Participants:
Series Code: IIWSS
Program Code: IIWSS022142S
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00:00 (upbeat, inspirational theme music)
00:15 >>Welcome to "Sabbath School," 00:16 brought to you by It Is Written. 00:18 We're delighted to have you back again this week. 00:21 This week is lesson number 12. 00:23 We're closing in on the very end of this quarter. 00:26 We've covered a lot of ground, 00:27 but there's yet a little bit to go. 00:29 And today we're looking at a fascinating subject, 00:31 the question of the biblical worldview. 00:34 What difference does it make in our lives today, 00:38 whether we believe what the Bible teaches 00:40 on this subject or not? 00:42 Is it just academic? Is it intellectual? 00:45 Or is there some real-world difference that it makes 00:49 in our lives today? So, "The Biblical Worldview," 00:52 we're delighted once again also 00:54 to have back with us Dr. Alberto Timm. 00:56 He is the associate director 00:58 of the Ellen G. White Estate, 01:00 and we're delighted to have you back again, 01:02 also the author of the Sabbath school lesson. 01:04 Welcome back, Alberto. 01:05 >>It's an honor for me to be with you. 01:08 >>So what about the biblical worldview? 01:10 What difference does it make? 01:11 I'm gonna read a couple of Bible passages here, 01:14 and give me your thoughts on these. 01:16 I'm gonna start with 1 John, chapter 3, 01:19 beginning in verse number 1. 01:22 In 1 John 3, verse, 1, it says, 01:23 "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed 01:26 "on us, that we should be called children of God! 01:30 "Therefore the world does not know us, 01:32 "because it did not know Him. 01:35 "Beloved, now we are [the] children of God; 01:38 "and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, 01:41 "but we know that when He is revealed, 01:44 "we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 01:48 "And everyone who has this hope in Him 01:51 purifies himself, just as He is pure." 01:55 And I wanna tack onto that our memory text for this week, 01:59 which is found in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 23: 02:03 "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; 02:08 "and may your whole spirit, 02:10 "soul, and body be preserved blameless 02:13 at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 02:18 Now, I'm not what I would consider a biblical scholar, 02:22 but it sounds like, from these two verses, 02:25 our lives should be impacted by what we're studying. 02:29 >>Actually, you don't need to be a biblical scholar 02:32 or a theologian to understand the passages 02:34 because those are very clear. 02:37 In reality, our hope for the future 02:41 has a strong impact on our lives today. 02:46 Our understanding of human nature has a impact in how we see 02:51 the final outcome of our lives as well. 02:57 If I am just a grown-up animal, 03:00 I can behave like some animals 03:04 that are not so friendly among themselves. 03:08 But if I was created in God's image and likeness, 03:12 as the Bible says, and that there is a purpose in life, 03:19 and that I'm expecting the glorious day of the Second Coming 03:22 and live eternity in heaven, 03:25 it has a strong impact in our lives today. 03:29 I don't know what is your political stand or whatever, 03:33 but let's suppose that you would receive in your place 03:36 the most important host that you ever received. 03:40 I think that at least you would try to clean your place 03:43 and to make it look as nice as possible before 03:47 that host would arrive. The same thing happens with us 03:51 if we have a glorious outcome. 03:54 And not only the grave, we would try to live up 03:58 to that standard that God has 04:01 and would expect us to live in. 04:04 Especially the passage even says, of 1 John, 04:07 that we will see Him. So it's not a matter just 04:11 of listening about Him or something. 04:13 No, we'll be in His presence. 04:15 And that makes all the difference. 04:18 >>So, the knowledge that Christ is returning soon, 04:21 the knowledge that we are responsible 04:24 for how we prepare in these verses, 04:30 that this idea should impact our lives. 04:34 There is an idea also floating around out there-- 04:39 probably a little more prevalent than floating 04:40 around out there--that there's a difference, 04:45 there are different parts of your life, 04:46 there's the spiritual life, there's the physical life 04:50 and that these are not necessarily intertwined. 04:53 Again, these verses seem to indicate 04:55 that that's not the case. 04:57 >>Well, actually there are some people that really believe 05:01 that to be--the spiritual life only counts 05:05 when I go to mass or to worship service 05:09 at the church wherever I go. 05:12 But my daily life does not count so much 05:15 because I have moments of spirituality in a certain sense. 