a relationship with the Father can’t (or don’t want to) recognize His children, who reflect the Father’s character.

WHAT DO WE HAVE COMING?God’s image will be restored entirely when Jesus will come for the

second time; man will achieve definitive victory over sin and temptation.

“we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is”

(1 John, 3: 2)

OUR RESPONSIBILITY Our aim mustn’t

be lower than perfect purity.

“Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure”

(1 John, 3: 3)

The sinner cannot clean himself; he is given to sin slavery and depends entirely on the Saviour to purify him. But sinner can do a work on his behalf, with divine help. This work demands watching and praying diligently. The main fight consists of keeping our faith in the victory that Christ achieved for us, and believing that His grace is enough to overcome any obstacle.

SINEveryone who sins, breaks the law;

in fact, sin is lawlessness

Who does hamartía

Hamartía is

does anomía

anomía

hamartía Violating of a divine moral law.

Without law, illegality.anomía

These two words are synonyms; every sin is lawlessness and every lawlessness is sin.

WHAT DOES SIN DO IN US?

We don’t hear God’s voice (Exodus, 9: 27)

We lie and stop doing good (Psalm 36: 3)

We do evil (Psalm 51: 4; Matthew, 7: 23)

We rebelled against God (Isaiah, 1: 2)

We support other gods (Jeremiah, 3: 13)

It enslaves us (Romans, 6: 17, 20)

It fools us (1 John, 1: 8)

We break the law (1 John, 3: 4)

We do unrighteousness (1 John, 5: 17)

“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood”

Hebrews, 12: 4

WE MUST FIGHT AGAINST SIN... WHAT’S THE LIMIT?

SIN

DIVINE SOLUTION FOR SIN PROBLEM

Jesus Christ’s incarnation, his pure life and his expiatory sacrifice.There was neither sign of sin nor act of sin in Christ.

“And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is

no sin” 1 John, 3: 5

DIVINE SOLUTION FOR SIN PROBLEM

Christ came to free man from sin servitude, undoing the work of the evil one.Devil’s work includes all the evil Satan has done in this world, and all the sins he has incited in human beings.

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work” 1 John, 3: 8

HUMAN “SOLUTION” FOR SIN PROBLEM

“Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God”

BORN OF GOD: Those believers who have born again and haven’t returned to the world.

DOING NOT SIN: Don’t keep sinning regularly. Hating the sin we loved before and loving the virtue we disregarded before.

GOD’S SEED: The Holy Spirit who produces a new birth in sinners and guarantees spiritual energy to withstand successfully the sin.

(1 John, 3: 9)

“Let the soul cultivate the habit of contemplating the world's Redeemer... Will you who read these words resolve that you will never again seek to excuse your defects of character by saying, "It is my way"? Let no one declare, "I cannot change my natural habits and tendencies." The truth must be admitted into the soul, and it will work the sanctification of the character. It will refine and elevate the life, and fit you for an entrance into the mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare for those who love Him”

E.G.W. (That I may know Him, August 29)