MM started a thread that touches on one of this week's topics. Click here: Does the Bible envision converted Christians committing sins of ignorance?

I think this is a very important insight. There was a delay in the plan, but God's purposes could not be derailed.

PARABLE (by Joyce Griffith)

Once upon a time a woman named Sue decided to find out about God by reading the Bible.

She started with the book of Genesis. "Fascinating," she told her husband Sam. "It says God is very powerful. First he made the world and everything in it, and then he destroyed everything he'd made except for one family of people. Later He calls Abraham and promises to make a great nation of His son Jacob. And it happens. God can do anything."

"So now you know that God is powerful," Sam said.

A few days later Sue commented, "Exodus was interesting, too. It tells how God raised up a special people, gave them laws and promised He'd be with them forever. God is a wonderful leader."

"A leader."

The next week Sue reported she'd finished Leviticus.

"And what did the book of Leviticus tell you about God?" Sam asked.

"It's about how the Levites were supposed to be clean and pure. It gives all kinds of advice about offerings and what do to when one sins. I think Leviticus tells us that God is against sin."

"Are we ready for Numbers?"

"In Numbers the story is about the Jewish people walking around in the desert for forty years. They were rascals, those people were."

"And what did the book of Numbers teach you about God?"

"I think it tells us that God is very particular," she said slowly. "God cares about details. He really does, Sam. If He cared about exactly what each tribe should bring as an offering when the tabernacle in the wilderness was dedicated and all the other things in this book, then He must care about everything I do."

"I think you're right," Sam said.

It's also important to understand God did not promise to lead only victories believers (abiding in Christ, dead to sin, awake to righteousness) into the Promised Land, which is why, I suspect, God was able to keep His promise. However, if He had promised entrance and occupation conditional on everyone being victorious believers it is unlikely it would have ever happened.

Rosangela, nice story. Thank you. Truly, God does cares about the details, the spice of life.

So as not to cross-post, I have made a comment in the "Does the Bible envision converted Christians committing sins of ignorance?" thread. It ties directly in with Tuesday's lesson, and I somewhat differ with the lesson's conclusions on this point.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

I will post here just a small comment.

These are the two classes of sin:

“Errors committed through ignorance, thoughtlessness, or weakness ... [and] willful, premeditated sin.” {5T 604.3}

A willful sin is when you decide that you will do something no matter what, and you plan ahead how you will do it. It's clear that this is very different from being overtaken by a sin.

Rosangela, I see 4 types of sin in the passage you posted:

1. Ignorance (they have no idea they are sinning)
2. Thoughtlessness (they don't care if they are sinning)
3. Weakness (they sin without a fight)
4. Premediated (they sin because they want to)

Consecration to God must be a living, practical matter; not a theory to be talked about, but a principle interwoven with all our experience. . . There would not then be such thoughtlessness of words and acts, such careless, indolent, irreligious living. {OHC 243.4}

There is great danger in indifference upon this subject; no folly is so subtle as thoughtlessness and levity. {MYP 267.1} There is sin in thoughtlessness about such matters. {GW 125.1}

Mike,

In the OT there were just two kinds of sins: sins of ignorance and willful sins, or how we would put it today, unintentional sins and intentional sins.

As to thoughlessness, I understand there can be intentional thoughtlessness and unintentional thoughtlessness.