Apr18-24: Life

The Gift of Physical Life (The Breath of Life)

1. What does divine revelation tell us about the origin of life? Gen. 2:7, John 1:1–3.

• Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

• John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

• John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

• John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

ANSWER:

• God is the Originator of life.

• Human body came from the dust of the ground

• Human became a living soul when receiving the breath of life

2. What is the breath of life?

• Job 27:3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils

ANSWER:

• The spirit of God

• Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

• Job 34:14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; Job 34:15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

• Is. 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein

• Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance

SOP: Breath of life

• It is God who gives man the breath of life. We cannot originate; we can only collect that which God has originated. He is our guardian, our counsellor; and more than this, from His liberal supply we derive all the skill, tact, and ability that we possess. . . . All you possess is His gift, for you had nothing with which to create or purchase it. It is given you, not to become a wedge to separate you from Him, but to help you in doing His service. {HP 302.3}

• There are many issues in our world today in regard to the Creator not being a personal God. God is a being, and man was made in His image. After God created man in His image, the form was perfect in all its arrangements, but it had no vitality. Then a personal, self-existing God breathed into that form the breath of life, and man became a living, breathing, intelligent being. All parts of the human machinery were put in motion. The heart, the arteries, the veins, the tongue, the hands, the feet, the perceptions of the mind, the senses, were placed under physical law. It was then that man became a living soul. {TDG 273.3}

• The man who finds in his heart no resemblance to the great moral standard of righteousness, the word of God, has no Christ to confess. His language, his thoughts, are not in harmony with the Spirit of Christ. His profession of faith is a counterfeit. The soul must have the vivifying influence of the breath of life from Christ, in order to reveal that Christ is formed within, the hope of glory. {YI, August 25, 1898 par. 5}

• Having brought into the world the great treasures of heaven, owned and created by the eternal God, Christ can give to all eternal life. With His humanity He touches humanity, and with His divinity He firmly grasps divinity. Into man, prostrated, diseased, enfeebled, He can breathe the breath of life, making him a partaker of the divine nature. {ST, October 10, 1900 par. 14}

OBSERVATION:

• The breath of life seems to be connected to the spirit of God.

• The breath of life seems to be connected to the abilities that God gave us.

• The breath of life seems to be connected to vitality and intelligence for man.

• The breath of life seems to be connected to the glory, the character of Jesus.

• The breath of life seems to be connected to the divine nature.

APPLICATION QUESTION:

• Why God gave us the breath of life based upon above observation?

Physical Education

1. What did God provide for the physical need of first man and woman in the Garden of Eden?

• Gen. 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food

• Gen. 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden

• Gen. 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

• Gen. 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

ANSWER:

• Gen. 2:9 – good food (vegan diet)

• Gen. 2:10 – water (pure water)

• Gen. 2:15 – occupation (physical labor)

• Gen. 2:2 – rest (physically and spiritually rest in God)

DISCUSSION:

• What is the worldly definition for physical education?

Spiritual Life

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).

1. What is your understanding of what that above text means? How are we a “new creature” in Jesus?

ANSWER:

• We are God’s new creation. Old man is passed away and we become a new man in Christ.

2. What is an “old man”?

• Eph. 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts

• Col. 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.Col. 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds

ANSWER:

• Life of deceitful lusts, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, and all sinful acts.

3. How do you put off the “old man”?

• Rom. 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

ANSWER:

• Must be crucified with Christ.

4. What needs to be crucified with Christ?

• Gal. 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

• Gal. 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

ANSWER:

• Selfishness

• Fleshly lusts

5. What did he say regarding how often he needs to be “crucified” or “die” with Christ?

• 1Cor. 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

ANSWER:

• Daily

6. What is a “new man”?

• Eph. 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; Eph. 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

• Col. 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him

ANSWER:

• Having a new mind

• Created in righteousness and holiness

• Renewed in knowledge after the image of God

Social Life

1. What is the key to successfully managing of our social relationships according to Phil. 2:1–5.?

• Phil. 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

• Phil. 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

• Phil. 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

• Phil. 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

• Phil. 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus

ANSWER:

• Humility

2. Read Phil. 2:6-8. What other experiences are connected to humility?

• Phil. 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

• Phil. 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

• Phil. 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

ANSWER:

• Taking no reputation

• Having the attitude of a servant

• Obedient

• Self-sacrificing

Fullness of Life

1. Observe the following text.

• John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

ANSWER:

• Jesus came to give life and to give more abundant life.

2. How can we live more abundant life?

SOP:

• What fullness is expressed in the words, "I am the light of the world." John 8:12. "I am the bread of life." John 6:35. "I am the way, the truth, and the life." John 14:6. "I am the good shepherd." John 10:14. "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10. This life is what we must have, and we must have it more abundantly. God will breathe this life into every soul that dies to self and lives to Christ. But entire self-renunciation is required. Unless this takes place, we carry with us the evil that destroys our happiness. But when self is crucified, Christ lives in us, and the power of the Spirit attends our efforts. {OHC 21.2}

• Genuine faith is life, and where there is life there is growth. The life which Jesus imparts cannot but grow more and more abundantly. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power. He who drinks of the water of life which Jesus gives, possesses within himself a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Though it shall be cut off from all created springs, it is fed from the hidden fountain. It is a perpetual spring, in immediate communication with the inexhaustible fountain of life. {TMK 227.4}

• He [the believer] may die, as Christ died, but the life of the Saviour is in him. His life is hid with Christ in God. "I am come that they might have life," Jesus said, "and that they might have it more abundantly." He carries on the great process by which believers are made one with Him in this present life, to be one with Him throughout all eternity. . . . {Mar 301.3}

• Christ was invested with the right to give immortality. The life which He had laid down in humanity, He again took up and gave to humanity. "I am come," He says, "that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:54). "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). {1SM 302.2}

OBSERVATION:

• In order to live more abundant life, self must be crucified.

• A living faith is required in order to live more abundantly.

• Abundant life also means to receive immortality at the first resurrection.