Doctrine: Humanity, Creation and Purpose

Our doctrine this week is: Humanity, Creation and Purpose…that is fancy theological talk that simply means..our doctrine this week is people...

The people and leaders of Israel and Judah found their highest and best purpose when they faithfully obeyed God and lived as His covenant people. Refusal to seek and surrender led them into troubling times. 2 Kings 18:5-8; Isaiah 1:18-20; Jeremiah 4:1-2; Amos 5:4-6, 14-15 God uniquely designed humankind. He created people to be able to enjoy fellowship with Him.

Unlike plants or animals, every human being bears God’s image and has a personality, mind, and soul created to know and relate to God and others. Every person finds life’s highest purpose and greatest privilege in knowing and walking with God. The loss of fellowship brought by sin’s curse on humanity represents the greatest tragedy ever known.

As a result, this world offers many tarnished and inadequate substitutes for what only God can provide. God offered a way of salvation through His Son to restore what sin had stolen.

Saved by Christ and empowered by His Spirit, a believer experiences a relationship with God in this life that will be magnified in eternity. When I do not believe that my true purpose for life can only be found in God, I am left with only the fleeting and inadequate pleasures this world can offer. Even if my life appears outwardly successful, I miss the greatest treasure of all – relating to, loving, and enjoying fellowship with my Creator. When I believe that God Himself is the ultimate focus for life and eternity, I navigate my days on earth with growing awareness that God and His ways matter more than anything else. My relationship with God stabilizes and aligns my daily life with eternal hope and purpose.

After studying Israel’s history in 15 books of the Bible….253 Chapters….and 5913 verses……how has it caused you to know God better? To love God deeper? To enjoy God’s presence? To desire to glorify Him in your response to your life’s circumstances and walk with Him faithfully? • Throughout the study….we have seen God’s love as people rebelled and he faithfully pursued….He used prophets…..who trusted God to do the hard tasks of proclaiming His truth….to draw people to Himself….. Application: This year… God privileged each one of you….to lead others….to know who He is….and what He has done…..I hope you have seen it as the HONOR that it is!!!! • Ladies….I know this has been a hard year….BUT your service as a BSF leader has helped others understand life’s greatest privilege…..knowing God • We praise God that one of our children in our student program accepted Christ as His Savior and will be getting baptized in May….. • At the end of this class year….how can we give God glory for what He has allowed you to experience this year…..

• There are things that only God knows….and eternity will measure….regarding the difference you have made….TO GOD be the GLORY for all the great things He has done….in and through each of you…..

Possible Applications for Leaders: The following concepts can be developed into applications specific to your leaders: Nothing this world offers compares to knowing God through His Son, Jesus Christ. o You were created by God for a relationship with Him. Nothing else matters more. o How have you sought to know God deeply and walk with Him faithfully as you study His Word? o Ponder this: The God of eternity desires fellowship with you! How does this amaze you? Salvation offers the future pleasures of eternity and grounds your journey on earth with purpose and joy. o The wonders of eternity provide hope, but God intends us to thrive in this life as we walk with Him. o What recent situation has led you to surrender to God and seek Him as your greatest pleasure and ultimate security? o What matters to you today more than God does? o How will you purpose to seek, know, love, and pursue God as though nothing else matters? This year, God privileged you to lead others to know who He is and what He has done. What an honor! o Your service as a BSF leader helps others understand life’s greatest privilege – knowing God. o At the end of this class year – how can you give God glory for what He allowed you to experience? o Only God knows, and eternity will measure, the difference you made. To God be the glory!