An uncut, freshly mined diamond is not at all visually impressive. It is merely a crystallized carbon compound subjected long ago to extreme pressure and high temperature. Though a diamond is the hardest substance occurring in nature, it looks quite ordinary. In its freshly mined, rough form, it looks like a small rock that combines the look of rounded form and prism form. At best, to the untrained eye, it looks curious, not impressive.
The primary point the teacher wishes to make is this: a diamond when discovered (before being cut) is not impressive. It merely looks like an unimpressive rock to the untrained eye. (Note: not all diamonds found are of the quality to be cut for jewelry usage. Those not suitable for jewelry usage are used for industrial purposes.)
A rough, uncut diamond does not have the attractive color of a ruby, an emerald, or a sapphire. Primarily for that reason, ancient royalty prized rubies, emeralds, and sapphires above the ordinary looking rough diamond. The ancients knew the diamond was extremely hard, but they never saw the brilliance of the cut diamond.
The lack of an impressive color in its rough state meant that ancient rulers did not value diamonds as modern people value cut diamonds. Ancient rulers knew diamonds were extremely hard; but rough diamonds were not attractive. The cutting of diamonds originated with scientific investigations, not because diamonds were valued for jewelry purposes.
The rough diamond is truly rare. In some diamond fields, the diamond was formed in a volcanic "pipe." Often diamonds were brought to the earth's surface by the means of volcanic activity. Today, in a good diamond mine, ten tons of volcanic "pipe" stone may contain one or two rough diamonds with a combined weight of 0.2 to 0.4 grams. These stones have the appearance of a pebble.
In nature, diamonds are truly rare. It took the correct set of circumstances to turn a carbon compound into a diamond. A diamond's value lies in two facts: (a) it is extremely rare and (b) it is extremely hard.
The brilliance of the cut diamond, a brilliance most of us associate with diamonds, is the result of light rays trapped in a cut stone seeking an escape exit. No clear natural substance on earth slows down the speed of light as much as does a cut diamond. Had the ancients observed the brilliance of a cut diamond as do we, they would have been as captivated by this hard stone as many of us are.
The brilliance of a cut diamond is the result of light rays escaping from the stone. It is that phenomena in a cut diamond that produces the "sparkle" or "brilliance" so often associated with diamond jewelry.
Again, prior to being cut, a diamond often looks quite ordinary. In the 18th century, there were numerous gold miners in Brazil searching for gold. In their search for gold, they discarded a fortune in diamonds because they did not know what those unimpressive stones were. In their search for something less valuable, they discarded something more valuable!
The primary point the teacher wishes to make is this: people who did not recognize the value of uncut diamonds threw them away thinking such stones were worthless. They did not realize what they saw was valuable! One must know what he/she is looking for to recognize value when he/she sees it.
It is extremely important to recognize something for what it is! One must "see" the potential of a rough diamond to become a cut diamond.
If we do not recognize potential, we do not see the valuable!
If someone asked you if you would recognize a diamond if you saw one, you likely would say, "Yes!" Perhaps you would recognize a cut diamond if you saw it (there are stones that have the appearance of a cut diamond!), but most likely you think a diamond is obviously brilliant as is the cut stone.
The typical American is accustomed only to seeing cut diamonds. They commonly think a diamond would be easily recognized by its brilliance. Not all that sparkles is a diamond. In fact, it is possible for a diamond to have no sparkle! The fact that a diamond does not yet sparkle does not make it any less a diamond!
If someone asked us if we know what obedience "looks like," most of us emphatically would say, "Yes!" We are not only certain we know what obedience looks like, but we even feel qualified to evaluate obedience, judge obedience, and distinguish between "false" obedience and "true" obedience. We have the concept of obedience aced!
Most members of the Church of Christ would emphatically declare that they know precisely what obedience is. They would further tell you that they "know obedience when they see it." They feel so thoroughly knowledgeable of the biblical concept of obedience that they feel capable of evaluating other people's obedience. They often feel qualified to distinguish between "false obedience" and "true obedience." We all need soberly to consider Romans 2:1-8.
