The principle of first mention says that, to understand a particular word or doctrine or idea, we must find the first place in Scripture that it occurs and study that passage. The reasoning is that the Bible’s first mention of something is the simplest and clearest presentation; doctrines are then more fully developed on that foundation. So, to fully understand an important and complex theological concept, Bible students are advised to start with its “first mention.”

This Sunday we will begin sign-ups for the next session of small groups which will begin in early October. We have talked a lot in the past about the importance of small groups in our efforts to make disciples at State Road and to become more fully committed Jesus followers ourselves, but where was the concept first mentioned in the Bible?

In Genesis 2 God made the observation, “It is not good that the man should be alone.”

It was not good for Adam to be alone. It is not good for us to be alone either. That’s not God’s desire for you. God wants all His children to be drawn into rich, meaningful, loving community within the church. But as we read the creation account and come to the point where God declares that it is not good for Adam to be alone, we might stop and wonder, why would God say that Adam was alone at all? I mean, after all, wasn’t God there? Wasn’t the presence of God enough for all of Adam’s relational needs?

We might be tempted to ask— “wasn’t God enough?”— but that question frames the problem incorrectly. The problem with Adam’s aloneness was not that something was missing or insufficient in God that needed to be compensated for by bringing Eve onto the scene. What God was saying is that there was something missing from man that was needed to fulfill the purpose for which he had been created.

I hope you can listen in as we revisit the topic of small groups and talk about the purpose for which we were created and why we need each other to accomplish it.