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Commentary on "In Spirit and in Truth"
Day 1: Sabbath Afternoon, September 3, 2011 - Introduction
Overview
The title and theme for this week comes from this verse:
But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. John 4:23 (HCSB)
Observations
The quarterly lesson for this week doesn’t really focus on the lesson title until Tuesday and Wednesday. Instead, our attention is drawn to ‘the first angel’s message’ which is the proclamation of the ‘everlasting gospel’ mentioned in Rev. 14:6-7.
For today we will examine just what is the ‘everlasting gospel’ since that is the key to the understanding the first angel’s message and where it is declared that we are to fear God, give him glory and worship him.
According to the Apostle Paul there is only one true gospel. If anyone, even if we were to think it is an angel from God, were to proclaim something other than the true gospel Paul pronounces a curse upon him. Preaching the true biblical gospel is a serious matter.
I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ ⌊and are turning⌋ to a different gospel— not that there is another ⌊gospel⌋, but there are some who are troubling you and want to change the good news about the Messiah. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him! (Gal 1:6-9 HCSB)
Here is the complete and true eternal everlasting gospel as preached by the Apostle Paul:
Now brothers, I want to clarify for you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand on it. You are also saved by it, if you hold to the message I proclaimed to you—unless you believed for no purpose. For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. (1 Cor. 15:1-5 HCSB)
Note well that not even an angel from God will ever proclaim any other gospel.
Summary
- The everlasting gospel is summarized best by the words of the Apostle Paul; “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”.
- Even if we think we are hearing a message from an angel of God, we are not to respond to any message that alters what Scripture declares to be the gospel message of Jesus Christ. This means that the First Angel’s everlasting gospel which is clearly a message from God is not going to be something new or different.
- Paul declares that anyone who changes by adding or taking away from the simple gospel of Jesus Christ is under a curse because that is something not from God. This is a stern warning to not alter what Scripture teaches.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised August 22, 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
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