True fulfillment and purpose come not from surrendering to darkness but from embracing light, the eternal promise that only He can give.
In a world filled with temporary moments and uncertain futures, one choice changes everything: the gift of eternal life.
Why choose death when Jesus offers hope, peace, and a love that lasts forever?
Welcome back to our series on the unique message of the Gospel of John.
John’s Gospel gives us an up-close and personal look at Jesus, the Source of Life, as He interacts personally with individuals while He lived on this earth.
We examine more evidence that shows that Jesus is the Great “I AM.”
Despite the powerful evidence of Jesus as the Messiah, some rejected Him.
We do not want to make that same mistake and lose out on a life that lasts forever.
So, stay with us throughout the remainder of the series.
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel,
Sabbath School Daily by Dr Brenda Ware Davis.
If you have not viewed the previous lesson, to get caught up, binge-watch them via SabbathSchoolDaily.com.
This journey through John will help you get to know Jesus intimately and personally.
As always, before we begin, let’s Pray.
Inviting God’s Presence.
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the choice:
Eternal Death or Eternal Life.
We choose Life; therefore, we choose Jesus.
Help us develop a more intimate relationship with You and Him.
In Jesus Name, Amen
The Gospel of John
(Lesson 9)
The Source of Life
Part 1 Introduction
Life can be hard, filled with pain and lots of questions that have no answers.
But there’s one choice that changes everything: Jesus.
Choosing life through Jesus offers hope, light, and a forever life.
Who is Jesus, and how does choosing Him means choosing eternal life?
When people asked Jesus who He was, He answered with words that showed unmistakably He is God.
In the Gospel of John, He said, “I AM,” which was how God in Exodus 3:14 spoke to Moses from the burning bush.
14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” (Exodus 3:14)
This same God, Jesus, the great “I AM,” came to live with us as a man.
John 1:14 says,
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
This means Jesus came from heaven above to live with us, humans showing God’s glory and love.
The theme “I AM” is found throughout the Book of John.
Jesus in John 14:6 says,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
Jesus declares that He is the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, the Gate or Door for the sheep, the Good Shepherd, and the True Vine.
Each of these shows us that Jesus is everything we need.
But even when Jesus showed His power and love, some people did not believe in Him.
Thus, we continue with the revelation of God as given to us in John.
Despite the powerful evidence for Jesus as the Messiah, some rejected Him,
Their refusal to accept Him caused them to miss out on His gift of life.
Of course, we don’t want to make the same mistake.
And we don’t want others to make that mistake.
Therefore, we seek to share the truth about Jesus with others so that they, too, can find the hope of eternal life.
In our previous lesson, we established that Jesus’ teachings were grounded in the Old Testament Scriptures.
“He who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Himself the living Word, points to the Scriptures, saying, ‘They are they which testify of Me’” (John 5:39).
Jesus used the Word of God to answer questions and teach.
He said in Luke 24:27, “What saith the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:27).
Jesus’ words brought life to those who listened. In John 1:14 it says:
“The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
John the Baptist in John 1:15 spoke of Jesus, saying,
“This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me” (John 1:15).
This shows that Jesus was with God even before He came to earth.
He was the one who led the Israelites as a cloud by day and fire by night (The Upward Look, p. 236).
God desires us to use our minds and study His Word. But we must also have a simple heart, ready to learn and ask the Holy Spirit for help. (Steps to Christ, pp. 109, 110).
The Bible can make hard things easy to understand when we ask God to help us.
Without God’s Spirit, we might misunderstand the Bible.
Think about this: why choose darkness when Jesus offers you light and life that will last forever?
Open your hearts, read the Bible, let Jesus show you the truth, and trust in Him.
When we do this, we find real hope and a forever life that no one can take away.
Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
He came so we could have life, not just for now but forever.
Why not Choose life? Choose Jesus, the Source of Life.
Why was it necessary for Jesus to come to this Earth to Give us Life?
Read: John 1:29, John 3:16, John 6:40, John 10:10, John 12:27.
Then continue to Part 2: In Him Was Life
The Gospel of John
(Lesson 9)
The Source of Life
Part 2: In Him Was Life
Life is full of choices.
But there is one choice that means everything: choosing Jesus.
Why stay in darkness when Jesus offers us eternal life?
Why did Jesus come to us, and what does it mean for us today?
John 1:1 tells us that In the beginning, Jesus was God. He was with God, and He was God.
This means Jesus is not just a man but the divine Son of God.
John 1:4 says, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
This life that Jesus has is not just any life—it is divine life, underived eternal and self-existence. Because He has this life within Him, He could choose to lay down his life for us and take it up again.
