Friday, April 17
Read Ellen G. White, “As a Child”, pp. 68-74, and “The Temptation”, pp. 114-123 in The Desire of Ages.
“Men consider themselves wiser than the word of God, wiser even than God; and instead of planting their feet on the immovable foundation, and bringing everything to the test of God’s word, they test that word by their own ideas of science and nature, and if it seems not to agree with their scientific ideas, it is discarded as unworthy of credence.” Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, March 27, 1884, p. 1
“Those who become best acquainted with the wisdom and purpose of God as revealed in His word, become men and women of mental strength; and they may become efficient workers with the great Educator, Jesus Christ. … Christ has given His people the words of truth, and all are called to act a part in making them known to the world. … There is no sanctification aside from the truth, the word. Then how essential that it should be understood by every one!” Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 432
Discussion Questions:
1. If Jesus, the Gospel writers, and Paul treated the Old Testament Scriptures as the Word of God, what should this tell us about why many of the modern views of Scripture today are wrong and why we should not fall for these arguments, no matter who teaches them?
2. Just to give people an idea of where many modern biblical scholars have gone with their skepticism, here are a few things that many modern scholars deny. They reject a literal six-day Creation, accepting billions of years of evolution instead. They reject a sinless Adam in an unfallen world. They reject a universal worldwide flood. Some reject the literal existence of Abraham. Some reject the story of the Exodus. Some reject the miracles of Jesus, including even His bodily resurrection. Some reject that idea of predictive prophecy, in which prophets tell the future, sometimes centuries or even millennia in advance. What should these conclusions tell us about what happens when people start doubting the authority and authenticity of Scripture? Also, what are ways to try to help such people come to a clear understanding of truth?
3. In response to the question at the end of Tuesday’s study, how do we understand how all Scripture can be inspired, even the parts that are not necessarily applicable to us today?
