Lesson 1 for July 2, 2016

www.gmahktanjungpinang.orgAdapted from : www.fustero.es

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.

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

5:23Spirit

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).

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.

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)

“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

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

“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

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