10 ORIGINS Small Group Bible Study

7/29/2019 10 ORIGINS Small Group Bible Study

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Stewardship & the Environment

Lesson Ten

ORIGINS: Small Group Bible Study

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Befruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdueit: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over thefowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth

upon the earth.(Genesis 1:28 KJV)


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Photo credits: Hannah GoldsteinGod gave us the earth to take care of, not to destroy.


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Intro...1.Welcome God's presence.

2.Share theBESTandWORSTthing that happened to you

this week.

If a need for prayer is expressed take time to pray for thatindividual and need on the spot.

Key text...And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be

fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue

it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over thefowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth

upon the earth.

(Genesis 1:28 KJV)

Scripture Passages...Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15; Exodus 20:13; Kings 9:19;

Psalm 50; 103:22; Ecclesiastes 7:16-18; Isaiah 51:6;Jeremiah 31:3, 3134; Matthew 22:39; 28:1820;Romans 6:14; 8:22; Ephesians 1:21; Revelation 4:11; 11:18.

Todays World...Read carefully Genesis 1:26.

Foreign Policymagazine lists Lester Brown as number 78 in

Jesus, Provider & Sustainer

Sharing Studying Praying Witnessing


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its Top 100 Global Thinkers for 2011.The FP Top 100 Global Thinkers, Foreign Policy, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/2011globalthinkers (accessed December 13, 2011).

His recent book,World on the Edge: How to PreventEnvironmental and Economic Collapse,outlines Plan B forturning around the looming environmental crisis and

saving civilization.

While environmental activitists take seriously the

responsibility to care for the earth, their perspectives vary

about who is in control. Some acknowledge the CreatorGod. Some see divinity in nature itself.

Read Psalm 50:10 and Revelation 4:11

While many environmentalists view man as just another

species struggling to survive, the Bible reveals that we are

God's children, entrusted by Him to care for the earth.

Read and assess carefully Genesis 2:15.

Lester Brown and others point out that a crisis looms.

Brown urges a plan that he believes could prevent this

crisis if only humanity would cooperate. But if they do not,

will we be doomed to extinction?

According to the Bible, the script doesnt end that way.Carefully read and analyse Isaiah 51:6 and Romans 8:22.

The One who created the earth has revealed the final

chapter. Earths story will end with a new beginning, and

the sin that destroyed our planet will be no more.

Gods faithful children may be just as serious as Lester

Brown about caring for the earth, but their reason for


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It was Descartes and Bacon, not the author of Genesis, whopropagated the view that man can do as he pleases to naturewith impunity.E Ashby

Questions...Why does care for the environment matter? Isnt God

going to remake the world anyway?

How do we share in Gods creation as stewards?

In what way does the appreciation of nature improve our

relationship with God?

What do we say about ourselves by destroying our

environment?

What should a Christian do?

To Dress & To Keep It...Read again read Genesis 1:26-28.

What stands out to you from this verse as a possible

principle of what our attitude to our environment should

be?

The verbto bless(barak)has two meanings:to blessandto (cause to) kneel.Jeff A. Benner, Bless-barak, Ancient Hebrew Research Center,http://www.ancienthebrew.org/27_bless.html (accessed December 6, 2011).

The former gives an action, while the latter gives both an

action and a desired effect. Applying either meaningindicates that Adam and Eves creation was a gift from God


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that necessitated a proper reaction.

Kneeling was a ritual expression of the willing surrender

of the life of the worshipper to God.ngel Manuel Rodrguez, Postures for Prayer, Biblical Research Institute,http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/Biblequestions/Postures%20for%20Prayer.htm (accessed December 5, 2011).

In several cases, Gods commands to someone are

predicated by a personal encounter or gift of love to that

person. Carefully read Exodus 20:13 and Jeremiah 31:3,

3134).

God commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful, to multiply,

and to replenish and subdue the earth. In doing so, they

would enjoy theprivilege of participating in [earths]creation,and the increase of humanitys social circlethrough procreation.Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . . , 1st ed. (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald,1988), p. 73.ngel Manuel Rodrguez, Spanning the Abyss: How the Atonement Brings God andHumanity Together (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald, 2008), p. 36.

The final command tosubduecan pose some trouble iftaken out of biblical context. Typically,to subduemeanstoovercomeorbring under control.However, in thiscontext, to subdue grants humansthe right to utilize . . .the vast resources of the earthfrom agriculture to miningand even scientific discovery. This implies that our proper

use of the earths assets will benefit both present and

subsequent generations.The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1st ed., p. 217.

Read Genesis 1:28 again and also Revelation 11:18.

What link do you see between these verses and being astewardship?


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In the Bible,dominioncan be seen in several contexts:

(1) Gods rule over His creation (Psalm 103:22);

(2) Political rule (1 Kings 9:19);(3) Enslavement to sin (Romans 6:14);and,(4) power and lordship (Ephesians 1:21).

God intended that humanity would rule over creation. We

were to become Gods representative or viceroy over this

planet.The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1st ed., p. 217.

God also gave us the responsibility to manage His creation

and to protect it against pollution.The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1st ed., p. 216.

This is such an awesome responsibility that judgment will

be meted out to those who destroy the earth.

Read Ecclesiastes 7:16-18.

What fundamental principle can we glean from this

passage?