05:19 But this is a wrong idea because if we believe 05:22 that a human body is a whole, integrated, 05:26 and not this idea that--like, the Greek philosophy 05:31 has really set a trend for it-- 05:34 that the material is bad; 05:36 my body is bad, and my soul is something to be redeemed 05:43 and to be perfected. And so for the Greek philosophers, 05:46 it was through philosophy itself, 05:48 and for other ones, by spiritual actions 05:52 or whatever else you you need to do 05:56 for your spiritual life. 05:58 But if the human being is a whole, complete-- 06:02 and this is the biblical view--everything counts of us 06:08 as a human being and all the time as well. 06:12 >>And, y'know, that makes a lot of sense when we compare it 06:16 with everything else that the Bible says on the subject. 06:18 In fact, what comes to mind is Christ's ministry. 06:21 The Bible says that Christ 06:22 went about preaching and teaching and healing. 06:26 So He was dealing 06:27 with every part of the whole person, wasn't He? 06:31 >>Oh, definitely so. 06:32 He Himself grew in all these areas, 06:38 in grace to God, to human beings, in social, and so on. 06:42 He had that kind of integrated growth, 06:46 and His ministry was in this way as well. 06:48 Otherwise I would say that He should just preach. 06:53 >>Yeah-- 06:55 >>And not teach and heal. (laughs) 06:57 >>But He did. 06:58 He went about; He preached; He taught; He healed. 07:01 It was an integrated ministry, an integrated life. 07:04 And He changed the lives 07:06 of the people that He interacted with, 07:08 not just on a spiritual level 07:10 but on a physical level as well, didn't He? 07:12 >>Absolutely. 07:13 Actually, in the early part of His earthly ministry, 07:17 He even performed more miracles, 07:20 at least according to the Gospels, 07:22 because not everything is being recorded in the Gospels. 07:25 But from what we can see, 07:28 He was performing more miracles 07:31 and signs than actually teaching so much. 07:35 And the later part, he taught more and a little bit less. 07:40 I don't know if this is a nice assessment to it, 07:43 but at least some alter suggested. 07:46 But anyway, it was a whole package. 07:50 >>So that was 2,000 years ago. 07:53 Now we live, well, 2,000 years later, 07:56 and these concepts don't apply to someone 07:59 that I never knew who lived over in the Middle East, 08:03 but now they apply to me. 08:06 So, what about the choices that I make, 08:09 the decisions that I make in my life? 08:12 Is Christ concerned about my spiritual life, 08:16 my physical life, my mental life as well, 08:20 emotional--all of that together? 08:24 >>Well, why don't you read for us, 08:26 because we have a passage, I mean, a couple of passages 08:29 that help to respond it. And this is 1 Corinthians, 08:34 chapter 6, verses 19 and 20, 08:39 and then later on 1 Corinthians 10:31. 08:43 >>All right, let's take a look at those. 08:44 This is 1 Corinthians 6, verses 19 and 20. 08:47 Paul writes, "Or do you not know 08:49 "that your body is the temple 08:51 "of the Holy Spirit who is in you, 08:53 "whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 08:57 "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God 09:01 in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." 09:06 And I'm gonna go over to that other verse you mentioned: 09:08 1 Corinthians 10, verse number 31, which says, 09:11 "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, 09:15 do all to the glory of God." 09:18 So these passages talk about us being, well, 09:21 first of all, "bought with a price" and then glorifying God 09:25 in the way that we live our lives. 09:26 What is--talk a little bit about that price 09:28 and how we can glorify Him. 09:30 >>Of course, the price, I would say we were created-- 09:34 first of all, we belong to the Lord by creation, 09:38 but the price of our redemption was the death 09:41 of Christ on the cross of Calvary. 09:44 And He not only died for us; 09:47 He lived a life of suffering. 09:50 And so when I accept Christ, 09:52 I don't accept only His death on the cross. 09:55 I accept also His life that is placed 10:00 in my place--in other words, granted to me. 10:04 But in this case here, we believe 10:08 that Paul was a apostle 10:12 and inspired by the Holy Spirit. He even said, stated here 10:17 that our own body is a temple, 10:20 so it does not replace the heavenly sanctuary temple. 10:24 So don't misunderstand me, 10:25 because then you could go to the other extreme saying, 10:28 "Well, if I am a temple, that's enough." 10:31 No, that's not the case. 10:32 It's not enough because there is a real sanctuary temple 10:35 in heaven where Jesus ministers. 10:37 But at the same time, Paul is clear saying that 10:40 we are a temple, and as such, we should take care of it. 10:45 And this, it not says only 10:48 that whatever you eat or drink, 10:51 but everything else should be very much in place. 