Sunday
March 27
1. IN THE DAYS OF OUR FIRST PARENTS
a. What fact proves that Abel had the gospel? Genesis 4:4; Hebrews 11:4.
“Abel grasped the great principles of redemption. He saw himself a sinner, and he saw sin and its penalty, death, standing between his soul and communion with God. He brought the slain victim, the sacrificed life, thus acknowledging the claims of the law that had been transgressed. Through the shed blood he looked to the future sacrifice, Christ dying on the cross of Calvary.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 72.
b. When each father was the priest of his household, how was the knowledge of the gospel preserved? Give examples. Genesis 8:20; 12:8; 35:6, 7.
“The sins of the people were transferred in figure to the officiating priest, who was a mediator for the people. The priest could not himself become an offering for sin, and make an atonement with his life, for he was also a sinner. Therefore, instead of suffering death himself, he killed a lamb without blemish; the penalty of sin was transferred to the innocent beast, which thus became his immediate substitute, and typified the perfect offering of Jesus Christ.”—Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 230.
Monday
March 28
2. IN THE DAYS OF THE PATRIARCHS
a. How well did the patriarchs understand the gospel? Galatians 3:8, 16.
“Christ was as much man’s Redeemer in the beginning of the world as He is today. Before He clothed His divinity with humanity and came to our world, the gospel message was given by Adam, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, and Noah. Abraham in Canaan and Lot in Sodom bore the message, and from generation to generation faithful messengers proclaimed the Coming One.”—Christ Object Lessons, p. 126.
b. How was Abraham accounted righteous before God? Romans 4:1–3; 3:20; Galatians 3:6, 11.
“If man cannot, by any of his good works, merit salvation, then it must be wholly of grace, received by man as a sinner because he receives and believes in Jesus. It is wholly a free gift.”—Faith and Works, p. 20.
c. How can a sinner be accounted righteous today? Ephesians 2:8, 9; Galatians 2:16, 21; 5:6.
“By faith [the sinner] can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness.”—Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 367.
“There is no such contrast as is often claimed to exist between the Old and the New Testament, the law of God and the gospel of Christ, the requirements of the Jewish and those of the Christian dispensation. Every soul saved in the former dispensation was saved by Christ as verily as we are saved by Him today.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 6, p. 1061.
“There is hope for us only as we come under the Abrahamic covenant, which is the covenant of grace by faith in Christ Jesus. The gospel preached to Abraham, through which he had hope, was the same gospel that is preached to us today, through which we have hope. Abraham looked unto Jesus, who is also the Author and the Finisher of our faith”—Ibid., p. 1077.
Tuesday
March 29
3. MIXING OUR HEARING WITH FAITH
a. Although the gospel was preached to Israel, why did it not profit them? Romans 9:30–32; Hebrews 4:2. How is this a lesson for us?
“Our hearing of the word must be mixed with faith in order for that which we hear to be of any profit to us. We must hear in faith.
“We need, O so much, the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We are warned not to act carelessly, indifferently, independently of God, but to act in humility of mind, that the preaching of the word may bring us profit.”—The Southern Watchman, March 1, 1904.
“Satan will put everything possible in operation to divert the mind, and occupy it with erring thoughts; but if your hearts are cleansed from all defilement, the word you hear will be mixed with faith.”—The Youth’s Instructor, September 1, 1898.
b. What was the consequence of Israel’s unbelief in the gospel, and how is this paralleled today? Hebrews 3:18, 19.
“God did not design that His people, Israel, should wander forty years in the wilderness. He promised to lead them directly to the land of Canaan and establish them there a holy, healthy, happy people. But those to whom it was first preached, went not in ‘because of unbelief.’ Their hearts were filled with murmuring, rebellion, and hatred, and He could not fulfill His covenant with them.
“For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. . . . It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord’s professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years.”—Evangelism, p. 696.
c. What is the cure for this problem in us? Romans 6:8–13; 1 John 1:7.
“For Christ’s sake, let those that live in the last days of this world’s history walk in the light.”—Manuscript Releases, vol. 20, pp. 3, 4.
Wednesday
March 30
4. A SELF-RIGHTEOUS REJECTION OF CHRIST
a. How was the unbelief of the Israelites revealed in their actions? Hebrews 3:8–10; Psalm 78:5–11; Acts 7:53.
b. How did the Jews try, in vain, to obtain righteousness? And why did they fail? Romans 9:31, 32; 10:3; John 15:5.
“While the Law is holy, the Jews could not attain righteousness by their own efforts to keep the law.”—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 54.
“[The Jews] were satisfied with a legal religion, and it was impossible for them to give to others the living truths of heaven. They thought their own righteousness all-sufficient, and did not desire that a new element should be brought into their religion. The good will of God to men they did not accept as something apart from themselves, but connected it with their own merit because of their good works. The faith that works by love and purifies the soul could find no place for union with the religion of the Pharisees, made up of ceremonies and the injunctions of men.”—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 15.
c. What attitude of Paul can help us in this regard? Philippians 3:4–10.
“We shall not have our own righteousness, it is worthless. It is of no use to go about to establish our own righteousness, for we have none to establish.
“We are not to cheapen the work by centering our thoughts upon ourselves. Think just as little upon yourself as possible. Think evils of no man. Christ’s followers must walk in the light of His glorious example, and at whatever cost or labor or suffering, must maintain the purity of the soul and spirit through the grace of Christ, yielding complete allegiance to the reformatory doctrines of the gospel of Christ, without mingling self with the work. Keep self subdued, and keep Jesus ever lifted up, and push the triumphs of the cross of Christ.”—The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 969.
“A form of godliness will not save any. All must have a deep and living experience. This alone will save them in the time of trouble.”—Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 125.
Thursday
March 31
5. THE ERRONEOUS SO-CALLED LAWLESS GOSPEL
a. How did Jesus warn His followers against a modern-day deception? Matthew 5:17–20; 7:21–23; 15:3, 7–9.
“Sinners will never enter the abode of bliss. The commandment breaker, and all who unite with him in teaching that it makes no difference whether men break or observe the divine law, will by the universe of heaven be called least among the human agencies. For not only have they been disloyal themselves, but they have taught others to break the law of God. Christ pronounces judgment upon those who claim to have a knowledge of the law, but who, by precept and example, lead souls into confusion and darkness.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 5, p. 1085.
b. How did the apostle Paul show the difference between the disobedient Jews and the obedient Gentile converts? Romans 2:13–24; 3:31; 8:1–4, 7.
“Faith is essential in order to the keeping of the law of God; for ‘without faith it is impossible to please Him.’ And ‘whatsoever is not of faith is sin’ (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 14:23).”—The Great Controversy, p. 436.
“The gospel of good news was not to be interpreted as allowing men to live in continued rebellion against God by transgressing His just and holy law.”—The Review and Herald, September 21, 1886.
Friday
April 1
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS
a. How was the gospel preached before Abraham?
b. What made Abraham righteous?
c. Why did the Jews have to wander forty years in the wilderness instead of being led directly to Canaan?
d. With what did the Jews replace salvation?
e. What is the opposite modern doctrine that is offered in place of salvation?