The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-12-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

GOLDEN TExT.--Through the grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as
they.--Acts 151L
CENTRAL TRurH-God guides His people IN
to fuller understanding of the truth.
THE SECTION OF HISTORY includes Acts 49,
1-sl; Gal. 2:1-lo with . glance at Acts i0:9-i7,
A48
T1ND.-Probably A. d. So fourteen years
after Pauls conversion (qal 2:D
THE GREAT QUESTION was whether the Gen.
tiles must not only believe In Jesus but must
become Jews II they would be saved. 1. 1t had
been held by the Jews that only those who
adopted Jewish rites and ceremonies
could be saved Their religion was
divine They were the people of God
Their rites were ordained by God. Not
to impose these on the Gentiles was contrary
to tho ordinance of God. Then how could Jews
and 'Gentiles ,ningle together as Christians
unless the Gentiles became Jews2 Much that
the Gentiles ate was unclean to the Jews 2,
On the other hand, to yield TO the Judaizing
Christians was to make conditions Of salvation
which Christ had not laid down. 1t laid un-
necessary burdens on the Gentfes, and kept
them from becoming Christians 1t would have
prevented Christianity from becoming uni
versal religion.
THE RESULT was CD that salvation came on
one condition only-by faith in Jcsus-and not
by any rites or ceremonies (2) but that in those
things which separated tho Jewish from the
Gentle Christians the Gentiles should In love
yield some of their rites. Each side COVE up
something. or the things forbidden, two were
to make it possible for Jews and Genties to
live together in the church, and two were very
common sins and dangers of the Gentiles.
LESSON NOTES.
The Gospel had been preached far and
wide, at first to Jews only, but after
that to Gentiles as well. For centuries
the Jews had believed that Gentiles
would be saved as well as they, but
only by conforming to certain outward
rites and ceremonies. This belief they
now adhered to, and therefore trouble
arose in the church because the apos-
ties had not insisted on any such OBJ
servances on the part of the Gentle
converts.
Now the discussion hinged on the
question: "What was necessary to sal
vation?" The Jews very naturally felt
that at least part of the Mosaic law
must be adhered to. They didnot deny
that Jesus was the true Messiah, or that
through Him salvation was to be had;
but they held that faith in Christ was
not of itself enough to save man.
There must be added certain outward
rites which had come down to them
from the great Lawgiver. This Paul
and Barnabas denied. They had more
clearly seen that in Christ all the old
Mosaic ritual had been fulfilled and set
aside; and they were therefore not will
ing to subject the new Gentle converts
to any such regulations. Instead of
using angry words, and finally splitting
apart, they tried to get the best posi-
BILE advice. How many wretched church
quarrsls and splits would be avoided in
our days if we only would follow their
|. good example!
The opinion of Peter and James
while it was well to do nothing that
would offend others, and cause them to
stumble, yet faith in Jesus Christ was
all that was really needful for saliva
ton. Salvation was not of works, nor
by the law of Moses, but by the grace
of Jesus
No such discussion will ever again
arise in the world as that of which our
lesson speaks; but there are still per-
sons who would turn us away from the
plain statements of the Word of God,
and would substitute some other way
of salvation in the place of that which
is laid down in the Scriptures. In our.
days there are many who agree with
the council at Jerusalem that rites and
ceremonies are not needful to salvation;
but they go farther than this, and de-
clare, that, to be saved, it is not needful
to believe in Christ. The Jews of our
lesson said: ITO be saved, you must ac-
cept Jesus, and be circumcised." The
apostles said: "To be saved, you must
accept Jesus, but you need not be cir
cumcised." These modern teachers say:
ITO be saved, You need neither accept
| Jesus, nor submit to any outward rites"
There is very great difference between
these three statements The second is
the only correct one. 1t was the teach
ing of Jesus himself, as anyone can see
who reads the third chapter Of John.
It is the teaching of all the apostles, as
seen in their epistloe And just as the
Jews Of our lesson were wrong in their
opinion, so these modern teachers are
wrong in theirs; for there is only one
name under Heaven given among men,
| whereby we may be saved; and that is
the name of Jesus. No moral life fun
less it be perfect from the cradle to
the gravel can save man.
On the other hand, if there are any
who are trusting in anything outward
to save them-as baptism, or confrma-
ton, or church-membership, or church.
| going, or the sacrament Of the Lords
Supper = they are equally mistaken.
Not that a moral life is not obligatory
| in Christian, or that these simple cere-
monies established by CHRISTI are of
no use, but that the foundation of all
must be faith in Jesus, and that such a
faith as will show itself in correct life,
and obedience to the will of Jesus as
our master
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
L. Differences of opinion will arise
among the best If people.
2. They should be settled in Chris
tian spirit, by discussion, by advice OF
the best people. by the guidance of the
| Hn1u Gv,{rit =