Nature of Humanity Honor

Missionary Activities - Bible Studies

Requirements

1. Know what the origin of human life is and cite what material was used for the creation of man. (Genesis 1:27; 2:7)

   Answer: Gen 1:27: 'God created man in his own image.' Gen 2:7: '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.' Origin: direct divine creation. Material: dust of the earth (chemical elements) animated by the divine breath (Spirit). — Biblical creationist doctrine. The 6th day of creation. The image of God: moral, intellectual, and social capacities. Dust of the earth: elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen (the human body = 99% of these + nitrogen). Breath: the Hebrew ruach, the Spirit that gives life. Living soul: a complete being, not dualism (body + soul separate). Adventism: rejects evolution, upholds a literal creation.

2. Explain why our first parents, who were created to live forever, lost that condition of immortality. (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:22)

   Answer: Gen 2:16-17: God commanded not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, under penalty of death. Adam and Eve disobeyed (Gen 3). Gen 3:22: 'lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life... and live forever' — God expelled them from Eden, separating them from the tree of life. — Conditional immortality: it depended on access to the tree of life. Sin broke communion with God. Expulsion from Eden + blocked access to the tree of life = death entered humanity. Romans 5:12: 'by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.' Adventism: death is the punishment for sin, and resurrection in Christ restores immortality. Hope in Revelation 22:2 (the restored tree).

3. Define what sin is. (1 John 3:4; James 4:17; Romans 14:23)

   Answer: 1 John 3:4: 'Sin is the transgression of the law.' James 4:17: 'to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin' (omission). Rom 14:23: 'whatsoever is not of faith is sin.' Sin is the conscious violation of God's Law, the omission of known good, and any act without faith. A threefold biblical definition. — Hamartia (Greek): to miss the mark. Hebrew: rebellion, transgression, iniquity. Law: the 10 commandments especially. Omission (James): not doing the good one knows = sin. Faith: everything without faith is sin (even if apparently good). Origin: Lucifer (1 John 3:8). Consequence: death (Rom 6:23). Solution: Christ (1 John 1:9). Adventism: sin is serious, but there is full forgiveness in Christ.

4. Understand what the consequence of sin is. (Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:4, 20)

   Answer: Rom 6:23: 'the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.' Ezek 18:4 and 20: 'the soul that sinneth, it shall die.' Main consequence: death (separation from God, physical and eternal death). Two kinds: the first death (everyone dies) and the second death (the lake of fire, definitive). — Death is the biblical punishment for sin. The first death: common, a temporary sleep until the resurrection. The second death: definitive, after the judgment (Rev 20:14). The innocent are resurrected to eternal life; the unrepentant sinners to condemnation. Disease and suffering are secondary consequences of sin entering the world. Adventism: the only solution is Christ, the free gift of eternal life by faith.

5. Recognize the lie told by the serpent in Eden, which many still believe today, and know who is the only immortal being. (Genesis 3:4; 1 Timothy 6:15-16)

   Answer: Gen 3:4: 'Ye shall not surely die' — the serpent's lie to Eve. Many still believe in the immortality of the soul. 1 Tim 6:15-16: 'God, who only hath immortality' — only God is inherently immortal. Humans receive conditional immortality, restored at the resurrection in Christ at the glorious Second Coming. — Serpent: 'ye shall not surely die' (the opposite of Gen 2:17). The lie propagated: an 'immortal soul' that goes to heaven/hell after death. The Bible: death = sleep (Eccl 9:5; John 11:11-14). Immortality only from God (1 Tim 6:16). At the Second Coming, the righteous receive immortality (1 Cor 15:51-54). Adventism: conditionalism (the sleep of death) + resurrection overcomes the false immortality of the soul.

6. Memorize and recite 1 John 5:11-12.

   Answer: 1 John 5:11-12: 'And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.' Eternal life is in Christ. Believing in the Son = having life; rejecting Him = not having spiritual life. — Soteriological synthesis: eternal life connected to Christ. 'Hath' (present): guaranteed even now to those who believe. Without Christ, no (spiritual) life. John wrote so that believers may have certainty (1 John 5:13). Adventism: salvation by faith in Christ. Eternal life guaranteed now, complete at the resurrection. A personal decision for Christ is central. Evangelistic Adventism clearly emphasizes the decision for Christ.

7. Share with a friend what God did to solve the problem of sin. (John 3:16)

   Answer: John 3:16: 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' God sent Jesus, who lived without sin, died as a substitute for sinners, rose again, and freely offers eternal life to whoever believes. — The plan of salvation: from divine love. Christ: the perfect lamb (without sin), the substitute on the cross, the victor in the resurrection. Faith: the means of receiving. Eternal life: present now, complete at the resurrection. 'World': universal, everyone can be saved. Adventism: an evangelistic gospel. Sharing with a friend: the testimony of personal salvation received in Christ. John 3:16 is the center of the Christian gospel.

8. Demonstrate in a practical way, for your unit or another group, the elements that God used in the creation of the human being (this can be through a dramatization or another illustrative form).

   Answer: Present it in 3 scenes: 1) God forming from the dust of the earth (someone molds a doll from clay). 2) God breathing life (a symbolic breath, the doll 'rises'). 3) Adam naming the animals and/or Eve being created from the rib (companionship, equality). Use a simple set, with a narrator reading Genesis. Involve several Pathfinders. Document it with photos for the instructor. — Dramatization involves experiential learning. Materials: clay for the 'dust,' beige/brown fabric for the earth, a flashlight for the 'breath of life.' Narrator: the voice of God in the background. Background music. Script: approximately 5 minutes. Involve children and youth. After the presentation: a discussion about the lessons. Adventism: evangelistic creativity through art to teach biblical truths.