Presenting a Biblical response by concerned former Seventh-day Adventists to the Sabbath School Bible Study Guide.

This website is NOT connected to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The offical Seventh-day Adventist Church website is linked here.

HOME | 2011 | SECOND QUARTER | WEEK 11 | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7

BibleStudiesForAdventistsHead

Commentary on "The Wedding Garment"

MARTIN L. CAREY

 

Day 2: Sunday, June 5, 2011 - Days of Fervor

 

Review

Today’s lesson states that Matthew 21 reveals “the fearful ability of our hearts to deceive us and the power of the evil one to blind our minds to the most obvious truths.” It asks, how can Adventists, even with so much light, think they are any different than the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time? They can be deceived as well.

 

Observations

Yes, our hearts possess a fearful ability to deceive us, and Satan can help supply the deception to keep us blind to truth. But what does it mean that Adventists are “living with so much light”? Is this referring to the doctrines of the SDA church, such as the investigative judgment, the Sabbath, etc.? What has Jesus taught us about the nature of the light He has given?

In John 3:19, Jesus gave Nicodemus a powerful description of light and truth that can protect us from deception. Jesus said, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world.” What is that light, or rather, who is that light? Jesus, the Son of God is the light of the world (Jn. 8:12). So it is not a set of propositional truths we are given, for it is the Son of Man, Jesus, who was sent (vs. 17) and given (vs. 16) to the world. If we possess Him, we have all the light we need. Jesus is the actual presence of God, about whom John said, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” Light and truth occur together in Jesus, as He said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn. 14:6). When Jesus is with you, you have truth, life, and the way.

The means to be protected against deception is found in possessing, and being possessed by, Jesus Himself. If our truth does not have Jesus exalted as its center, as the measurement of what is good and holy, we are in darkness. When we understand that truth, we can understand how His presence also brings judgment. This may seem very vague to say that our truth is a person. Most of us were taught that truth is a set of propositions we can write down and obey. But Jesus clearly stated He is the truth.

Later, we will look at how the arrival of Jesus into our lives, through the gospel, brings the judgment into the present. There will never be a more important judgment event than when we either hear or reject that gospel. “This is the judgment: the light has come into the world.” Judgment is all about the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13).

 

Summary

  1. God’s light and truth are not a set of doctrines, but are embodied in the person and presence of Jesus.
  2. Jesus was sent and given as the light of the world, and how men receive Him brings judgment to them.
  3. The gospel of Christ brings Him to us, and our response to Him is the most important judgment event we will ever encounter.
  4. Judgment is all about the Son of Man.

 

GO TO DAY 3

 

Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised June 4, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

Official Adventist Resources

Standard Edition Study Guide Week 11

Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 11

Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Wk 11

SSNET Study Guide Week 11

Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings

 

Please Support This Project

ONLINE DONATIONS

egw20112
ss20112