10:55 In other words, if you have... 10:59 a fancy car--is not my case, 11:03 but maybe you have a fancy car-- 11:05 you would not put the cheapest oil there 11:09 or whatever in it, or the fuel, 11:12 the one that's not the best one. 11:14 You would try to do the best to keep it running well. 11:17 And so, to the standard, the same thing is this. 11:21 Religion is not just a matter of going to attend church 11:26 or mass or reading the Bible, but it is 11:30 a whole, complete package, 11:34 all time of my life in every circumstance. 11:39 So it does not mean that I am okay with the church, 11:43 but I am not so honest in my transactions, for instance. 11:47 No. Honesty should be a characteristic, 11:51 in my understanding, is a universal principle. 11:54 There is not this matter of saying, 11:55 "Well, my culture is not as honest 11:57 as other culture or this." No. 12:00 I think that there is the culture of the kingdom 12:02 of heaven that prevails above our own culture. 12:07 And in this case, I think that that's the reason why 12:11 we should take care of our bodies, of our mind, 12:16 our social dimension, how we relate to other ones, 12:20 not only take care of ourselves 12:22 but also help to take care of those who are in need. 12:26 So the gospel itself is far broader 12:29 than some people believe. 12:33 >>So, Christianity, then, is what we might call 12:36 a wholistic faith--with a "W," W-H-O-L, 12:40 as opposed to H-O-L--a wholistic faith that encapsulates 12:45 and encompasses every aspect of our being, 12:48 what we say, where we go, who we talk to, 12:51 how we interact with people, our thoughts. 12:53 Every element of who we are 12:56 is part of the Christian walk. 12:59 And it's the biblical worldview. 13:02 It's the view that Christ had, 13:04 and hopefully it's the view that we have. 13:05 I wanna encourage you, if you are enjoying this study, 13:08 make sure you enjoy it even more 13:10 by picking up the companion book to this quarter's lesson. 13:13 You can find it at itiswritten.shop. 13:15 It's called "On Death, Dying, and the Future Hope." 13:19 And it gives greater and deeper insights 13:21 into what we've been looking at this week 13:23 and will continue to look at in the future. 13:26 We're going to be back in just a couple of minutes 13:28 as we continue our look at a biblical worldview. 13:31 We'll see you in just a moment. 13:32 (inspirational theme music swells and ends) 13:36 >>[John Bradshaw] You know that at It Is Written 13:38 we are serious about studying the Word of God, 13:40 and we encourage you to be serious as well. 13:43 Well, here's what you do 13:44 if you want to dig deeper into God's Word. 13:46 Go to itiswritten.study 13:49 for the It Is Written Bible Study Guides online, 13:52 25 in-depth Bible studies that will take you through 13:54 the major teachings of the Bible. 13:57 You'll be blessed, and it's something 13:58 you'll want to tell others about as well: 14:00 itiswritten.study. 14:02 Go further: itiswritten.study. 14:07 >>Thank you for remembering that It Is Written exists 14:09 because of the kindness of people just like you. 14:12 To support this international life-changing ministry, 14:15 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 14:20 You can send your tax-deductible gift 14:21 to the address on your screen, 14:23 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 14:26 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 14:29 Our number again is 800-253-3000. 14:33 Or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 14:37 (upbeat, inspirational theme music) 14:42 >>[Eric] Welcome back to "Sabbath School," 14:44 brought to you by It Is Written. 14:46 We are looking at a biblical worldview, 14:49 how the topic that we've been studying this quarter 14:52 impacts our lives in a real way, 14:54 especially as it pertains to the future hope that we have. 15:01 So we just looked at how God cares about our entire beings, 15:05 not just one element of it or another, 15:07 but we are entire beings, and all of that is important. 15:13 Included in that is our thoughts, our mind, if you will. 15:18 And I want to read a passage here 15:20 in 1 Corinthians, chapter 2, verse 16. 15:23 And then, Alberto, I'm gonna invite you to respond 15:25 to this a little bit and draw it out a little more. 15:28 It says, "For 'who has known the mind of [Him] 15:31 that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." 15:37 "We have the mind of Christ." 15:39 That's an interesting statement. 15:42 >>Oh yes, definitely so. 15:44 In reality, you will see that in our culture, 15:48 in general--and the Bible is not an exception-- 15:51 there is the reference to the heart 15:54 as being the center of emotions and so on. 15:58 But when it mentions about this, 16:00 the heart is basically the reference to the mind. 16:03 The mind is really the capital or whatever, the engine 16:08 of whatever else happens in our lives. 16:12 You will see that we are what we think. 16:16 And so if you are much exposed to things 16:20 that do not build up very much, 16:22 your thoughts will be in that line. 16:25 So there is no reason why it should be different. 