The Globe-republican., 1893-12-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
international Lesson for December 10,
1893-The Heavenly Inheritance Peter

International Lesson for December 10,
1893-The Heavenly Inherltance-1 Peter
1:1.12.
Especially Arranged from Peloubets NoteS1
GOLDEN TExr.-Giving thanks unto the Far
Their, which hath made US meet to be partakers
Of the inheritance OF the saints in light-Col
1:i2
DATE-W Written between A. D. "a and O.,
about the time of First Timothy, in the reign Of
Nero and during mis- great persecution.
THE PLACE Of writing was Babylon (5:lS,
and doubtless the Babylon on the EuphrateS
though some have rcSardedit as mystic name
for Rome The order OF the places named In
verse I would imply that the writer was on the
east Of ASIA Minor, and this confirms the opin-
ion that Peter wrote from Babylon
To WHOM Christians in the northern
portions of Asia Minor. See on yer. I.
THE AUTHOR was Peter. the apostle
The OCCASION-Silvanus, form Of the
name Silas, and probably the Silas who was .
companion Of Paul in his second missionary
journey, had brought tidings to Peter Of hery
prosecutions against Christians in these re-
gions They were accused Of being evildoers,
of preaching revolutionary doctrines Il Pet
3:l5, l6). The very name Of Christian then, as
afterwards under Pliny's regime. exposed
them to odium and outrage Il Pet 4:l6), The
teachers to whom they owed so much, Paul
them When q wave Of fanatic hatred directed
against the name of Christian was flowing we'll
nigh over the length and breadth OF the en-
pire, rulers In the provinces were but too
likely to follow the example which Nero had
set them in the capital. The apostle felt that
he could not withhold his words OF comfort
and counsel from those who were thus suffer
ing:
THE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS.
The Hope of the Inheritance.
). blessed" Praised, well spoken of,
honored. The God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christi As well as ouI
Father, and therefore binding us tc
Him as an elder brother and drawing
us nearer to God, whom we have not
seen. by means of the Son, whom we
have seen. Which according to His
abundant mercy" And not because
we had any claim upon Him. Saliva.
ton was free gift. and therefore de-
manded praise. Hath bcgotten us
again." Made us His children in spir
itual life and holy character, as He
had before given us our natural life.
Unto lively Qiving) hope" A hope
born of the new life, a hope that can.
not perish nor decay, like most human
hopes but is fresh. bright, perennial
fruit bearing, fourishing. by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead This was the source of the
hope. since if Jesus did not rise from
the dead. then there was no proof that
He was the Son of God. and could save
US and give us the inheritance de.
scribcd in the next verse.
The Inheriting.-4. To an inheri-
tance:" A portion of good coming to
us. not because we have earned it or
deserved it. but because we are chill
dren. God hath begOtten us: our
spiritual life comes from Him: there
fore we are His children. and if chill
drcn. then heirs. In English law there
is well-known maxim, Memo est
heres viventis (nO one can be heir to 4
living person.. but this was no princi
pie OF the Roman law. The moment a
child was born he was his fathers
heir. In pure Roman Jurisprudence is
the principle that man lives on in his
heir. the elimination. so to speak. of
the fact of death. Names Ancient
Law Thus according to law, under
which were living the people to whom
Peter was writing. children were
heirs while the tcstatcrs were living.
and thus they could be heirs of the
living God.
The Inheritance.--'A Inheritance
incorruptible:" Its substance cannot
be destroyed; there is no decay as of
worldly habitations. of our physical
bodies and of all material things.
..Undefiled:'' AS with stain or mire.
That fadeth not away The em-
phasis being on the indestructibility
of its grace and glory. as incorruptible
emphasizes the indestructibility of it's
substance. Reserved in Heaven for
YOU" A perfect participle indicating
the inheritance of one reserved
through Gods care for His own from
the beginning down to the present.
For you" For you, sojourners in
land that is not your own.
The child inherits from his Heaven
ly Father U) His holy nature; (2) His
care and love; 60 His home; a. His
possessions. He partakcs Of His joys,
of His work. of His character. He
is joint heir with Christ. his elder
brother.
The Condition.. For you) who
are kept" Literally garrisoned. But
the child of God is kept by the power
of God" SO that no power can break
through the protection. The only way
that injury can come to any of them is
by their refusing the protection by
wandering away from God. Through
faith" on our part, the faith that holds
onto God. that lives in and through
Him. Unto (a) salvation. ready to be
revealed in the last time" Disciples
have foretastes of this salvation here
and now. Even in this world eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man the
things which God hath prepared
for them that love Him. Il Cor. 2-9);
but the fullness of Gods salvation can
never be known till we reach the
heavenly city and experience its joys,
unspeakable and full of glory, at the
time of the restitution of all things.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.