Sabbath school lesson 1, 3rd quarter of 2016

1. Lesson 1 for July 2, 2016
Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in
the image of God created he him; male
and female created he them.

2. THE IMAGE OF GOD
“So God created man in His own image; in
the image of God He created him; male and
female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
Man was not created equal to God but “in His
image.” Man reflected the Creator in every
aspect.
IMAGE
Spiritual
Intellectual
Physical
Deuteronomy
6:5
Heart
Soul
Strength
1
Thessalonians
5:23
Spirit
Soul
Body
God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit (three persons in one).
Man was created ‘Ish (male) and ‘Ishsah (female), and they
were only one: Adam (Genesis 5:2; 2:23-24).

3. THE FALL AND ITS AFTERMATH
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to
make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave
to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6)
The act of disobedience in Genesis 3 had
immediate consequences. Which were they?
V. 7. They saw
they were
naked and tried
to fix their
problem
without asking
God for help.
V. 8-10. They
hid because
they were
afraid of
meeting their
Creator.
V. 12-13. They
blamed each
other and they
indirectly
blamed God.
V. 16. Women
would give
birth with pain.
There were
changes in
relationships
between men
and women.
V. 17-19.
Nature
changed. Men
would work
with effort and
pain. People
would die.

4. ENMITY AND ATONEMENT
“And I will put enmity between
you and the woman, and
between your seed and her
Seed; he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise His heel.”
(Genesis 3:15)
“Therefore, in all things He had to be made
like His brethren, that He might be a
merciful and faithful High Priest in things
pertaining to God, to make propitiation for
the sins of the people.”
(Hebrews 2:17)
Sin put enmity between God and man. Nevertheless,
God deflected that enmity towards Satan and He
created a way to salvation for man, atonement.
Jesus atoned—payed for—the sin of every human being.
That was God’s plan to restore what sin had destroyed.
Jesus suffered the punishment our sins demand. The
requirements of the Law were satisfied. Our sins are
forgiven through confession and repentance.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

5. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (Colossians 1:15)
“Christ is the clear image of the Father, since both have the same character,
attributes and perfection. […] Adam and Eve were originally created in that
image, and the purpose of the salvation plan is to restore it in mankind.”
(SDA Bible Commentary).
“But we all, with
unveiled face, beholding
as in a mirror the glory of
the Lord, are being
transformed into the
same image from glory to
glory, just as by the Spirit
of the Lord.”
(2 Corinthians 3:18)
Christ must be “formed” in us to restore the
image of God (Galatians 4:19). That restoration
will be complete at the Second Coming, but we
can be transformed to His image little by little
from now on.
RESTORATION IN JESUS

6. E.G.W. (The Ministry of Healing, cp. 43, pg. 504)

7. “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:2)
Which is our responsibility to that privilege God offers?
Like the friends of the paralytic who was brought down from the ceiling (Mark
2:1-12), the church is called to partner with Christ in moving people toward
being restored in God’s image—physically, mentally, and spiritually.
God already knew His
plan; He chose us to be
forgiven and restored.
That way we can
receive “life more
abundantly” from
Jesus. (John 10:10).
THE RESTORING ROLE OF THE CHURCH

8. E.G.W. (This Day With God, February 12)