John 10:17 says, “I lay down My life, that I might take it again.”
Only Jesus has the power to do this.
Jesus is also the one who gives life to others.
John 5:21 says He gives life to whomever He wants, and in John 14:19, He tells us that because He lives, we will live too.
This word “life” (zoē) has very special meaning in John’s Gospel.
It means more than just being alive.
Besides referring to the source of life on our planet, the word is also linked to eternal life through Jesus Christ.
This type of life is talked about many times in John:
This eternal life, the promise of salvation, is found in the following verses John 3:15, 16, 36; John 4:14, 36; John 6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68; and John 10:27, 28.
Take time to read them; they show the link between Jesus and eternal life.
So, why did Jesus come to this earth?
John 1:29 says: “to take away the sin of the world.”
John 3:16 and John 6:40 tells us he came to raise us up from the dead and give us “everlasting life.”
Therefore, He came to give us life, not just any life, but an abundant life. For John 10:10 says,
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
He makes this point in John 12:27 when he says:
27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. (John 12:27)
Jesus came to take away the penalty of sin.
In John 3:14-15, we read,
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14-15)
Thus, just as the bronze serpent was raised to save the Israelites bitten by the serpent, Jesus came to save us from the punishment of sin.
He took our place so that we could have His life.
We who have been struck down by sin and doomed to death, Jesus took our place.
He took the penalty that was ours so that we might have the life that was His.
Therefore, when we believe in Him, we become children of God according to John 1:12 and 13
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12, 13)
This means we are not just created by God; we are His family.
Jesus, in his life on earth, showed us who God really is.
John 1:18 (NKJV) says,
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:18 NKJV)
When we see Jesus’ love and actions, we see what God is like.
God is love. Just as expressed in 1 John 4:7-11
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:7-11)
Why is this so important?
Because Jesus’ life showed God’s deep love for us.
Regarding his death, Jesus says in John 10:17-18,
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:17-18)
His love is so deep that Jesus endured pain, shame, and even death for us.
But death did not win.
Jesus rose from the grave.
This is why He calls us to believe in Him.
He is the resurrection and the life.
Think about your life today.
Why choose a path without hope when Jesus offers you love and a forever life?
His life can be yours.
He came to bring us abundant life.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
His life is your hope.
When we choose Jesus, we choose life—a life full of love that will never end.
Life here is filled with difficulties, trials, and things that we sometimes just don’t understand.
Where do we turn when it seems we have nowhere to go?
Read John 6:61-68
Then, View the next segment of this video, Part 3: The Words of Eternal Life
The Gospel of John
(Lesson 9)
The Source of Life
Part 3: The Words of Eternal Life
Yes, Life is full of difficulties and things that are hard to understand.
Where do we turn for answers and continued hope?
When Jesus talked to His disciples, He asked them a serious question:
Would they leave Him? How did they respond?
In John 6:61–68, Jesus had just said things that were hard for many people to understand.
Because of this, some people stopped following Him.
Then Jesus turned to His close disciples and asked in John 6:67, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67).
Peter answered Him in John 6:68, saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68, NKJV).
Peter’s answer is powerful.
Peter knew that only Jesus could give them what they needed most—eternal life.
Peter’s words about “eternal life” touch on an important theme that is found throughout the Gospel of John.
In John 6, in the context of Jesus feeding 5,000, He talked about eternal life many times, such as John 6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68.
Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life in John 6:35, meaning that everything about Jesus—His life, death, and resurrection—is what saves us and gives us life that never ends.
Jesus is the source of eternal life.
In the Gospel of John, the term “everlasting life” or its equivalent appears at least 17 times in the Gospel of John.
But what does it mean?
It is not about living in a spirit form or becoming a part of an eternal ghostly being or some other concept.
Everlasting life means life-giving power obtained through Jesus that brings salvation and meaning to our existence now and to life without end when Jesus returns.
It brings meaning to our lives here and promises a life with no end when Jesus comes back.
Just as Jesus became a real person, he became flesh; the resurrection He talks about is also natural; it takes place in time and space.
It is from natural death to life.
It is life restored, just like it was in the Garden of Eden.
How, then, do we obtain this eternal life?
John 3:15–16 says, 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15–16)
Jesus says in John 5:24
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24 )
John 6:40 and 47 tell us that everyone who believes in Jesus has this life.
John 6:40
40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:47
47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.
Continuing to explain eternal life, Jesus says in John 8:31
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
He says in John 12:46
46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.
