Let’s examine the lives of some of those Old Testament men who were faced with the choices of life or death, obedience or disobedience. We’ll learn valuable lessons from their lives. Adam is our example of disobedience, while Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Moses are good examples of obedience. We will see the choices these men made and the consequences.

Some Scripture passages may be familiar. You may have heard and read them many times, but I remind you of the Apostle Paul’s words to the Corinthian church: “Now these things befell them by way of a figure—as an example and warning [to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction…” (1 Corinthians 10:11, The Amplified Bible).

These examples of men faithful to God will help inspire us to faithfulness as well. They will reveal to us the victorious outcome of obedience. Or, as in Adam’s case, the disastrous outcome of disobedience. We will let these men, all of whom had a choice, encourage us to make the right choice. First we’ll look at Adam’s downfall that came because of failure to do what God said.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth (Genesis 1:26). And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (Genesis 1:27-28).

Gloria Copeland

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
KJV—And the very God of peace sanctify
you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit
and soul and body be preserved blameless
unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will
do it.

Amp—And may the God of peace Himself
sanctify you through and through—that is,
separate you from profane things, make
you pure and wholly consecrated to God—
and may your spirit and soul and body be
preserved sound and complete [and found]
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Messiah. Faithful is He Who is
calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy,
and He will also do it [that is, fulfill
His call by hallowing and keeping you].

Moffatt—May the God of peace consecrate
you through and through! Spirit, soul,
and body, may you be kept without break
or blame till the arrival of our Lord Jesus
Christ! He who calls you is faithful, he will
do this.

NEB—May God himself, the God of peace,
make you holy in every part, and keep you
sound in spirit, soul, and body, without fault
when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. He who
calls you is to be trusted; he will do it.

2 Timothy 1:7
KJV—For God hath not given us the spirit
of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a
sound mind.

Amp—For God did not give us a spirit of
timidity—of cowardice, of craven and cringing
and fawning fear—but [He has given us
a spirit] of power and of love and of calm
and well-balanced mind and discipline and
self-control.

Moffatt—For God has not given us a
timid spirit but a spirit of power and love
and discipline.

NEB—For the spirit that God gave us is no
craven spirit, but one to inspire strength,
love, and self-discipline.

Gloria Copeland