As I will be away from the computer tomorrow, I am creating this one tonight, which can be directly accessed at the following link:

http://www.ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/06d/less06.html

Let the discussion of this new study begin.

From the Sabbath Afternoon page, I quote this interesting portion:



After such a devasting worldwide Flood, why didn't the people get the message?

Sunday's study introduces a New Earth, however, what is different about this New Earth from the New Earth we are looking forward to today?

The New Earth after the Flood is far from being the New Earth after the 1,000 years in heaven comes to a close and God creates a truly New Earth where there won't be any taints of sin.

I think they did get the message. They knew that God hated sin and rebellion, that He was well able to destroy the disobedient. In fact, they later made a skyscraper to avoid the consequences of their sin.

What they didn't get was the Message - Christ. Without Him, there can be no lasting change, there can be no transformation. And it is this lack of conversion that leads men to cling to sin while desperately trying to avoid its consequences, proving that they believe Satan's lie - sin and live.

You must have intended to say that they received the message but not the Messenger, correct?

Yes, they did seem to get the message in regards to consequences and judgement for their sins, but totally missed out on the only way to be overcomers of those sins, thus they messed up in regards to the Messenger behind the message.

Man, then tried, and man today are still trying to find a way to get away from the consequences of their sins.

Monday's study on Blood and Life seems to be another reaction by God to sin and man's activity to man as a result of their sinful and fallen condition.



With this comes the following question in Monday's study:

Actually, I meant Message, not Messenger.

True, Jesus was the Angel/Messenger of the Lord. But what is the message He brings to us? It is God's revelation of Himself.

As the "express image" of the Father, Jesus Christ is the Message. He reveals God to us as nothing else can. As John put it, "In the beginning was the Word, ... and the Word was God."

If you think about it that way, you will see why even conservative bastions of truth are not necessarily the best exhibits of Christianity. One who receives and accepts the whole message has been merely indoctrinated. To be converted, one must receive the one and only Message.

I re-read your post more carefully and now saw there that you were referring to Christ as The Message.

The beginning of Tuesday's study is interesting in relation to getting, or not getting the message.



Even Christ's disciples didn't really get the message, or The Message, until after they saw Christ after His resurrection.

I think that's very important to understand. God's image in man has been so defaced that even after 3.5 years with Him, the disciples still were not quite on the same page as Jesus. What Jesus said to Peter shortly before his crucifixion is telling: When you are converted, strengthen your brethren.

As we study and teach, we need to go beyond information and focus on transformation. Otherwise, we will just be smart sinners.

Even?
Nothing new under the sun in that department. Reading the gospels is sufficient evidence of that.