16:29 Even you have two chapters in the gospels; for instance, 16:32 you have Matthew 15, 16:35 and you have Mark 7 that speaks that all kinds of evil 16:40 come from the heart, from our most inner part. 16:46 So this is, to be, to have the mind of Christ, 16:48 I think is to be exposed to that 16:51 that builds faith to have a relationship with Christ. 16:55 And when we start our journey with the Lord, 16:59 the tendency is that God's will and my will 17:03 are in a, quite a struggle. 17:07 Does not mean that we will come to a point 17:09 where there is no tension because we have a human nature. 17:13 But what means spiritual life 17:16 is really to come as close as possible, grow in Christ. 17:21 And like Paul says, I'm forgetting stuff that is behind. 17:26 I move on to the goal that I have. 17:30 And this gold--this goal, sorry--is really 17:35 to be as close to what Christ is. 17:38 And He's our only model. 17:41 And as Ellen White says, we have only a perfect picture 17:46 or photograph of God, and this is Jesus Christ. 17:49 So He is our model. 17:51 And as close as we come to Him, imitating Him, 17:55 finally, our own thoughts would be very much 17:59 in harmony, in line with Christ, 18:01 and this is the idea of the Christian life, 18:04 and that has a impact in society as well. 18:08 >>You know, one of my favorite verses in the Bible is, 18:10 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." 18:14 That's His desire, is that our minds 18:17 should reflect His mind; they should be in harmony. 18:21 And there's a beautiful passage here in the writings of Paul 18:24 that I think illustrates that nicely. 18:26 Over in Philippians 4, verse number 8, he says this: 18:30 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, 18:34 "whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, 18:38 "whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, 18:42 "whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue 18:46 "and if there is anything praiseworthy-- 18:48 meditate on these things." 18:51 So the more that we fill our minds 18:53 with those things that are noteworthy 18:55 and praiseworthy and true and honest and just, 18:59 the more our mind begins to go in that direction. 19:03 And as Paul mentioned, 19:04 those things that are behind tend to stay behind, 19:08 and we embrace those things that are in front of us. 19:12 What do you think about this verse 19:14 and the advice that Paul gives, Alberto? 19:18 >>This is something amazing, in my understanding, 19:21 for one simple reason. The problem of many Christians 19:24 is that they expose themselves 19:27 to whatever is good and whatever is wrong. 19:32 And the good excuse for it is basically the idea 19:36 that, well, you have to evaluate everything 19:41 and retain what is good. 19:43 Yes, but in this process of exposing yourself 19:47 to things that are not faith-uplifting 19:50 or that are detrimental to faith, 19:52 you are being transformed also. 19:55 And in this case, I will tell you that in reality 19:59 one of the most significant principles, 20:03 in my understanding, of the Christian life 20:07 is not that you become naive now, 20:10 that you know what is going on. Because, in other words, 20:14 then you would become, like, living a skeptic life, 20:18 like in the ancient times where people went 20:23 out of society to live in a cloister or something. 20:27 That's not the idea. 20:30 We can live and we should live in society, 20:33 but we should not expose our mind 20:37 to these things that do not help. 20:39 And in this sense, we have to be selective 20:42 in our knowledge because that is not something 20:46 that--let's suppose... 20:49 I will expose myself as much as I can to pornography, 20:55 imagine that I would be able to learn something 20:57 and retain what is good. 20:59 I think that this does not work at all 21:01 because, finally, you will end up having, 21:05 with good intentions, immoral mind. 21:10 And this is something that happens. 21:11 The same thing happens when I go 21:13 into the spiritualistic, mystical world. 21:18 This is something outside the realms of the Bible. 21:21 I can expose myself to it, 21:23 but probably it will be just one-way road. 21:27 You will not leave that kind. So be careful with this. 21:30 We have to be informed but not allow our minds 21:35 to be exposed to what is really not the best thing. 21:40 And there is something else. 21:42 There is a tendency today among some scholars-- 21:45 Umberto Eco, 21:48 the famous guy from Italy, 21:52 he even speaks about a selectiveness of knowledge. 21:55 We were not made to be exposed 21:58 to such a huge amount of information 22:02 that we have today. 22:04 So we have to be selective in a certain way. 22:07 We cannot digest everything, all the information. 22:10 But for the Christian, I think that this is, 22:13 we need some kind of principles, 22:15 guidelines that will be safe for us 22:19 so that we don't try to nourish 22:23 both natures, as Paul says, 22:27 the carnal nature, or the flesh, 22:29 and at the same time the spiritual. 