Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1890-04-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
1NTE eNATIoNAL LESSON FOR
APRIL 9
L,s:on Text: s"Christ's Law Of Love-
Lukevi. % 39-Golden Text: Luke &
VII, 31-Commen: airy on the e
Lesson.

o. The command, Love your enemies.g
strikes the average citizen of the world as
strangely as it must have appeared to the
Galil;nan jew. 1t seems to him unnatural.
1t is not according to human nature, but to
the divine. The verb Ito love'Lhas at least
three different meanings. ~ TO be pleased
or delighted with, to be fond of, or to regard
with affection because Of qualities which exT
cite pleasing sensations or desires. In thfS
sense we ought to love God and all good peri
sons. (2 TO have.benevolenc toward or. 20
have q moral regard for. In this sense we
ought to love enemies. ~ Lovers used In a
bad sense of lust.
It is the love which has benevolence toward
others and regard for their moral we'll
being which We ought to exercises toward
soul Of tue sinner This will prompt us to do
gool 10 those whose characters we cannot
approve.
~. There are four steps or grades between
wickeduess and perfectrighteousness III Man
may hate those WHO love him. This allies
HIM to devils. Bad men hate God, who loves
them. God so loved the world" etc. John
ill.,, l6l ca Man may hate whoever hates
him. This is human nature. 1t
is natural to give blow FOR blow,
bard words for hard words hate for hate.
.o' !'i'ui may loVe liiuSe Wuo IOVe ILL., ND
too is human. Men generally are up to that
love them " A. Man may love those that
hate him. This is the divine rule 1t is not
uncommon ito act out human nature" 1t
takes grace and Christ-lke natttre, re-
newed human heart. To s'bIcss them that
curse you" aud to pray for them that de-
spitefulIy use you" Christ on the cross
prayed for His enemies, and Stephen also did
likewise while they wcrc stoning Linn to
death.
20. The blood fc,ids prevailing in the Fast
Eecded a sharp rebuEe. The custom was:
blow for blow. blood for blood, and the spirit
Of retaliation ram through whole families and
generations. The principle here taught is
that folowcrsnf Christ are to submit to and
suffer wrong rather than 10 take The law into
their OWL hands or return vi6lence for vic.
lence. 1T surely does not require lis To place
ourselves at the mercy Of a drunken man or
allow crazy person to lcat out our brains,
with no effort to save our lives. The rule
asobvious qualifications, but tile spirit of
the principle belongs to tho foundation OF
al true Christian life.
80. Again it is not ndiscriminato giving
that is commended, but the spirit IF true,
wise and considerable charity We might give
OF sonio things and in such manner rs to
ruin the soulo thorereiver Tnjustify slicl,
acts from this command stzomplotely to per
vert its purpose ndmcaning It's tho habit
Of generous llselilSli aud loving benevo-
lence that Jesus would have His dis.
ciples form. I'VE are not Ia turn the
world into great 'puorhouse, nor to
encourage yagabont!isu and ShiftleSsness y
Tho spirit that would lead Jew TO feed
Jew only, but kick ont q teutie Ia starve,i,
the spirit the Lord relukes. Give to those
OF our church. but leave others To shift for
themselves is 4 similar spirit rcappearing in
modern times. The spiritual needy may
sometimes lie far beyond 'our church, and
yet Le reached Ivy some volunteer Christian
agency. Tho command applies there, VIC
are 80 give to sucL as God may give US
ability.
81 This is known MS tile Saviours Golden
Rule. This law had been originally written
III the hearts Of luen. hut was lost in the fall.
A few great minis had CROPPED after some
thing like il, but found it only in a negative
form at tho best Confucus about 500 B.
G.. states it in this way What do not
wish men 10 do to me, | also wish not to do
to men," Jesus put this truth in a positive
from, evil TO our neigh1ors. but cnioined US
to dc the same good To them which we would
have others do to u,; wide difference be.
tween these two principles.
~ Man may return Ui Good for good
evil for evil, this is bumal; even sinners do
that. C2) Evil for good, this is devilisl, but
some bad h,en do that and SO become like
demons. Is. Good for evil, this is divine.
No thanks are to DO given for loving those
that love lis, or for doing good to those who
do good to us; sinners do that, disciples
would not OH that level rise above common
sinners
81. So too if you lend to those that you ex-
pectwill repay you. that is still OH the lower
level of common sinful men. There is 10
proof OF Christ-ikeneSs i'll such acts. The
disciple is to rise to II higher plane OF con
duct, che more nearly allied to the spirit of
that Father who So loved the world in its sin
that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whatsoever believeth in film might not perish,
but have everlasting life. While we were
enemies Christ died for us. This is the spirit
worldly the enemies Of Christ and Of the
Christ-hke.
IS. Are Christians to offer themselves a
sacrifice to the cruel god OF this world. to DO
prosecuted, buileted, made wrctched and to
be hacked in pieces by the sword, roasted by
IRE or torn limb from limb by the rack OF the
wild beasts and have no compensation no re-
ward! Nay, the reward is great. En-
ercising this love OF benevoence toward
enemies exalts to sonship Of tue
Most High. AS he is kind toward tho uu-
thankful and the evil, Chrisrs disciples, fol-
lowing this example, may become heirs OF
one of the attributes of God Himself; wereit
not not g so all men must have miserably per-
ished forever. Disciples are to initiate the
Father in this blessed grace.
Harsh, censorlous judging OF others is
common fault of worldly men in all ages.
The motives Of others are censured and often
uncharitably judged, and spirit OF fault-
finding works much harm to religious lie
and growth. We are not e1horted to re-
gard all men alike, irrespective OF their
Character A man is not to be .goodisi
weakling," thinking or speaking OF
wicked men in the same terms tnat ne
would of the cody. While avoiding
censorious, severe, harsh spirit of condelnna-
ton. he is not to fly to the opposite extreme
of counting all men alike good, and go SO far
as even to excuse the devil for his most fiend.
jsh acts The disciple is to have the loving,
forciying spirit of the Father, even IN deal
ing with tue sinner, while he must concemh
his sin.
IS. In Christian conduct there is to be a
generosity born Of the renewed nature. Ike
the divine. Not judging, but giving, must
be the characteristic OF Christs disciples.
This boundess generosity IS 10 60 OUT
toward saint and sinner Ii you would
have generous measure, give it; thus again
the Golden Rule as a positive principle
is enforced. The gift will be in your bosom;
an Eastern figure. For in the dress II then
worn there was a large bag-shaped fold above
the pirdle. which was used instead OF apocket
TO Carry ordinary articles that might be
needed. Gifts Of precious stones, rings or
keepsakes might easily be carried in this
large bag-shaped fold over tho bosan.-
81, n,yoU.School World