Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-09-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON XII, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, SEPT. IL.

Text of the Lesson. Rom. xiv, 12-23-A
Temperance I.esson-Memory Verses. o.
e1-Goldea Text, Rom. xiv, ai-com-
mentary By the Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
account Of himself to God" This epistle
may be divided into three sections and la
beled doctrinal Chapters to viiD. dispen-
sational chapters tx to XII and practical
xii to xvii. The practical, with which we
now have to do, may be subdivided as fol-
lows: xii, character; Kill, relation TO civil
rulers; xiv, relation to brethrGn: XIV, labors;
xvi, Christian salutatious. So that we find
ourselves today dealing with the practical
question of right relations to the brethren,
and specially in the matter of eating and
drinking We gre reminded of the judg-
ment seat d Christ Verse 10; see also II
Cor V, 10y and of individual responsibility.
10. LET Us not therefore judge one an
other any more, but judge this rather, that
no man put stumbling block or an occa-
sion to fall in his brothers way" In Cor.
iv, 5, we are exhorted to judge nothing be-
fore the time until the Lord come. In Jas.
ii, IS, it is written that "he shall have
Judgment without mercy that hath showed
no mercy, and mercy rejoiceth against
Judgment" while Jesus Himself said, IF
We had known what this meaneth, will
have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not
have condemned the guiltless" (Math. xii,
.. We are here not TO live unto ourselves,
but unto the Lord oversees Z, 81 and by
Christlike life lead people unto Him.
II. Il know and am persuaded by the
Lord Jesus that there is nothing uncleaa
of itself; but to him that esteemeth any
thing to be unclean. to him 1t is unclean.n
Jesus taught that mot that which goeth
into the mouth defileth man. but that
which cometh out of the mouth" (Math,
XIV, III. And Paul in another place teaches
us that if one should see fit to accept an in
vitation to eat with an unbeliever the prop
er thing would be TO eat what is provided,
asking no question for conscience sake Il
Cor. X, 27) unless the host should say,
This is offered in sacrifice to idols" Then
believer could not eat of it. The glory of
God must be the one aim in all eating and
drinking as well as in all else Il Cor. X. Sl)
Is. But IL thy brother be grieved with
thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably
Destroy not him with thy meat for whom
Christ died. This matter is more fully
dwelt upon in l Cor. viii, l-l3, and Is
summed up in verse Is, Wherefore, if meat
make my brother to offend will eat no
/ flesh while the world standeth." The great
question with believer should not be,
MAY / do this or that and not sin.' but
'How can best hasten His kingdom and
win men to Himy"
16, Let not, then, your good be evil
l spoken of. J." a perfectly lawful act, some
I thing that | might 90 or enjoy with n clear
conscience before God, might be misunder-
stood by a weak brother and become to
him stumbling block, in which case it
would be for the glory of God and the good
of the weak brother for me to refrain from
even that which in Gods sight might be in
nocent.
| H. For the kingdom of God is not meat
and drink, but righteousness and peace and
| Joy in the Holy Ghost The chief business
of those for whom Christ died is not eating
and drinking, but n right relation to God,
our neighbors and ourselves. The founda-
tion is righteousness Rom. Y, 8, 4; ii Cor.
V, 21) the state is peace Rom. v, /; Eph. ii,
| ~, and the manifestation is Joy John XIV,
| IL; xvi, "A; Rom. XIV. lSl. All will be dis
order and confusion until we seek first the
kingdom Of God and Ills righteousness
| (Math. vi 33), not for ourselves merely, but
/ for all whom we may reach.
| is. For he that in these things serveth
| Christ Is acceptable to God and approved
Of men" Having received Christ as our
Saviour we are always accepted in Him
| (Eph. i, g., but for this reason we seek to
be accepted OF him rs to cur service. I'VE
| labor that whether present or absent we
may be accepted Of Him" QI Cor V, ix).
! Salvation full and free is Gods gift towho-
soever will. We are saved by grace not Of
works lest any one should boast tEph. ii, q.
Rom. iv, 81, but We work because we are
saved. This is profitable to men, and we
shall be rewarded according to our works
| (Eph. ii, 10; Titus iii, 8; Cor. iii, s; Rev
xxi, 12).
| 10. Let us therefore follow after the
| things which make for peace and things
| wherewith one may edify another" Our
| Lord and Saviour is the Prince of Peace,
and mind staid on Him will have n per-
! feet peace. Thus we shall be able to publish
| peace lisa. tx, 6: XVI. 3: lii. Z; Rom. X, 49,
go FOR meat deztroy not the work of
| God. All things indeed are pure, but it is
evil for that man who eateth with offense,n
Unto the pure all things are pure, but I'M
| to them that are detiled and unbelieving is
nothing pure" tT'itus i, l5l. In this lesson,
however, it is the brethren-the believers
whom we are TO be careful not to offend.
q. ut is good neither to eat flesh, nor 70
drink wine, nor anything whereby thy
| brother stumbleth or is Offended or is made
weak" 1t is only telling a part Of the truth
| to select from this the drinkingo Of wine and
make it n so called temperance lesson,
| while the many other things that offend are
| left untouched. a good worker on the side
| Of total abstinence may possibly be n
| stumbling block In other directions, and so
| in any other department of Christian work.
The only sure way is to adopt II Cor. iy,
/ H. as u daily motto and be willing to die
to self in all directions that the life Of
| Christ may be manifest In our mortal flesh.
| When we can truly say, Not !, but Christ,
who liveth in me" gal. ii, 20), all will be
we'll
~. Hast thou faiths Have it to myself
before God. Happy is he that condemneth
not himself in that thing which lie allow
eth" for IL our heart condemn us not
then have we confidence toward God q John
| iii, 2D To live always as in the sight Of
| the Lord with n constant aim to please
Him will surely give life free from Of
/ lenses. walk before Me and be thou per-
/ feet, upright, sincere" was Gods word to
| Abram Gen. xvii, /, margin). To us the
| Spirit says through Paul, Whatsoever ye
| DO, DO IL heartily, as to the Lord and not
unto men" tCol. iii. 23).
%. And he that doubteth Is damned Tor
| condemned) il he eat, because he eateth not
OF faith, for whatsoever is not OF faith is
sim" 1t is sin TO do what you doubt to be
right; it is also sin not to do what you
| know TO be right (Jns Nv, ~. II every
thing is tested by "Nyill it please Jesusf"
all will be well. All life Is either for self
/ T. - ~ -
/ for God and man, never for self, and could
1 truly say to his Father. II have gloriied
\ Thee on the earth" All right relations to
man must spring from right relations to
| God. Without faith it is impossible to
| please Him, for be that cometh to God
must believe that lie is, AID that lie is the
rewarder Of them that diligently seek Him
/ (Heb. xii.
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