Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-11-19
WALKING IN TIE LIGHT.
Or. JOHN HALLS NOTES ON THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

Golden Text will he Found In tho
First Chapter of I John, Verse I.
Lesson Text, 1 John, 1, 5-1O.
1t is frequently objected that Christian
teaching is too much about what we should
believe and too little about what we should
do. When this letter written by John
he was quite old, and the truth had been
tried for a long time among men. 1t is
easier to profess belief than to do right, and
no doubt many affect belief who act badly.
One of the great advantages of studying a
lesson like this is that it shows how true be-
lieving is followed by right acting, and that
the believing is the means of bringing out
the good living.
Some of our lessons have been historical
Some have been statements of truth to be re-
ceived. This is in good degree expert
mental 1t teaches the actual feelings of
believers, the practical religious life of men.
Probably there were men teaching at this
time in the name of Christianity that they
were personally sinless; for every truth tina
God reveals, the devil and men guided by him
VIII twist and mi~repreSent May the Spirit
Of God help us to see and hold each truth in
its fullncss and in its proper place to other
truths! Then we have true, living and
symmetrical body of divinity, as the good
men of other days were wont to say. Having
asserted in the strongest way that it was
Jesus the Son of God that he had declared
unto them, and this in order that they might
be really happy ". A., he proceeds to show
how this declaration believed ought to act on
the life of the believer.
V. ;. From Jesus John had learned the
character of God. He was the revcalcr of
the Father, the brightness of his glory, the
very image of his person He, Jesus, had
taught men that God is light, with no dark
ness in him. Heather gods were men over
grown, with jealousies, passions, crimes set
down to them as one sees i'll reading even the
classics at school Think of what they
counted Jupiter, Mercury, Bacchus not to
speak of demigods, to be! God is light"
There is no darkness Of sin or of ignorance in
him. He is the infinitely Holy One Now
". - if we profess to be in his fellowship,
in sympathy with him, as children with a
father, as soldiers with a leader, us friends
with a friend, and yet walk in darkness,
ignorance and sin, ave lie, and do not the
truth This is plain. The darkness is not
that of grief, sorrow or doubt, but OF wrong.
1t points to deeds Of darkness" The pro-
fession, if not attended by practice is hypoc-
| risy and lying. On the other hand
| ". ., if we are walking "in the Light
not of intellect, education, science or even
moral courage, but the ways of God accord
| ing to his nature las in " Owe have fell
lowship one with another-for the aim is a
common one and such walking is against sell
iishness-"and the blood of Jesus Christ
cleanseth," or is cleansing us from all sin.
This does not refer SO much to pardon. which
is full, free and complete, as to the moral
g. L., If 'l,,i-t
course, that moral effect implies the pardon,
or, in other words, justification goes before
sanctifcation. Here is one who says: Il was
lost; Jesus came after me and saved me. TIC
10 it he had to shed his blood Through that
blood get pardon. l love him for shedding
his blood for me, and because | love him
am trying to quit sin and to be holy" That
man is being cleansed by the blood. He i.
walking in the light He loves the holy Re
deemcr, the image of God, and because he
loves him he is trying to keep his command
mentS. Get this fixed III the mind
V. 8. If we say that we do not need to try
that we are perfect, sinless, are cheating
ourselves putting a false view before oul
own minds and showing that whatever WI
may know about other things, the truth
about God and his salvation has not possession
of us. 1t may be about us, in our hands; it il
not shaping our thoughts nor affecting ou
hearts Let us not say this, but own the
facts of our forgetfulneSs, folly and inconss
tency Then shall carry out for we shall
feel the need of, the words in
V. 8. We are children--often rebelliou
and wayward-of God. II we feel the wrong
and own it to our Father, confess it, tw,
things will follow: (d) He will forgive. Tina
is faithfulneSs in him. He has promised i
and he will keep faith. See Ps. xxxiv, 4, 5
That is justice Jesus Christ has made atone
ment. The law is fulfilled and honored
! God is just and yet pardons a believer hi
sins See Rom viii, 3, l. 10y He will cleans
;; us from all unrighteousness. He docs no
deal with us as with filthy matter, but a
: with polluted minds. When it is our wa,
sincerely to own sin to God and beg his for
giveneSs, we watch against sin; we beg hi
grace to strengthen us against it, and b
, gives the grace. So we become pure, hol
> and Christlike. True humility thus goes wit
true religion. But with self-righteousnes
pride goes, and hence
v 10 puts it strongly, IF we say we hav
no SIM etc. Why, he sent Christ to save u
= as sinners 1t is as sinners he invites us t
i confess. II we deny that we give him tn
lie, and his word-which is based on this yer
fact-is not in us. See Ps Ii. LIZ for illu.
tration of all this
V. l. The aged and loving apostle call
{ the Christians lie addressed My little chi
=, dren" He is telling them these things t
L keep them from SHINING, not To make ther
: easy in sin. All! but, their hearts reply
i 1--WE have sinned, oh, so much" The close
: the truth comes to us through holy men th
! more we shall feel this, So he replies, Il
- l,,,.