Untitled Document

BIBLICAL VIRTUE GROUP

Because I value God's teaching in the Bible, I choose to believe and follow its teachings.

	What To Believe The Nature of Man The Bible teaches that the first humans were created perfect, in the image of God. When they sinned they passed on their sinful nature to their descendants and now we all have sinned. Therefore, I will ask God to forgive my sins and give me power to overcome the sins in my life.

I choose to believe the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man.

Definition

Nature of Man means: Created in the image of God, disobeyed God, distorted image, forgiven, and restored to the image.

Man and woman were created in the image of God, with individuality, the power and freedom to think and do. When the first humans disobeyed God, the image of God became distorted. Their descendants share this weakened nature and are born with tendencies to evil. Only those who ask forgiveness through Christ are restored in the image of God.

Artwork

Music

See flipchart

Like Jesus, SDAH 492
Dear Lord and Father, SDAH 481
Eternal Love, We Have No Good, SDAH 496

Student Life Applications

The Bible teaches that God made humans to be perfect but because of Adam’s sin we are no longer perfect but sinful in nature. Only through the saving work of Jesus Christ can I be restored to God’s original perfect state. Knowing this, I will:

Recognize that apart from God I am basically bad.
See the evil acts of people as a result of turning away from God;
Know that nothing can be done to be good apart from God;
See every person, no matter how evil they may act, as someone who can be made perfect through the power of God;
Recognize that the problems of life have only one ultimate solution and that is in the transforming and saving work of God;
Avoid the concept that humans have good in themselves and that they have the power in themselves to be good if they try;
When I see someone being bad, I see his solution, not simply in trying to be good, but in turning to God.

Bible, E.G. White

The Origin of Man – Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:7
The Unity of Man’s Nature – Genesis 2:7 – God formed man of the dust...breathed into his nostrils...and man became a living being.
Man in the Image of God – Genesis 1:27 – “let us make man in Our image”
The Fall – Genesis 3:6 – “She took of its fruit and ate”
The Covenant of Grace – Genesis 3:15 – “He shall bruise your head”

Reinforcing Stories

“Robert’s Mistake”, Volume Two, Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories
“Playing with Fire”, “God plans a rescue”, Book Three, The Children’s Hour by Arthur Maxwell

Student Activities

1. Create a Free Collage. Find the word free in magazines or newspapers and cut out for the collage. Find things that are free to add to the collage. Talk about God's plan to save humanity after Adam and Eve sinned.

2. Word Scramble: See how many words you can make out of the letters in G-O-D-'S G-R-A-C-E.

3. Surround the School: Begin ahuman chain at the front door with each person stretching out inone direction, but maintaining contact witht he previous person. ontinue building the chain until you have surrounded the school all the way back to the front entrance. Before anyone breaks the chain, take photographs. Photograph each part of the chain. When the pictures are developed tape them in the hallway of your school, end to end, so you can see the entire chain at once. Call a discussion group to talk of ways to help each other in maintaining a commitment to God.

Links to the Curriculum

Biology: Genes determine the organism. Since The Fall, we have faulty genes.
Chemistry: Mankind has certain behaviors as various gases have certain behaviors.
Health: Carbon monoxide displaces oxygen in the blood, sins displaces Jesus in the life.

Social Studies: Wars for power and riches are the result of man's nature after the Fall.

Resources

The Children’s Hour by Arthur Maxwell. R&H. 1945.
Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories, R&H, 1964

Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the power and freedom to think and to do. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath and all else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon Him and fell from their high position under God. The image of God in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But God in Christ reconciled the worl to Himself and by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the glory of God, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care for their environment. —Fundamental Beliefs, 6.

Evaluation

Primary:
Tell or write two ways that show what it means to believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man.
Tell or write about a time when you saw someone show they believed and followed Bible teaching of the Nature of Man.
Tell or write about when you showed that you believed and followed the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man.
Tell or write about when you saw the hurt and unhappiness when someone didn’t believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man.
How do you think God feels when He sees people who believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man?
How do you feel or act when you follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man?
Tell two ways that you can show you believe the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man.
What makes you want to follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man?
What is the opposite of believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man? Who makes us act or believe that way?
Finish the sentence: We can show we believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man when we..........

Middle:
Why does God care if I believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man?
What difference does it make whether I believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man or not?
What effect would it have on my future if I did not believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man?
How would people treat me differently if I did or didn’t believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man?
How would I feel about myself if I did or did not believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man?
Give some reasons why you think it is best to believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man.
Why would someone do differently?
What makes choosing to believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man better than the opposite?
List some ways that a person might believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man without anyone noticing?
List 3 situations where a person could believe the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man and show it in his work, home, or at the shopping mall.
Is it possible for a person to get better at believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man? Explain.
Can you think of someone who seems good at believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man? What makes them better at it?
How could you learn to be better at believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man?
How often do you show that you believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man? Think of the last three times and tell me.
Do you like to join in when people believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man? How have you joined in?

High school:
Would you practice believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man if no one were checking on you? Your parents, school, or the law?
What is the alternative to believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man and what do you see as the results of that choice?
Would you recognize it if someone were not fully believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man? How?
Would you keep quiet if someone paid you a lot of money not to believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man?
Are you proud to believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man and willing to tell others how you feel?
If someone in a group spoke out against believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man would you speak up to give the other side?
Are you willing to put some of your money toward helping people believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man, in your city, class, work?
Can you say that believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man has become a habit? How often do you show your belief?
What effect do you think believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man will have on your future life?
Do you see your family believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man? How about your church, city, or nation?
What do you think should be done to promote believing and following the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man in your family, friends, church, city, nation?
Does it make much difference if they believe and follow the Bible teaching of the Nature of Man or not?