"Sin -- It's More Than Missing the Mark!"

Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope 

Full class notes will be uploaded on Thursday or Friday.  Due to limitation of actual class time not all questions will be covered.  If some questions seem more important to you let us know and we will consider addressing them in our notes. You may wish to check out our class blog at:  http://ssclassnotes.blogspot.com).  Some changes have been made in the 

May 9, 2009
Larry R Evans 

Introductory Reflections 

Have you ever heard of Saint Anthony (251?-356)?  He is among the most famous solitary monks.  His aim was to live in solitude and do nothing but think about God.  He was sincere and he was willing to pay whatever price necessary to accomplish his objective! For 35 years he lived  in the Egyptian desert.  For 35 years he fought a non-stop battle with the devil by fasting, depriving himself of sleep and even tortured his own body.  

“Writing of the great conflict that constantly took place between the forces of good and evil in Anthony’s imaginings, his biographer penned:  ‘The one would suggest foul thoughts, and the other counter them with prayers; the one fire him with lust, the other, as one who seemed to blush, fortify his body with prayers, faith and fasting.  The devil one night even took upon him the shape of a woman, and imitated all  her acts simply to beguile Anthony.’”   During these 35 years Anthony struggled with temptation, and at the end he was no closer to victory than at the beginning. 

Anthony was not alone.  There was the example of Simeon (390-459), sometimes called Simeon the Pole Sitter!   After “having been buried up to his neck for several months, next decided that his way  to holiness was to sit on top of a 60-foot pillar, where he would be removed from all temptations.  For 36 years (until his death) Saint Simeon remained atop his pole.  Not only did his body ‘drip’ with vermin, bet he performed excruciating exercises far above the desert floor.  Once, for example, he is said to have touched his feet with his forehead more than 1,244 times in succession.”  (See George Knight in Sin and Salvation, pp. 66,67) 

Sin and temptation are real and so are the battles waged against them.  Unmasking the sin and its originator is an important part of any successful battle against them.  This week’s study unveils some of the important characteristics of the enemy called sin.  The solution, as you will see will not be found by taking a pilgrimage to an Egyptian desert nor by isolating ourselves by sitting on a pole high above the earth.  God has a much better and a more effective plan.  He came and still comes to us.  Next week’s lesson will be about grace but before we get there we need to grasp, at least in part, the enormity of the problem called sin. 

Reflective Quiz 

1.       Grace is not fully appreciated until we full understand the depth and extent of sin.  True or False? 

2.       Despite the financial set backs and the threat of a pandemic, our world is progressively getting better.  [2 Pet 3:1-8; Matt. 24:4-12]  True or False? 

3.       To sin means to break a rule God established to test our loyalty with Him.  [Rom. 12:7-9; 1 Jn. 3:4; Isa. 59:2; Gen. 3: 1-7]  True or False? 

4.       All sin targets God.  [Ps.51:4]  True or False? 

5.       Sin does not only to do with wrongfully committed acts.  It also includes the desire and the fantasizing about things we know are wrong.  [Matt. 5:28]  True or False? 

6.       Sin is not limited to what we “do” or “think.”  It can also include what we “do not do.”  [Matt. 25:14-28, 45; 23:23]  True or False? 

7.       A baby  who dies before being baptized will not be in heaven.  [Ex. 20:5; Deut. 24:16; James 4:17; PP:306]  True or False? 

8.       As we modify our behavior to be more like Christ’s we can be certain we are on the road of sanctification.  [2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:20; 1 Jn. 1:8; DA:172]  True or False? 

9.       There is such a thing as corporate guilt.  [Rev. 12:7-9; 18:1-4; Rom. 3:9-11; Philip. 4:8-9; Lk. 16:10] True or False? 

10.     There are many roads leading to God but only one way to be saved.  [Jn. 10:7; 14:6; Acts 4:12; Philip. 2:6-8]  True or False? 

11.     Jesus is the only One who could save fallen humanity.  [Philip. 2:6-8; Col. 1:15-23]  True or False? 

12.     A Christ who only forgave but did not transform would be only a half Saviour.  [Jn. 10:10; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15]  True or False?  

Concluding Reflections

[To be added with the class notes on Thursday or Friday.]