Sister Sunny Sunday School 10/12/14

Sister Sunny Sunday School 10/12/14

We saw in the first lesson who God is and how He created man to be like Him.

We saw in the second lesson that God desires to dwell with us but cannot tolerate the presence of sin.

In this lesson we see how Adam and Eve sinned because they went beyond the bounds that God had set for them.  Love not the world but rather love God.

Adam and Eve sinned.

Gen 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Gen 3:2  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

Gen 3:3  But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Gen 3:4  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Gen 3:5  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Gen 3:6  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

We see that they both took part in eating the fruit.  God had given them an idyllic life; yet they were not satisfied but reached for more. 

God didn’t give the command to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil with the intent that they wouldn’t have knowledge, and would never learn.  God created us to desire to know and to seek after understanding. 

Adam Clark - We shall certainly be convinced that our first parents were in a state of sufficient perfection when we consider,

1.    That they were endued with a vast capacity to obtain knowledge.

2.   That all the means of information were within their reach.

3.   That there was no hindrance to the most direct conception of occurring truth.

4.   That all the objects of knowledge, whether natural or moral, were ever at hand.

5.   That they had the strongest propensity to know; and,

6.   The greatest pleasure in knowing.

To have God and nature continually open to the view of the soul; and to have a soul capable of viewing both, and fathoming endlessly their unbounded glories and excellences, without hindrance or difficulty; what a state of perfection!

We see at once how transgression came; it was natural for them to desire to be increasingly wise. God had implanted this desire in their minds; but he showed them that this desire should be gratified in a certain way; that prudence and judgment should always regulate it; that they should carefully examine what God had opened to their view; and should not pry into what he chose to conceal. He alone who knows all things knows how much knowledge the soul needs to its perfection and increasing happiness, in what subjects this may be legitimately sought, and where the mind may make excursions and discoveries to its prejudice and ruin.

There are some things that we should seek after knowing and there are other things that we should shun knowing because they are profane and vain.

PROFA'NE, v.t. To violate any thing sacred, or treat it with abuse, irreverence, obloquy or contempt; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the sabbath; to profane the Scriptures or the ordinances of God.

1. To pollute; to defile; to apply to temporal uses; to use as base or common. Ezek 24.

2. To violate. Mal 2.

3. To pollute; to debase.Lev 21.

4. To put to a wrong use.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

1Ti 6:21  Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

2Ti 2:17  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

Adam Clark - As a gangrene; i.e. as a mortification in the flesh, where the circulation is entirely stopped, and putrefaction takes place, which continues to corrupt all the circumjacent flesh, spreading more and more till death takes place, unless stopped by a timely and judicious application of medicine.

This is the way that knowledge that is not convenient is.  It is not fit, not suitable nor proper and will act as gangrene and continue spreading and killing until there is no life left unless stopped by application of the Word and Spirit. 

When knowledge is put to a wrong use, polluted, defiled, and without God then it is profane and vain.

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

CONVENIENT, a. Fit; suitable; proper; adapted to use or to wants; commodious;

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

She saw that the tree was good for food: lust of the flesh, and that it was pleasant to the eyes: lust of the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise: pride of life. 

The love of the world rather than God is what would cause one to not want to retain God in their knowledge. 

God speaks to our heart, “I am your creator and I know what is good for you.  Love me with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.”  If we say, “No” to anything He speaks in our heart, then we are saying, “I love the world and what it has to offer more.”

The world passes away:  Fashion is fleeting, popularity too; everything the world has to offer can be enjoyed for only a short while.  There are many things in the world that are ours to be enjoyed, but the joy it brings is passing. 

What God tells us to shun is that which will leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth and regrets.

John Gill - Even the pleasure of lust itself passes away as soon as enjoyed; the pleasures of sin are but for a season, and a very short one; and are indeed but imaginary, and leave a real bitterness and sorrow behind them, and at length bring a man to ruin and destruction:

Adam Clark - but he that doeth the will of God - that seeks the pleasure, profit, and honor that comes from above, shall abide for ever, always happy through time and eternity, because God, the unchangeable source of felicity, is his portion.

In contrast to what God tells us to shun that the world offers:  Every perfect gift comes from the Father of lights with whom is no variableness. (James 1:17)  The blessings of the Lord make rich and He adds no sorrow with it. (Pr 10:22)

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Jas 1:16  Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Albert Barnes - In the mere desire of good, of happiness, of food, of raiment, there is no sin; it becomes sin when indulged in an improper manner, and when it leads us to seek that which is forbidden - to invade the rights of others, or in any way to violate the laws of God. The Rabbis have a metaphor which strongly expresses the general sense of this passage” - “Evil concupiscence is at the beginning like the thread of a spider’s web; afterwards it is like a cart rope.”

In the beginning sin may be simply an imagination; it is as a spider’s web, easily broken.  Afterwards it forms into a habit of mind and life and is as a cart’s rope.

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

He that shall endure to the end shall be saved.  Don’t let your love wax cold.  The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.  (Rom 5:5)  Let us live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit. (Glat 5:23-25)

Adam Clark - This love is the spring of all our actions; it is the motive of our obedience; the principle through which we love God, we love him because he first loved us; and we love him with a love worthy of himself, because it springs from him: it is his own; and every flame that rises from this pure and vigorous fire must be pleasing in his sight: it consumes what is unholy; refines every passion and appetite; sublimes the whole, and assimilates all to itself. And we know that this is the love of God; it differs widely from all that is earthly and sensual.

God gave Adam and Eve simple directions.  “You can do anything you want to in the garden, except eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” 

God has given us simple instructions as well, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Obedience and love are tied together; there are 14 verses in the Bible that I found that said, “Love God” and “Keep His words” in connection. 

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Love not the world, rather love God.  To do otherwise is disobedience and as the saying is, “Sin will lead you where you don’t want to go, and will leave you where you don’t want to stay.”  We see examples of this everywhere we look.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.