Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School class, October 1, 2022.

Read in Class: 1 John 4:7-16. Discuss the main thought of this passage.

Study: What can the certainty that “God is love” tell us about the nature of His creative activities? What does this passage tell us about free will as a condition to cultivating love?

Apply: Free will, a gift from God, is sacred, but comes heavy laden with powerful consequences, not only for yourself but for others, as well. What important decisions are you, using this gift, about to make, and what will be the consequences of whatever choices you make?

Share: Your friend asks you why didn’t God only create people who would choose to serve Him? Wouldn’t that still be giving free choice to all his creation? Why would that be or not be free choice? Another friend claims that if we die for not choosing Jesus then Jesus is not really giving us free choice. He is intimidating and manipulating us. Is there a difference between free choices and consequences?

Read in Class: Ezekiel 28:12-19. Discuss the theme of this passage.

Study: What can we learn from this passage about the mysterious origin of sin?

Apply: Does pride make us not sense our need of a Savior? Does pride cause us to not be thankful for what Jesus and others have done for us?

Share: Your friend says, God didn’t create the devil, He created Lucifer. Is your friend right? How so?

Read in Class: Isaiah 14:12-15. Discuss the key thought in this passage.

Study: What far-reaching consequences did Lucifer’s pride while in heaven bring to the universe and to this world?

Apply: Why is it so easy to become proud and boastful of either our positions or achievements, or both? How does keeping the cross before us prevent us from falling into such a trap?

Share: Your friend says that competing in sports to be number one is like Lucifer wanting to be number one in heaven,. How is it the same? How is it different?

Read in Class: Revelation 12. Discuss the main point of this passage.

Study: What does this chapter teach about the spread of the rebellion in heaven to the earth?

Apply: What are ways in which we can see the reality of this battle being played out on earth? What is our only hope to overcome our enemy in this battle?

Share: For further discussion see “Why God Needed to Make Peace With Heaven?”