In John 20:31 He says:
31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
Our belief that Jesus Christ came to live and to die on our behalf is by faith alone.
This faith is a gift in which we must consciously choose to surrender to Jesus, repent, that is, turn away from sin, and claim His blood for the forgiveness and cleansing of sin.
Therefore, when Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,” he was saying that only Jesus has the answer.
No human discipline, whether from history, science, or philosophy, can give us what we find in Jesus.
Jesus has eternal life in Himself, and He offers it freely to all who respond to the Holy Spirit, and accept it.
Knowing that eternal life is real should change how we see our lives now.
This life isn’t just about today’s worries; it is about the hope we have in Jesus.
When we have this hope, we live with peace, love, and a purpose that looks beyond just today.
Peter knew that without Jesus, there was nowhere else to go.
Jesus is the only one who can give us life that never ends.
The choice to trust in Him is ours.
Choose eternal life—Choose Jesus.
How does one choose Jesus? How do you become like Christ? Read John 1:12-13.
Then, Continue to the next segment of this video, Part 4: Believing and New Birth
The Gospel of John
(Lesson 9)
The Source of Life
Part 4: Believing and New Birth
Life can feel pretty empty, especially when we cannot find the answers to our deepest questions.
How do we find the true path to peace, happiness, love, joy, and purpose?
It starts by taking simple but powerful steps to get to Jesus.
John’s Gospel shows us what it takes.
In John 1:12–13, we learn about becoming a child of God.
John tells us that it happens in two main steps.
First, we must receive Jesus and believe in Him.
This means we accept who He is—the Son of God who came to save us.
When we believe in Him, He gives us the power to become children of God.
This power is not something we develop; it is something He gives us.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)
It is God’s work in us that makes us new from the inside out.
Thus, John wrote his Gospel so that we would believe in Jesus and have eternal life through Him.
He says in John 20:31
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:31)
Thus, becoming a follower of Christ, that is, becoming a Christian, Christ-like, involves both our part and God’s parts.
We need to believe, accept Jesus, and be willing to follow Him.
God changes our hearts and gives us a new life from the inside out.
This shows that there is both a human and a divine part to becoming a disciple of Christ.
We must choose to believe and receive Jesus, but He is the one who changes our hearts and makes us part of His family.
Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
“In order to have true, abiding faith in Christ, we must know Him as He is represented in the word.”(the Bible)—Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 433.
This means that those who believe in and accept Jesus, the Son of God, as the Messiah, receive everlasting life.
This believing and accepting involve also accepting and believing the words Jesus spoke as He expressed in John 5:24, 38, 47:
John 5:24
24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (John 5:24)
John 5:38
38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. (John 5:38)
And John 5:47
47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:47)
John 16: 7-8 lets us know that it is the role of the Holy Spirit, to help us believe and grow in faith.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (John 16:7-8).
Paul confirms this in Romans 8:16 saying:
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (Romans 8:16)
This means that when we believe, the Holy Spirit confirms it in our hearts, acknowledging to us that we belong to God.
We become a member of the family of God.
Faith, according to the Bible, therefore, starts with God.
It is not something we obtain on our own.
Ephesians 2:8 says, 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8). Thus, “Faith is the great blessing—the eye sees, and the ear hears” (Ellen G. White, In Heavenly Places, p. 104). (Pause)
Contrary to the humanistic approach to faith, which requires that we find a foundation or have criteria for faith and then believe, faith is a new way of seeing and hearing given to us by God.
Therefore, our foundation is Faith; it is our gift from God.
Thus, becoming a Christian starts with faith; we then continue to grow in our understanding and experiences of God’s grace.
At the same time, our knowledge of and our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior continues to deepen.
For instance, if someone asked you what your faith is based on, how would you answer?
My faith starts with hearing God’s Word and opening my heart to it.
My faith is a gift from God, strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit.
I choose to believe, but God is the one who makes my faith grow and keeps me strong.
The old nature, born of blood and the will of the flesh, cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
The old ways, the hereditary tendencies, and the former habits must be given up, for grace is not inherited.
The new birth consists of having new motives, new tastes, and new tendencies.
Those who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit have become partakers of the divine nature, and in all their habits and practices, they will give evidence of their relationship to Christ. —Ellen G. White Comments, in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1101.
So, becoming a Christian is about taking that first step of belief and letting God work in you.
He will guide you, strengthen you, and help you grow.
When we put our trust in him, we receive the greatest gift.
That gift is His Son, and by believing in Him, you become a child of God.
Choose today to believe in Jesus and see how He changes your life.
