Know: Review the contribution of core Adventist doctrines to Adventist identity and unity in Christ.
Feel: Value the unifying nature of biblical truth.
Do: Allow the Holy Spirit to internalize truth so that it impacts daily living.
Learning Outline:
Know: Identity, Truth, and Unity
How do the essential elements of the gospel contribute to the concept of church unity?
What doctrines form the core of Adventist belief? What led you to choose those particular doctrines?
Consider each of the doctrines you believe is core to Adventist identity. How might they have a unifying effect on the church?
Feel: Advantages of a Common Message
Why do you think God revealed specific information about topics other than Himself in Scripture?
What value is there in having a group of people who agree biblically about what they consider are important doctrines?
Do: Internalizing Truth
Why is it essential that truth is internalized fully?
How can we internalize truth so that it impacts the way we live?
What steps do you need to make for this to be a reality in your life?
Summary: Seventh-day Adventist Christians recognize the central role of the death and Resurrection of Christ in salvation and Christian unity. They also understand that God has revealed information in Scripture that is critical in determining how we relate to God and to other human beings. These doctrines define both our identity and our mission.
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Acts 4:10–12
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Christian beliefs are not arbitrary propositions to which a Christian must consent. Instead, they are guidelines for living that impact the relationships between the Christian, God, and other people. Consequently, our beliefs shape our unity in the faith.
Just for Teachers: Scripture does not equate unity with uniformity. It does suggest, however, that Christians should hold some core beliefs in common and implies that the unity that develops sends an important message to the world. The opening discussion is designed to help the class recognize that sometimes a group can accomplish more than one individual.
Opening Discussion: Many sporting events involve the audience to create effects that one person alone could not create. For instance, during the opening of the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010, a single light was lit in the middle of the stadium, which was followed by a growing sea of lights on the field. Once the light reached the edges of the field, audience members had been instructed to turn on their torches row by row, creating the effect of an ever-growing circle of light. At other events, audience members have been given large square cards with various colors on them. They are instructed to raise the squares high above their heads at a particular moment during the program. Together the squares form a message or symbol that millions of viewers can see across the world.
Working together, the audience was able to accomplish something that a single person working alone could not do. God has called the church to work together to send a message more powerful than the message that we could convey by ourselves. As we unite in the truth as it is in Jesus and focus on the mission of the church, we demonstrate in a memorable way the transforming power of the gospel to the world.
Questions for Discussion: Have you ever worked together with others to accomplish something that you could not do alone? What was accomplished? What did it feel like to work with the team? What attitudes were key to the completion of your task?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: This section seeks to make connections between doctrines and their implications for unity within the church by exploring how the doctrines impact relationships and identity.
Bible Commentary
I. Unity and the Gospel (Review Acts 4:8–12 with your class.)
The central doctrines of Christianity relate to Jesus. His incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ministry in the heavenly sanctuary testify to God’s desire to be in relationship with His creation. Jesus became the Reconciler who made this relationship possible, dying on the cross to deal with the consequences of humankind’s sinful choices. But the consequences of His death extend beyond reconciliation with God. As we are united with Christ in baptism, we are also united with one another. Thus, Paul can claim that Jesus’ death also tore down barriers between people (Eph. 2:14). Further, as we experience God’s reconciliation, we are called to be reconciled with one another. Church unity is possible only because of Jesus’ death.
Consider This: In what ways has the death of Jesus broken barriers between people? How does being united in Christ impact your relationship with other church members?
II. Unity and Truth (Review Matthew 25:1–13 with your class.)
Scripture calls for the church to be united, while at the same time, to hold fast to truth. This poses a dilemma. Truth is, by nature, exclusive. Pursuing truth involves rejection of error and is associated with the concept of purity. Thus, truth can be seen as selective and exclusive. On the other hand, unity is, by nature, inclusive. Consequently, discussions about unity often emphasize unity at the expense of truth or emphasize truth at the expense of unity. How then, do we resolve this tension and pursue both truth and unity? Part of the solution can be found by examining what the Bible says about truth.
The New Testament provides important information about both the nature and role of truth. It identifies Jesus as “the truth,” as we noted above (John 14:6, 18:32, 37), but also recognizes God’s Word (John 17:17), the law (Rom. 2:20), the gospel (Eph. 1:13), the apostles’ teaching (2 Thess. 2:13–15), and sound doctrine as truth (2 Tim. 4:2–4). Truth, however, is not simply something to which we give intellectual assent. It must be internalized, leading to a change in our behaviour. It is no use knowing that Jesus is coming soon if that knowledge doesn’t change the way we live or cause us to prepare for His coming. Likewise, John suggests that if our lives don’t radiate love to others, we demonstrate that we don’t know the truth (1 John 2, 3). If truth remains external and intellectual, there will always be a clash between truth and unity. But when, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, truth is internalized, truth impacts our relationship with God and those around us and thus facilitates the church in its quest for unity.
