Commentary on "Loving Brothers and Sisters"

STEVE PITCHER

 

Day 2: Sunday, August 16, 2009

 

There are only a couple of troubling comments in today's lesson. There are several good points, however, the purpose of the writer is to lead the reader to a conclusion that will be drawn on Thursday's lesson. Given the ultimate purpose, to draw people into a relationship with the law as understood by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, we must begin to notice some developments in today's lesson.

A duality that is often mentioned in regards to the ten commandments is being emphasized by the writer of this lesson. This duality is the responsibility of the Christian to love God and to love others. Of course, this is what John is saying. In and of itself, this is fine. However, by making this the most emphasized aspect of today's lesson, one is being prepared to accept the ten commandments as the expression of the two commandments, to love God and to love others. (The lesson author explains this more fully Thursday.)

One must be wary to go from the New Testament, and then follow a teacher back into an Old Testament practice that may not be relevant for the Christian. The lesson author points out that Jesus “referred to a number of different commandments” during the Sermon on the Mount. What the lesson author fails to point out is that Jesus was showing the inadequacy of those commandments as they were given. He strengthened them fiercely: so much so, in fact, that John could say, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 Jn. 1:8.) By the middle of his sermon, Jesus says this, “[Y]ou are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Jn. 5:48.)

If a Christian does not understand the utter impossibility of attaining this, even by following Jesus' example, one does not understand the depth of his own sinfulness.

Although the commandment of circumcision is emphasized, Paul's letter to the Galatians is an extremely important study for any Christian to see the extreme spiritual dangers inherent in being led from the grace of God, back into following commandments. This writer's personal recommendation would be to read the very short book of Galatians, once a day, this week in preparation for the Sabbath School lesson.

There is only one other point to make on today's lesson. The writer makes the following claim:

“...only as we understand what happened at the cross and how Christ bore in Himself the punishment for our sins can we come to love God as we should.”

It is through Christ's death on the cross, and that alone, through which we gain acceptance with the Father. That can never be underemphasized. But to state that “only as we understand what happened ... can we come to love God as we should,” is implying that our understanding is what allows the grace of God to be applied to our souls. This is heretical.

The “cult of the intellect” is alive and well and can be found in many places, including in Christian churches. Christianity is truly a religion of “not what you know, but who you know!.” One can know God by direct revelation through his Holy Spirit. This may not provide an individual with the details of how God has worked this out through his Son, on the cross, but it does provide one with enough that we may cry out to God, “Save me!”

 

Summary

1. The duality of loving God and loving others is being emphasized in preparation for Thursday's lesson.
2. One must not follow a teacher to lead you from the New Testament back into the Old Testament to determine what practices to follow.
3. The purpose of the letter to the Galatians is to show the spiritual dangers of leaving the grace of God and going back to the practices of the law for the proper understanding of righteousness.
4. The “cult of the intellect” is present everywhere, and Christians must not fall prey to it's dangerous lies.
5. God can confront an individual directly with his Holy Spirit so that the person is made aware of his sinfulness and cries out to God, “Save me!” Understanding doctrine is something a Christian may be engaged in, but is by no means necessary for salvation, or even being able to love God “as we should.”

 

 

 

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