The saddest thing, though, is the thought of those who refused to accept the true source of life.
How can we avoid this mistake? Read John 1:5-11and Numbers 13:23-33.
Then, continue to the next segment of this video: Part 5: Rejecting the Source of Life.
The Gospel of John
(Lesson 9)
The Source of Life
Part 5: Rejecting the Source of Life
Why choose death when Jesus offers eternal life?
This is a question we all need to think about.
The Bible tells us some very sad stories, especially in the Gospel of John, of those choosing to reject Jesus.
What happens, and how can we learn from what they did to make better choices in our own lives?
In the book of John, we read in John 1:5 that
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (John 1:5)
In John 1:10-11, we find that [The Light] was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. (John 1:10, 11).
In other words, this Light is Jesus, the Son of God, the “I AM,” who came to save us and give us eternal life.
But many people didn’t accept Him.
They turned away, even though He created everything, even them.
Imagine how sad that must have been for Jesus to come to His own people and be rejected.
Later, Paul gives us a warning in Hebrews 10:35:
“Do not cast away your confidence” (Hebrews 10:35 NKJV).
Paul is telling us not to give up on our faith in Jesus.
Why did so many people in Jesus’ time turn away?
It’s because they didn’t believe in His Word.
They doubted Him and what He said.
Today, people often doubt the Bible, the Word of God.
They question it and try to find proof that it is from God before they believe.
They want to test everything before they decide what is true.
But how can they test it without a foundation?
The Bible is the foundation of our faith. It is said that:
“The contemporary humanistic way of thinking begins with doubt.
People question everything in order to determine what is truth.
That which survives the fire of cross-examination they accept as rock-solid knowledge, something on which to place one’s faith.
Some apply the same method to the Bible, calling everything into question from a scientific, historical, psychological, philosophical, archaeological, or geological perspective in order to determine what is truth in the Bible.
The very method itself starts with and builds upon doubt in the veracity of Scripture.
Christ asked in Luke 18:8, ‘When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’ (Luke 18:8).”—E. Edward Zinke and Roland Hegstad, The Certainty of the Second Coming (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000), p. 96.
Jesus is looking for people who will trust Him without doubting.
In the Old Testament, in Numbers 13:23–33, God told the Israelites to go into the land of Canaan and take possession of it.
So, they sent 12 spies to check out the land.
When the spies came back, there were two very different reports.
Ten of the spies said, “We can’t do it.
The people there are giants, their cities have strong walls, and their armies are powerful.
We’ve been slaves in Egypt and have no experience fighting.”
They saw the challenges and got scared.
But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, said, “Yes, we can do it!
God’s Word is stronger than any giant or wall.”
The two had faith in what God promised.
“These men, starting upon a wrong course, set their hearts against God, against Moses and Aaron, and against Caleb and Joshua. Every step they advanced in this wrong direction made them firmer in their design to discourage every attempt to possess the land of Canaan. They distorted the truth in order to carry their baneful (destructive) purpose. . . .
When men in responsible positions yield their hearts to unbelief, there are no bounds to the advance they will make in evil. Few realize, when they start upon this dangerous course, the length that Satan will lead them.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, pp. 149, 150.
Ten spies voted no, based upon the overwhelming evidence from a human standpoint.
Two spies voted yes based upon their faith in the overwhelming power of the Word of God.
The problem with the other ten spies was that they doubted God’s Word.
They looked at things only from their own perspective and not from God’s promise.
They chose fear over faith, and that decision led to much pain for the whole nation.
So, how do we avoid making the same mistake?
We need to trust God’s Word even when things look impossible.
We need to act in faith, just like Joshua and Caleb.
But this also means we must be wise and not do things that are reckless or destructive, with the idea that God will fix them.
Many, very many, are questioning the verity and truth of the Scriptures.
Human reasoning and the imaginings of the human heart are undermining the inspiration of the Word of God, and that which should be received as granted, is surrounded with a cloud of mysticism.
Nothing stands out in clear and distinct lines, upon rock bottom. This is one of the marked signs of the last days.—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 15.
True faith means trusting God’s Word and following His guidance, not our own ideas and imaginings.
God will not instruct us to do anything that contradicts or does not align with His word, the Bible.
The Bible is our foundation; if it does not align with the Word of God, and the promises that he has made in it, cast it away!
Choosing to doubt and turn away from God’s promises leads to spiritual death, but choosing Jesus gives us a life that lasts forever.
Choose to be like Joshua and Caleb, who trusted God’s Word over their fears.
Hold on to your faith, and do not throw it away.