Our care of the world should be balanced. We must not be

so earth conscious that we forget our responsibilities to

our fellow human beings (Matthew 22:39; 28:1820). Inthe same vein, we should not neglect our Godgiven

responsibility todress and keepthe earth He has given us(Genesis 2:15).

The Book of Nature...Wherever we turn, we hear the voice of God and behold

His handiwork. From the solemn roll of the deep-toned


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thunder and old oceans ceaseless roar, to the glad songs

that make the forests vocal with melody, natures ten

thousand voices speak His praise. In earth and sea and sky,

with their marvelous tint and color, varying in gorgeouscontrast or blended in harmony, we behold His glory. The

everlasting hills tell of His power. The trees that wave their

green banners in the sunlight, and the flowers in their

delicate beauty, point to their Creator. The living green

that carpets the brown earth tells of Gods care for the

humblest of His creatures. The caves of the sea and the

depths of the earth reveal His treasures. He who placed

the pearls in the ocean and the amethyst and chrysoliteamong the rocks is a lover of the beautiful. The sun rising

in the heavens is a representative of Him who is the life

and light of all that He has made. All the brightness and

beauty that adorn the earth and light up the heavens

speak of God.Ellen G. White, Child Guidance, p. 53.

God gave Adam and Eve employment. Eden was the

school for our first parents, and God was their instructor.

They learned how to till the soil and to care for the things

which the Lord had planted. They did not regard labor as

degrading, but as a great blessing. Industry was a pleasure

to Adam and Eve. The fall of Adam changed the order of

things; the earth was cursed: but the decree that man

should earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, was notgiven as a curse. Through faith and hope, labor was to be a

blessing to the descendants of Adam and Eve. God never

meant that man should have nothing to do.Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 314.

How Owns It All...?Read again Genesis 1:26-28 and Psalm 50.


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What facts stand out to you?

And how do these passages act as governance in the

attitude that we should foster whilst living upon thisearth?

One of the ways the theory of evolution fails as a theory of

origins is what we can see happening in life processes.

God clearly designed these processes for productive

sustentation rather than depletive exploitation. The theme

of fruitfulness and reproduction is one of the clearest

themes in the Creation account. It does not suggest thatwe avoid using resources, because God gave them to us to

use for our good. Gods loving nature, however, would

engender the kind of responsible, constructive use of

resources that would sustain them for future use.

Recommended Reading...The Ministry of Healing, pp. 315-316, Ellen G. White.

https://egwwritings.org/

Recommended Viewing... Watch to Walter Veith's Total Transformation series

Co-Dependence.

For other materials by Walter Veith and the Amazing

Discoveries team visit:

http://amazingdiscoveries.org/
https://egwwritings.org/http://amazingdiscoveries.tv/media/1173/1001-co-dependence/http://amazingdiscoveries.org/https://egwwritings.org/http://amazingdiscoveries.tv/media/1173/1001-co-dependence/http://amazingdiscoveries.org/


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Break into twos or threes and pray for

one anothers needs, as well as for yourfriends and family...


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LESSONS ON FAITHLESSON #10: DEPENDING ON GOD

(Living by Faith)

Living by Faith


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"Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our

Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1.

Since faith is the depending upon the word of God only, for what

that word says, being justified by faith is simply being accountedrighteous by depending upon the word only. And since the word

is the word of God, dependence upon the word only is

dependence upon God only, in the word. Justification by faith,

then, is justification--being accounted righteous by dependence

upon God only, and upon him only because he has promised.

We are all altogether sinners--sinful and ungodly. We are,

therefore, all subject to the judgment of God. Rom. 3:9-19. Yet forall of us there is escape from the judgment of God. But the only

way of escape from the judgment of God is to trust in God.

When David had sinned in numbering the people and so had

incurred the exemplary judgement of God, the Lord gave him

his choice as to whether there should be seven years' famine or

he should flee three months before his enemies or there should

be three days' pestilence. But David would not choose at all. Hedeferred it all to the Lord, for Him to choose, saying, "Let us fall

now into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great." 2 Sam.

24:11-14.

When depending upon God alone, in His word, for

righteousness, we have peace with God, because thus we really

obtain righteousness and "the work of righteousness shall bepeace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance

LESSONS ON FAITHLESSON #10: DEPENDING ON GOD

(Living by Faith)


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forever." Isa. 32:17.

When depending upon God alone in His word, for righteousness

we have peace through our Lord Jesus Christ, because "He is ourpeace, who hath made both" God and man "one," "having

abolished in his flesh the enmity" "for to make in himself of

twainof God and man--"one new man, so making peace." Eph.

2:14,15.

Further: when depending upon God alone, in His word, for

righteousness, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus

Christ, because God has "made peace through the blood of hiscross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself . . . whether

they be things in earth or things in heaven. And you, that were

sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,

yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through

death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproachable

in his sight: IF ye continue in the faith"--if you continue to

depend only upon God alone is His word. Col. 1:20-23.

When He has made the way so plain, the justification so

complete, and the peace so sure to all, and asks all people only

to receive it all by simply accepting it from him and depending

upon him for it, why should not every soul on earth be thus

justified and have the peace of God through our Lord Jesus

Christ?

This is "what the Scripture means when urging upon us the

necessity of exercising faith."

Are you exercising faith?

Are you justified by faith?


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Have you righteousness by faith?

Have you peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ?

"Have faith in God." Mark 11:22.

First published in the Review & Herald, Feb. 14, 1899By A. T. Jones & E. J. Waggoner

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