22:32 And then you end up, like James speaks, 22:37 people that have a double mind or double-minded. 22:42 And this, in my understanding, is the worst scenario 22:45 that we could reach. 22:46 With the saints, you are a saint. 22:50 With the sinners, you are a sinner as well. 22:53 This doesn't work. 22:55 >>No, not at all. 22:56 It's been said that Christians ought to be 22:59 in the world but not of the world. 23:01 So we need to be out there-- >>That's it. 23:03 >>...letting our light shine and being a witness to people. 23:05 But if we're just like them 23:07 and we do all the same things that they all do, 23:09 there's not much of a witness that can be done. 23:11 >>A friend told me once something that I liked very much. 23:14 The boat was built not to dry land 23:20 but to the sea. 23:21 But a boat is safe in the sea 23:24 as long as the sea is not within the boat. 23:28 >>Yeah, absolutely right, absolutely right. 23:31 Let me share another passage here 23:33 in Mark, chapter 7, Mark, chapter 7. 23:36 We're going to look at verses 20 through 23. 23:41 And it's a fascinating passage 23:42 that I think draws this idea out again. 23:45 Mark 7, verse 20 says, "And [Jesus] said, 23:47 "'What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 23:51 "'For from within, out of the heart of men, 23:54 "'proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, 23:57 "'fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, 23:59 "'wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, 24:03 "'pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within 24:08 and defile a man.'" 24:11 What about that? 24:13 >>Well, here, Jesus really... (chuckles) 24:16 went to the very point that we need 24:19 to take into consideration for one simple reason. 24:24 And that is, of course, we need to have some kind 24:28 of social-political agenda 24:32 in order to have the country running well, 24:37 society, and so on. But we have to remember something. 24:43 Prisons usually do not make people better. 24:46 They can scare them and make them afraid of it. 24:50 But the only thing that really helps-- 24:52 I'm not against prisons because we need to have them; 24:55 otherwise we would be in danger as a society. 24:59 But what really makes the difference is... 25:03 geographical moves or changes 25:07 do not transform people. 25:10 You can be not so much exposed here, 25:13 but what Jesus is touching is what really makes 25:16 the difference is change your mind. 25:20 If you change your mind, 25:22 that will have really a huge effect on society. 25:27 But people that are really honest in their most inner life-- 25:32 and remember that what, that character is what you are 25:35 alone when you are in dark or whatever-- 25:40 some people have different statements for this-- 25:42 but anyway, if you are honest by yourself, 25:46 this will have a impact in society. 25:50 But if I want just to impose some rules, 25:53 but people are not into it, will not change so much. 25:56 I think that what Jesus is saying here, 25:58 that true Christians will have a difference becoming 26:02 the light of the world and the salt of the earth, 26:06 and this is what we are lacking 26:07 because today in the world, we have nice speeches. 26:13 But what about example? In our society, 26:17 the new generation wants to see examples. 26:23 It's nice. I can speak a, I mean, 26:25 I can preach a nice sermon about how to love your enemies, 26:30 but once my sermon is over, 26:32 and I meet a person that really is not so friendly with me, 26:37 my sermon might be gone and back to real life. 26:41 This is not the case. 26:42 The world and the church, 26:46 the world would like to see in the life of the Christians 26:50 the same consistency of life that was 26:54 in the founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, 26:57 who not only preached the truth, but He was the truth. 27:01 >>Alberto, as we're closing today, 27:03 you shared a thought with me a little while ago 27:05 about being prepared for the second coming of Christ. 27:08 Would you share that with us? 27:10 >>Yes. We should not only prepare ourselves 27:13 for the Second Coming but be ready for the Second Coming 27:16 because this idea of preparing 27:18 can lead to postpone it, procrastination, and so on. 27:22 We should be ready every single day 27:25 because this can be my last day, 27:27 and not only for being my last day, because we love the Lord 27:31 and we want to respond to Him in this way. 27:34 >>So don't get prepared for the Second Coming. 27:36 Be ready for Jesus, and we hope that these lessons 27:39 are helping you to do that. 27:41 We look forward to seeing you again next week as we continue 27:44 our study on "Death, Dying, and the Future Hope" 27:46 here on "Sabbath School," brought to you by It Is Written. 27:49 (upbeat, inspirational theme music) 28:26 (music ends) |
Revised 2022-12-07