Jesus is offering life—why choose anything else?
What happens to those who refuse to believe?
Read the following scriptures: John 3:18–21, John 1:10, John 3:18, 36; John 5:24, 38; John 8:24; and John 12:47.
Then, continue to the next segment of this video, Part 6: Condemnation
The Gospel of John
(Lesson 9)
The Source of Life
Part 6: Condemnation
Why do people choose darkness when Jesus offers light and life?
What happens when we reject Jesus?
How can we remain strong in our faith and not be like the ten spies who refused to obey God out of fear?
In John 3:18–21, we read,
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”(John 3:18-21).
John 1:10 points out that
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. (John 1:10)
What point is John making?
He is saying that if we believe in Jesus, we are saved, but if we don’t, we are already judged.
People who do wrong avoid the light because they don’t want their actions to be seen.
But those who follow the truth go toward the light, where God’s love shines.
Those who reject the light will come into Judgment. Why?
The following scriptures John 3:18, 36; John 5:24, 38; John 8:24; John 12:47 explain why. For example:
John 3:18 says
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:36 says:
36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
John 5:24
24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
John 5:38
38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
John 8:24
24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
And John 12:47 says:
47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.
These show us that it’s because they choose not to believe in Jesus, who is the Light of the world.
When we turn away from Jesus, we turn away from light and move into darkness.
This opens us up to doubt and makes us vulnerable to Satan’s temptations and deceptions.
Just like Eve in the Garden of Eden.
God told Eve not to eat from the tree in the center of the garden, giving her clear light and instruction.
Satan tempted her to doubt and bring the light God had given her into question.
Eve questioned God’s words, “Would a loving God really destroy what He created?”
She also relied on what she could see and feel: the serpent had eaten the fruit and was talking.
Maybe the serpent was right. So, she decided to eat the fruit, thinking she could be like God.
Eve was deceived, and Adam made the same choice as Eve.
They turned away from the light God gave them and chose darkness instead.
In contrast, how did Jesus respond when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness?
Matthew 4:1–4.
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:1-4)
Jesus faced similar challenges.
He was hungry after fasting for 40 days, and Satan tempted Him to use His power to turn stones into bread to prove that He was the Son of God.
Jesus could have questioned why God, who loved Him, would leave Him without food and protection.
But instead of doubting, Jesus answered Satan with the Word of God:
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4).
Jesus didn’t rely on human reasoning or what He could see. He trusted God’s Word and made His decisions based on divine wisdom, not on earthly doubts.
It says in the Book Desire of Ages: When Jesus entered the wilderness, He was shut in by the Father’s glory. Absorbed in communion with God, He was lifted above human weakness. But the glory departed, and He was left to battle with temptation. It was pressing upon Him every moment. His human nature shrank from the conflict that awaited Him.
For forty days He fasted and prayed. Weak and emaciated from hunger, worn and haggard with mental agony, . . . Now was Satan’s opportunity. Now he supposed that he could overcome Christ. . . .
Though Jesus recognized Satan from the beginning, He was not provoked to enter into controversy with him. . . . He rested in His Father’s love. He would not parley with temptation.
Jesus met Satan with the words of Scripture. “It is written,” He said. In every temptation the weapon of His warfare was the word of God. Satan demanded of Christ a miracle as a sign of His divinity. But that which is greater than all miracles, a firm reliance upon a “Thus saith the Lord,” was a sign that could not be controverted. So long as Christ held to this position, the tempter could gain no advantage.—The Desire of Ages, pp. 118–120.
Unlike Eve, who used her own thoughts and senses to make a decision, Jesus showed us the right way.
He stayed firm by using God’s Word, the scriptures, as His guide.
Jesus focused on God’s way of thinking instead of following human thoughts and ideas.
It would have been easy for Him to make excuses and choose the wrong path, just like many people, even as those professing to believe in God often do.
This is an example for us.
It’s easy to fall into wrong thinking and make poor choices when we rely on our own understanding.
So, what can we learn from this?
We need to be like Jesus and trust God’s Word, even when things are difficult, or we don’t fully understand.
We shouldn’t follow doubts or be fooled by what looks good on the outside.
Instead, we need to walk in the light, stay close to Jesus, and believe that what He says is true.
Jesus offers us life and light. When we choose Him, we are saved through Him.
Why choose darkness and doubt when we can choose the light and life that Jesus gives?
Let us learn from Eve’s mistake and follow Jesus’ example.
Stand on God’s Word, trust Him, and come into His light. This is where true life begins.
Choose Jesus! Choose Life!
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