The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Conclusion

  • A Christian’s Duty

    “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
    Ecclesiastes 12:13

    Can you name any of God’s commandments? Without knowing what God’s commandments are, people would never understand they have sinned. “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). One must first recognize that they are sinners. That comes by knowing what God’s Law says, for God’s Law reveals sin. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The penalty for breaking God’s Law is death. What do you do with that information? One should understand that Jesus came to die on the cross to take away that sin. He then offered eternal life for anyone who would receive it.

    However, it takes faith to accept that gift of God’s grace. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). That guarantees that anyone who asks in faith can receive. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). That person is then called a Christian. What happens for those who trust in Jesus? “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). Understand that when Jesus died on the cross, we were set free from sin; Christians no longer live under the Law. “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet” (Romans 7:7). God’s Law is still important. That Law was given to keep man in constant awareness of how far he had fallen short of God’s glory and the terrible price that had to be paid to bring man back into right standing with his Creator (Jesus’ death on the cross). God’s Commandments also remind us that God is perfect and righteous, and we are a people with the propensity to sin.

    Christians are to live as if they belong to God. We should “hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23). Christians can now claim new lives, so we must then live new lives. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christians are now able to live new lives of obedience to God and His commands.

    God then does something special for those who belong to Him.

    God has now written His Law on the Christian’s heart and mind. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them” (Hebrews 10:16). His Spirit lives inside each Christian, constantly reminding him or her of God’s will. “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5). We are then able to please God in the following of His Law that is written in our hearts. This is because we have been encouraged to do the following: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). We must hide God’s Word in our hearts so we will not sin against God but live for Him.

    “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Understand that fearing God does not mean being afraid of Him. Fear means “morally to revere; a dread of His wrath; and a reverence of His majesty.”  It is knowing what God expects of Christians and then doing it.

    Do you read God’s Word daily, hiding it in your heart so you can live a life pleasing to Him?

  • Lesson 11 (Lesson 50): Ecclesiastes 9-12: The Conclusion of the Matter

    Key Verse

    “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

    Read the Key Verse with your class.  Ask:  How can we be “crucified with Christ”? (By dying to our own selfish desires and living a life pleasing to God.)  Ask your students if they understand what it means when it says “nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” (Once a person is saved, they are to no longer do what they want, because they are a sinful creature, but they are to do what Jesus wants them to do.)  In living a life “in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God”, means that even though we live here on the earth, in the flesh, we live a life of faith because we believe Jesus died on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins, so that we can live forever with him in heaven for eternity.  Encourage your students to keep this in mind as we continue our study of Solomon’s conclusions as we complete the book of Ecclesiastes.

    Summary:  Today we continue with the fourth of the Personal books, Ecclesiastes.  In our second week of studying the book, we remember that it was written by King Solomon, the man who had it all – riches, fame, rich heritage, a personal relationship with God, and wisdom beyond measure.  Remember he found that all of life is “vanity and vexation.” (vanity:  any thing that is futile, or worthless.  vexation:  something that disturbs or annoys; to trouble seriously.)  Because Solomon had not learned how to restrain his desires he found they were the cause of all of his “vanity and vexation.”

    Last week we found King Solomon recognized the fool he had become in turning from God.  Even with all of his wisdom, Solomon did not have all of the answers of life.  We continue our study this week discovering other truths Solomon learned.  Solomon learned there are only two kinds of people; wicked or righteous.  God takes care of the righteous, but all people will one day die.  Only the righteous have hope (of eternity in heaven with Jesus).  After trying to make sense of life apart from God, Solomon found he couldn’t.  Solomon concluded, late in life, that it really is important what you do with your life.  He finally understood the importance of remembering the Creator in the days of your youth (while one is young in life) before evil takes root in ones life.  Once Solomon learned these very basic principles, he recorded them for all generations to come.  He found it so important to warn everyone that he ended the book of Ecclesiastes with these words:   Ecclesiastes 12:13-14:  “13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

    Emphasis:  Man’s duty is to fear God and to keep His commandments.  Only in this will we please Him.

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 50 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 50 – Volume 1 Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet

     

    Ideas for children:

    Stickers always work well with children. Often times I watch Wal-Mart or Oriental Trading Company for specials or deals on things I can use for crafts for Sunday School (i.e. foam sheets, Bible Story scene stickers, crowns, stick on jewels, construction paper, etc.).  I keep a stash and when I need something, I go search in my stash!  Pinterest always has great ideas!

    You could have a coloring sheet that goes with the lesson.

    One idea for today’s lesson:  (See picture below).  For today’s lesson I found a coloring sheet with a cross with the words “How do I Follow Jesus”.  It had pictures such as going to church, reading the Bible and loving Him.  As we colored the picture, we discussed ways we can follow Jesus (i.e. obeying parents, choosing to do right, being kind one to another, etc.).  We also colored the verse from today’s lesson (the Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet).

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.

    By now your class should be in a groove as to the direction and areas in which they need to focus and work on to improve their Christian lives.  Use this knowledge to help you address specific areas in each lesson that your class can discuss and share as you add new things to your mural.  Continue to watch as your class grows in their knowledge of not only God’s Word, but areas in their lives that can be corrected, drawing them closer to the Lord.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.