Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: Compassion Ministries, Student Workbook, SW16

/ 1 3

D O I N G J U S T I C E A N D L O V I N G M E R C Y : C O M P A S S I O N M I N I S T R I E S

Let Justice Roll Down The Vision and Theology of the Kingdom

Welcome in the strong name of Jesus Christ! After your reading, study, discussion, and application of the materials in this lesson, you will be able to: • Recite the elements of a valid first word, or prolegomena, for an under- standing of doing justice and loving mercy. • Outline and define the system of the world from a biblical point of view, and show the different ways in Church tradition that church/world relationships have been viewed. • Highlight a biblical theology of God that can help you understand the critical role that doing justice and loving mercy plays in our kingdom testimony. • Explain carefully and precisely the image of God and its basis in the teachings of the Bible. • Lay out the ways in which the Scriptures portray humankind as unique and precious because of God’s special gift of creation, forming human beings in his own image and likeness. • List the reasons why we ought to view all individuals, families, peoples, and nations as precious and irreplaceable. • Detail the theological implications of the teaching regarding the imago Dei , especially how this high view of humankind justifies our best and most dedicated effort at the preservation and care for human life, wherever it exists and wherever we find people in distress.

Lesson Objectives

1

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

Devotion

Gen. 4.1-16 - Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” [2] And again, she bore his brother Abel. NowAbel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. [3] In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, [4] and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and