Lesson 2 for the 10 th of April, 2010

God gave the man moral freedom. Freedom involves making right or wrong decisions. Every right decision we make increases our freedom. Every wrong decision we make reduces our freedom (sin rules our lives)

Freedom of choice is extremely important for God. He gave it to us although he knew that a wrong use of it would mean a great sacrifice: Jesus.

EMBARRASSMENT FEELINGS OF GUILT (FEAR) TRYING TO EXEMPT ONESELF FROM GUILT (BLAMING SOMEONE ELSE) “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (Genesis, 3: 7) “He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."” (Genesis, 3: 10) “The man said, "The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."” (Genesis, 3: 12-13)

EMBARRASSMENT FEELINGS OF GUILT TRYING TO EXEMPT ONESELF FROM GUILT This process is repeated every time we make a wrong decision. We can act in two different ways: I.Getting rid of our guilt (or minimizing it) and going deeper into sin. II.Admitting responsibility for our wrong decision and asking Jesus for forgiveness and help to make better decisions in the future.

We still have free will. Everything we do is our responsibility. What choices did these biblical characters make? Gideon (Judges, 7 and 8) He accepted God’s call He defeat a Midianite army with 300 men He made an ephod of gold as a memorial It was an obstacle for Gideon and Israel Solomon (1 Kings, 3 and 11) He chose wisdom to govern Israel He governed with wisdom, his kingdom had peace He married pagan wives He worshipped the gods of his wives

We still have free will. Everything we do is our responsibility. Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles, 18 and 20) He ask God for help before the battle He obtain victory without fighting He formed an alliance with Ahab He almost died in the battle of Ramah Peter (Luke, 5 and 22) He left all to follow Jesus He became one of the 12 apostles He didn’t stay awake and pray on Gethsemane He denied Jesus three times What choices did these biblical characters make?

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalms, 119: 11) “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things” (Philippians, 4: 8) “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians, 3: 2)

“Maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation” (Exodus, 34: 7) “God did not mean in his threatenings that children would be compelled to suffer for their parents' sins, but that the example of the parents would be imitated by their children. If the children of wicked parents should serve God and do righteousness, he would reward their right doing. But the effects of a sinful life by the parents are often inherited by the children. They follow in the footsteps of their parents. Sinful example has its influence from father to son, to the third and fourth generations. If parents indulge in depraved appetites, they will, in almost every case, see the same reproduced in their children. The children will develop characters similar to those of their parents. If parents are continually rebellious, and inclined to make void the law of God by precept and example, their children will generally pursue the same course. The example of God-fearing parents, who respect and honor by their own course of action God's rule of right, will be imitated by their children and their children's children; and thus the influence is seen from generation to generation” E.G.W. (The Signs of the Times, June 3, 1880)

Every choice we make affects the people around us in a positive or negative way. “We all have an influence, and that influence is telling upon the destiny of others, for their present and future good, or for their eternal loss” E.G.W. (The Review and Herald, June 22, 1886) “We little know the bearing of our acts upon the experience of others. What we do or say may seem to us of little moment, when, could our eyes be opened, we should see that upon it depended the most important results for good or for evil” E.G.W. (Counsels on Sabbath School work, cp. 4, pg. 102)

The place we were born, our genetic inheritance, our family, our school (if we had that privilege)... Everything has an influence on us and conditions our power of choice. The most important choice in our lives doesn’t depend on any circumstances.

Everyone is free to accept Jesus as his personal saviour. “Jesus, our Advocate, is acquainted with all the circumstances with which we are surrounded and deals with us according to the light we have had and the circumstances in which we are placed” E.G.W. (Testimonies for the church, vol. 2, cp. 8, page 74) When we choose to accept Jesus ─regardless of the circumstances─, He qualifies us for making right decisions and growing in our Christian life.