Consider This: How does the parable of the ten virgins illustrate the need to internalize truth? How is truth internalized? Why it is easier to allow truth to remain external to us? In what specific ways do the doctrines studied in this week’s lesson impact your relationships with God and others?
III. Unity and Adventist Doctrines (Review Exodus 20:8–11 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–54 with your class.)
Truth not only impacts unity through internal transformation. It also produces a common identity and witness. Our identity is first and foremost in Christ and what He has done for us, but we also have core beliefs that constitute our common identity as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. This core includes beliefs that the pioneers of the church believed had been revealed to them in Scripture by the Spirit’s leading. They are beliefs that have the potential to unite us in our understanding of God and ourselves. In acknowledging, for example, the seventh-day Sabbath, we are united in our recognition that God is in control of the universe and, with it, time. We are reminded that we are mere creatures dependent upon Him. As the Sabbath is also a memorial to redemption, we also are united in acknowledging and remembering that salvation is not our work but that of Christ. Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary unites us in recognizing our ongoing need for God’s mercy and grace while also providing confidence that we can come before the presence of God. Our understanding of the state of the dead unites us in recognizing our finiteness and dependence upon God for every breath of life, while our understanding of the Resurrection and the Second Coming unites us in hope as we wait to spend eternity with the God of love and grace. Together these doctrines not only contribute to our identity as Seventh-day Adventists, but they also remind us of our identity as sinful humans with a common need and hope in Christ.
Consider This: Why is a common identity important? How does this impact the mission of the church? How does the identity provided by these doctrines prevent arrogance or exclusivity? In what other ways do the doctrines studied this week unite us in our understanding of God and ourselves?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Truth and doctrine are often seen as abstract propositions that make any discussion of truth and unity seem more philosophical than practical. But doctrines are neither abstract nor arbitrary. They are designed to impact our relationships with God and with others around us. Highlight the practical nature of doctrine and what lived truth might look like in the life of a Christian.
Application Questions:
If our source of unity is our shared life in Jesus, why does what we believe make a difference to the unity we display to the world?
What might Christ-centered unity imply about the ways in which we treat those who disagree with us theologically?
How can the fact that Jesus is the Truth make a difference to the way we understand truth and unity?
What does living the truth as it is in Jesus mean? How does it impact unity? Choose one doctrine and consider what living that truth in Jesus might look like.
Which doctrine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has most helped to unite you with other believers? How has it done so?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Many believers think about doctrine only when they are studying for baptism or when they attend a mission program run by their local church. Help members to see the importance of considering doctrine more carefully as they contemplate living truth as it is in Jesus and fulfilling their commission to demonstrate unity to the world.
Activities: Bring a list of the 28 fundamental beliefs to class. Create a plan to study each doctrine more carefully, including taking the time to examine what the doctrine reveals about God, how the doctrine might be lived in everyday life, and how the doctrine contributes to the unity of the church.
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Key Text: Hebrews 9:11, 12
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Know: Identity, Truth, and Unity
Feel: Advantages of a Common Message
Do: Internalizing Truth
Summary: Seventh-day Adventist Christians recognize the central role of the death and Resurrection of Christ in salvation and Christian unity. They also understand that God has revealed information in Scripture that is critical in determining how we relate to God and to other human beings. These doctrines define both our identity and our mission.
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Acts 4:10–12
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Christian beliefs are not arbitrary propositions to which a Christian must consent. Instead, they are guidelines for living that impact the relationships between the Christian, God, and other people. Consequently, our beliefs shape our unity in the faith.
Just for Teachers: Scripture does not equate unity with uniformity. It does suggest, however, that Christians should hold some core beliefs in common and implies that the unity that develops sends an important message to the world. The opening discussion is designed to help the class recognize that sometimes a group can accomplish more than one individual.
Opening Discussion: Many sporting events involve the audience to create effects that one person alone could not create. For instance, during the opening of the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010, a single light was lit in the middle of the stadium, which was followed by a growing sea of lights on the field. Once the light reached the edges of the field, audience members had been instructed to turn on their torches row by row, creating the effect of an ever-growing circle of light. At other events, audience members have been given large square cards with various colors on them. They are instructed to raise the squares high above their heads at a particular moment during the program. Together the squares form a message or symbol that millions of viewers can see across the world.
Working together, the audience was able to accomplish something that a single person working alone could not do. God has called the church to work together to send a message more powerful than the message that we could convey by ourselves. As we unite in the truth as it is in Jesus and focus on the mission of the church, we demonstrate in a memorable way the transforming power of the gospel to the world.
Questions for Discussion: Have you ever worked together with others to accomplish something that you could not do alone? What was accomplished? What did it feel like to work with the team? What attitudes were key to the completion of your task?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: This section seeks to make connections between doctrines and their implications for unity within the church by exploring how the doctrines impact relationships and identity.