Why? We are convinced we have mastered God's concept and definition of obedience. However, the truth is that we have been convinced to trust what we have been told about obedience. Perhaps what we have been told is the disclosure of complete information concerning obedience. Perhaps what we have been told is not a complete disclosure.
Often our "knowledge" of obedience is based more on what we have been told or what we are told a scripture means than on an understanding of God's word itself.
To open your mind and stimulate your interest in complete biblical information concerning obedience, complete the following statements and answer the following questions.
(Make the following into accurate statements which reveal what Obedience is. Answer honestly, truthfully by listing as many characteristics of "true" obedience as possible.) "True" obedience, the obedience recognized by God, has the characteristics indicated by my answers to the following questions:
Each student's answers to these questions should reveal his or her concept or concepts of obedience. The objective is not to determine "the correct answer" to each question, but to challenge each student to realize an honest study of obedience is more complex than we often treat it. The teacher should expect the answers to the questions to reflect the diversity of the students. Rather than trying to provide a "correct answer" to each question, use the collective responses to illustrate the need for this quarter's study.
What is the relationship between motive and obedience?
The answer should include Matthew 6:1-18. Note benevolent acts, praying, and fasting were accepted expressions of righteous behavior--Jesus himself gave, prayed, and fasted. Note the stress on the fact that one's motive for a righteous act mattered to God. It was not enough just to do the right thing.
What is the relationship between correctness and obedience?
The answer should include Romans 14:1-6. Obviously here are two different groups of Christians expressing faith in opposite ways. The issue was not correctness, but faith.
Is it possible to be 100% correct about anything religious or theological? Explain your response.
The explanation should include an examination of 1 Corinthians 8. Some Christians still thought nonexistent idolatrous gods were real. Such gods did not exist. Yet, the key was not knowledge, but respect for a brother or sister in Christ. No human is 100% correct. Every person is influenced by the views of his/her culture.
What is the relationship between knowledge and obedience? Does ignorance excuse any form of disobedience?
Again, an examination of 1 Corinthians 8 is in order. Christians who regard themselves knowledgeable and correct easily can be arrogant. God's will is not communicated accurately through arrogant people.
Can Christians perform contradictory acts and each act be accepted by God as an expression of obedience?
Again, Romans 14:1-6 should be examined. God could make Christians who came to different conclusions stand, and would make them stand. We are to be encouragers of such Christians, not judges.
A major challenge is to determine God's balance (not ours!) between human obedience, God's mercy, God's grace, God's love, and God's forgiveness. All exist! All work together. Another challenge is to grasp the core reason for human obedience. Since no human act can obligate God, obeying involves a motivation beyond any concept of 'earning' or 'deserving'.
The unending search in every generation of Christians is to find God's balance in the matters of obedience, grace, love, and forgiveness. Never is that balance resolved "once and for all." Every generation must seek that balance because human change occurs continually.
This quarter will be devoted to a study of obedience. Some scriptures and illustrations will be quite familiar to you. Some may not be familiar to you at all. Some concepts will affirm what you have always thought. Some will challenge your thinking and demand new understandings.
The objective of this lesson is to make Christians realize a biblical study of obedience is needed if God's concept of obedience is to be understood.
The objective is not to create doubt or despair. The objective is to challenge your mind to grow in God's direction.
The objective is not to destroy faith in Jesus Christ, but to cause faith in Jesus Christ to grow.
To challenge your thinking and to generate discussion:
Help your students realize Jesus stressed the importance of human motive in acts of obedience.
Help your students realize God can make Christians stand when they reach different conclusions.
Help your students realize that correct knowledge can promote arrogance rather than resolution. To God, people are more important than human knowledge.
Please tell yourself a truth: it is okay to increase understanding of God's concepts! The challenge: understand, do not react. The better you understand, the better you will live for God.
Blessed is the person who seeks understanding instead of being a person who reacts to defend his thoughts.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 1