The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-10-25
SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
OCTOBER 20.
Lesson Text: "Abstinence for the
Sake Of Others" 1 Cor. viii, 1-13
Golden Text: Romans
xv., documentary.

I. Snow as touching things offered unto
idols We know that we all have knowledge.
knowledge puheth up, but charity edifeth."
The various sections of this epistle begin with
the phrase, "Now concerning" Compare
VII, XII 1 xvi, /. This section, which
begins with our lesson, covers the whole ques-
lion OF living unto God and others instead of
unto ourselves and is we'll summarized in the
golden text. All self pleasing is on the line
OF putting up, but the love which seeks the
good OF others tends to build up the indivi-
dual and also to complete the spiritual tenn
pie, the dhurch. We may not bow down to
wood and stone. but to bow down to self Is as
bad or worse. We must bow only to God
20, Ply.
2. "And If any man think that he knoweth
anything he knoweth nothing yet as he ought
to know" One has said that "to know our
ignorance Is the first step to knowledge." It
Is on the line Of Gal. vi, 8, s'It man think
himself to be something when he Is nothing,
be deceiveth himself The Lord Jesus gave
all credit to the Father both as to His words
and works (John xiii, 40; xiv, 1O), and If we
have His Spirit we will, like Paul, give
all the glory to Spirit Of God and to the
grace Of God, q Gor.-H., 13; xv., 10Y.
8. 'But II any man love God the same Is
known Of Him." "He kpoweth them that
trust in Him." "The Lord knoweth them
that are his" (Nah- l., TIL Tim. H., 19, and
better still, "The Lord hath set apart him
that Is godly for Himself Cps. iv.. 81. We
are people for His own possession Titus
H., IA, R. w.. When we see clearly the love
OF Christ and are sweetly constrained by 1t,
as we will surely be when we see it, we shall
IfxyaT YnfN nf1po I,,k
who died for US and rose again (II Cor. v,
ID. 15)
4. GAS concerning therefore the eating OF
those things that are offered In sacrifice unto
idols, We know that an idol Is nothing In the
world, and that thereis none other God but
one." Such is the teaching of the law and
The prophets. ''The Lord He Is God In
heaven above and upon the earth beneath.
There is none ese." 81 am God, and there
Is none else. am God, and there is none
like Me-" AS to idols, they are "worse than
nothing, worse than viper" (Deut. w., 80;
lisa. XVI, 8 XII, "a margin). .-'.
s. "For though there be that are called
gods, whether In heaven or in earth, az there
dom Is full Of gods and godesses, so called.
Perhaps IT is their fanciful gods who are
spoken OF in Ps. lxxxii., 1, 6. ''He judgeth
among the gods I have said ye arc gods" or
slse those who worship them. Compare John
<, 1886. ..
6. ''But to us there is but one God, the
Father, Of whom are all things and we In
Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, BY whom
are oil things and We by Him. One God
and Father OF all, who is above all and
through all and in all Eph. iv., 81. One
Jesus Christ, Lord of at, Of whom 1t Is
written, "All things were made by Him, and
without Him, was not anything made that
was made" "Alt things were created by Him
and for Him" Gohn l.. 8 Col l., 16).
Z. "Howbeit there is not In every man
chat knowledge, for some, with conscience
OF the idol unto this hour, eat 1t as thing
offered unto an idol, and their conscience,
being weak, Is deflled. Some had turned to
God from idols (I Thess. l., 8, last clause),
but had not fully renounced all idolatry, like
those who to-day receive Christ as their
Saviour, or profess to, but see no harm in
lots OF things which better knowledge OF
God and little more OF the holy Spirit
would show them to be not OF the Father.
but OF the world Il John H.. 15-1T.
8. 'But meat commendeth US not to God,
for neither If we eat are we the better neil
ther If We eat not are we the worse" The
love OF God to US is regardless OF any doing
on our part-that Is. He loved us when we
were dead In sins (Eph. Il, 4. 5), having
nothing to commend US to Him, and having
accepted Him we are accepted In Him, washed
sanctifed, justified (Eph. l., 6 {; I Cor. vi, ~.
The kingdom of God Is not meat and drink.
We are not to give thought to these things,
but rather to righteousness, joy, peace and
the fruit of the Spirit (Rom. XIV, II Math.
w., 31-3S xv., 1D
9. "But take heed, lest by any means this
liberty OF yours become a stumbling block
TO them that are weak" Our liberty IN
Christ Is not for self qualification (Gsl. ",
13), to do as we please about this or that, but
that we may enjoy Christ to the full and be
filled with and led by the Spirit for the glory
of God and the good Of others (Eph. ", IL.
10 ;Gal. ", 16). Not, May do this or thatf
but, How can best advance His kingdom
and win men to Him?
40. '.For II any man see thee Wnlcn mast
knowledge sit ut meat In the idols temple,
shall not the conscience OF him which s
weak be emboldened to eat those things
which are offered to idols?" Liberty is al
ways out of place when it hurts others. II
this was only believed and acted upon, how
different things would be both In the world
and in the church!
II. "And through thy knowledge shall the
weak brother perish, for whom Christ d1ed!'
knowledge may kill, but love will not. What-
ever makes more of ones self will. prove q
stumbling block whatever exaits Chrise
tends to life. It Is fearful to think that Chris
tians may by their selfshness and inconsis-
tencies prove such stumbling blocks as to
send people to perdition. FIVE would only
consider we'll this fact as we meet people
Here is one for whom Christ died. How can
I make him know it2-how different our
lives would be-
12, "But when ye sin so against the breth-
rem and wound their weak conscience ye Sin
against Christ" Whatever touches mem
ber of the body Of Christ touches Christ Him
self (Ma.h. XIV, 40. As; Acts X. 4. He
that touchetn you toucheth the apple ot His
eve Czech. E.,8) ALI life is either Tor Christ
or against Christ. Weare either living walk
ing Bibles proclaiming Him by word ana
deed. or We ara ubels, protesting to be his,
but by word and deed dishonorfn8 Him. he
never pleased Himself, but In allthinSs Slori-
fed God.
13. Wherefore, II meat make my orother
to offend, will eat no flesh while the Worln
5tandeth, lest make my brother to offend.
Or. as in Rom XIV. 81, ''It is good neither
to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor anything!
whereby thy brother stumbleth or 1s otended
or Is made weak" Very easy 70 talk Brother
Paul. but WHY should I be- hindered from en-.
loving that which is lawful because some.
weak brother may be offended? That Is the
:sI" part OF 1t, which is forever settled by tnet
mot I. but Christ" motto OF Gal. H.. ~.
What would Jesus DO? Is the question Which
comes continually to one who Is filled WITH
the Spirit. Lesson Helper.
Brine Shrifnps of the Great Salt Lake.