Wyan's Lessons in Faith

FRIDAY January 1

Further Study:

“ ‘By their fruits ye shall know them' (Matthew 7:20), the Saviour declared. All the true followers of Christ bear fruit to His glory. Their lives testify that a good work has been wrought in them by the Spirit of God, and their fruit is unto holiness. Their lives are elevated and pure. Right actions are the unmistakable fruit of true godliness, and those who bear no fruit of this kind reveal that they have no experience in the things of God. They are not in the Vine. Said Jesus, 'Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.’' John 15:4, 5.”—Ellen G. White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 329.

“All who join themselves to the church but not to the Lord will in time develop their true character. 'Ye shall know them by their fruits.' Matt. 7:16. The precious fruit of godliness, temperance, patience, kindness, love, and charity, does not appear in their lives. They bear only thorns and briers. God is dishonored before the world by all such professors.”—Ellen G. White, The Faith I Live By, p. 90.

Discussion Questions:

As a class, go over your answer to Sunday's question. What is the distinction between "being" good and "doing" good?

Read carefully Ellen White's statement about how all those who join themselves to the church but not to the Lord will soon reveal their true character. What does that mean? Why should we each ask ourselves which category we truly belong in? How can we know for sure the answer?

Imagine two folk: One is a Seventh-day Adventist who knows and believes all the doctrines-state of the dead, Second Coming, 1844, and so on. This person, however, is mean, harsh, judgmental, and unloving. There's another person who, while professing faith in Christ, has rejected all these teachings, accepting what we would deem as theological error. Yet, this person is kind, forgiving, loving, and nonjudgmental, everything the "orthodox" Adventist isn't. Though, of course, we don't know hearts, if you had to guess which one was closer to the kingdom of God, whom would you choose, and why? What does your answer imply about what you deem is important in Christianity?

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		I N S I D E Story
		Wyan's Lessons in Faith Wyan [WHY-ann] is 11 years old and lives in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. He loves God and was thrilled when his mother enrolled him in a Seventh-day Adventist school near their home. Wyan liked his new school, especially his Bible class where his teachers answered his questions about God in ways that he could understand. Wyan invited his mother to attend a seminar the school held, and there they learned that the Sabbath was God's special day. Wyan wanted to go to Sabbath School, but his mother explained that Saturday was the busiest day at her shop. "I can't afford to close my shop to attend church," she said. Wyan prayed about it, and in time his mother decided they should trust God. She closed her shop and went to church with Wyan. The church announced a mission trip to Central America, and Wyan wanted to go. He asked his mother to go with him, but again she explained that she didn't have the money to go and couldn't afford to close her shop for the three weeks they'd be gone. "God will work it out," Wyan said. "We just have to trust Him." Wyan soon learned that some members were raising money so that he and his mother could go on the trip. Convinced it was God's will, Wyan's mom closed her shop and went with Wyan on the trip. While in Central America, church members held evangelistic meetings for the adults and the children. Wyan spoke at the children's meetings, and at the end of the meetings 23 children gave their hearts to God. But all during the mission trip Wyan's mother worried about her business. When they returned home, God had a surprise for her. In the first week that she was back in her shop, she earned enough to make up for the three weeks the shop had been closed. "And her business just keeps growing," Wyan says. Wyan's faith helped his mother trust God too. When Wyan asked to be baptized, his mother decided to be baptized too. And to their surprise, Wyan's grandmother decided to join them. Wyan loves to share God's love with others and urges others to do the same. "If God tells you to tell someone about Jesus, do it. Don't be afraid; just trust God, and He'll help you say the right words." WYAN (left) lives with his mother and grandmother in Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
		Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org