Bible Commentary
I. Unity and the Gospel (Review Acts 4:8–12 with your class.)
The central doctrines of Christianity relate to Jesus. His incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ministry in the heavenly sanctuary testify to God’s desire to be in relationship with His creation. Jesus became the Reconciler who made this relationship possible, dying on the cross to deal with the consequences of humankind’s sinful choices. But the consequences of His death extend beyond reconciliation with God. As we are united with Christ in baptism, we are also united with one another. Thus, Paul can claim that Jesus’ death also tore down barriers between people (Eph. 2:14). Further, as we experience God’s reconciliation, we are called to be reconciled with one another. Church unity is possible only because of Jesus’ death.
Consider This: In what ways has the death of Jesus broken barriers between people? How does being united in Christ impact your relationship with other church members?
II. Unity and Truth (Review Matthew 25:1–13 with your class.)
Scripture calls for the church to be united, while at the same time, to hold fast to truth. This poses a dilemma. Truth is, by nature, exclusive. Pursuing truth involves rejection of error and is associated with the concept of purity. Thus, truth can be seen as selective and exclusive. On the other hand, unity is, by nature, inclusive. Consequently, discussions about unity often emphasize unity at the expense of truth or emphasize truth at the expense of unity. How then, do we resolve this tension and pursue both truth and unity? Part of the solution can be found by examining what the Bible says about truth.
The New Testament provides important information about both the nature and role of truth. It identifies Jesus as “the truth,” as we noted above (John 14:6, 18:32, 37), but also recognizes God’s Word (John 17:17), the law (Rom. 2:20), the gospel (Eph. 1:13), the apostles’ teaching (2 Thess. 2:13–15), and sound doctrine as truth (2 Tim. 4:2–4). Truth, however, is not simply something to which we give intellectual assent. It must be internalized, leading to a change in our behaviour. It is no use knowing that Jesus is coming soon if that knowledge doesn’t change the way we live or cause us to prepare for His coming. Likewise, John suggests that if our lives don’t radiate love to others, we demonstrate that we don’t know the truth (1 John 2, 3). If truth remains external and intellectual, there will always be a clash between truth and unity. But when, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, truth is internalized, truth impacts our relationship with God and those around us and thus facilitates the church in its quest for unity.
Consider This: How does the parable of the ten virgins illustrate the need to internalize truth? How is truth internalized? Why it is easier to allow truth to remain external to us? In what specific ways do the doctrines studied in this week’s lesson impact your relationships with God and others?
III. Unity and Adventist Doctrines (Review Exodus 20:8–11 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–54 with your class.)
Truth not only impacts unity through internal transformation. It also produces a common identity and witness. Our identity is first and foremost in Christ and what He has done for us, but we also have core beliefs that constitute our common identity as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. This core includes beliefs that the pioneers of the church believed had been revealed to them in Scripture by the Spirit’s leading. They are beliefs that have the potential to unite us in our understanding of God and ourselves. In acknowledging, for example, the seventh-day Sabbath, we are united in our recognition that God is in control of the universe and, with it, time. We are reminded that we are mere creatures dependent upon Him. As the Sabbath is also a memorial to redemption, we also are united in acknowledging and remembering that salvation is not our work but that of Christ. Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary unites us in recognizing our ongoing need for God’s mercy and grace while also providing confidence that we can come before the presence of God. Our understanding of the state of the dead unites us in recognizing our finiteness and dependence upon God for every breath of life, while our understanding of the Resurrection and the Second Coming unites us in hope as we wait to spend eternity with the God of love and grace. Together these doctrines not only contribute to our identity as Seventh-day Adventists, but they also remind us of our identity as sinful humans with a common need and hope in Christ.
Consider This: Why is a common identity important? How does this impact the mission of the church? How does the identity provided by these doctrines prevent arrogance or exclusivity? In what other ways do the doctrines studied this week unite us in our understanding of God and ourselves?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Truth and doctrine are often seen as abstract propositions that make any discussion of truth and unity seem more philosophical than practical. But doctrines are neither abstract nor arbitrary. They are designed to impact our relationships with God and with others around us. Highlight the practical nature of doctrine and what lived truth might look like in the life of a Christian.
Application Questions:
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Many believers think about doctrine only when they are studying for baptism or when they attend a mission program run by their local church. Help members to see the importance of considering doctrine more carefully as they contemplate living truth as it is in Jesus and fulfilling their commission to demonstrate unity to the world.
Activities: Bring a list of the 28 fundamental beliefs to class. Create a plan to study each doctrine more carefully, including taking the time to examine what the doctrine reveals about God, how the doctrine might be lived in everyday life, and how the doctrine contributes to the unity of the church.