The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-10-18
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
OCTOBER ~.
Lesson Text: ssChristian Living,"
Romans xiii, 1-15-GoldeR
Text: Romans xiii, 21
commentary


sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service" By the mercy
which provides redemption freely for the sim
ner. which justifies and sanctifles and puts
the Justly condemned in the place Of no con-
demnation, with the assurance OF no separa-
tion-because ofthis great love and grace OF
God 1t Is surely reasonable service Or. V.
margin, spiritual worship") to do what is
acceptable or we'll pleasing unto Him In
yielding our bodies a living sacrifice. The
sacrifices on the altar were dead sacrifices,
soon consumed. We are to go on living
daily death unto self that this life OF Christ
may be made manifest in our bodies II Cor.
iv., 1T.
2. "And be not conformed to this world,
but be ye transformed by the renewing ofyour
mind. that ye may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will OF God
'Not OF the world" Is the repeated statement
of our Lord concerning his disciples in John
xvii, That we may be conformed to the
image OF Christ is the way it Is stated in Rom.
viii, %; II Cor. ILL.,, 18.
g. "For say, through the grace given un.
to me, to every man that is among you not
to think of himself more highly than he
ought to think, but to think soberly accord
ing as God hath dealt to every man the meas
ure of faith" In the matter Of salvation
there is no room for boasting, for all is OF
grace (Rom. ill.,, 27 Eph. H., s. 81; is the
UNDERSIGNED favor Of God to every one with
out exception. In the matter Of Christian
life there is no room for boasting either, for
whether it be much labor or much holiness
we can only say, "Not I, but Christ" "Not I,
but the grace OF Cod (Gal. H., 20; Cor.
xv, 10) There is no room for self, but
Christ must be all.
4. ''For as we have many members in one
oil hau
office"-all believers are members OF His
body Eph. ", 30), many members, yet but
one body Il Cor xiii, 20), all controlled by
the one Head and guided by the same Spirit.
5. $50 we, being many, are one body In
Christ, and every one members one OF an
other" The church is His body, the full
ness of Him that f1lleth all in all (Eph. j.,
29). No member Of our bodies can say to
another II do not need you," but In o
other, and feet and hands cheerfully accom-
plish the pleasure Of the eyes and Of the mind.
So should it be in the church.
6. "Having then gifts differing according
to the grace that is given to US, whether
prophecy, let us prophesy according 10 the
proportion Of faith" The manifestation oil
the Spirit Is given to every man to profit
withal, the same spirit dividing to every man
severslly as He will q Cor. XII, 7-11), and
the perfection of the Christian life Is to be
completely filled and continually controlled
by this Blessed Spirit whom God is more
willing to give to those who truly seek than
parents are to give good things to their chill
dren duke XII, 1S).
7. ''Or ministry. let US wait on our min
istering or he that teacheth on teaching. !"
Young defines prophecy to be the public ex-
position of the word. Ministry Is service
acting as deacon. Teaching Is instruction,
or making to know. -
8. 'Or he that exh 3rteth, on exhortatiou
he that giveth, let him do 1t with simplicity I
he tnat ruleth, with diligence; he that show.
eth mercy, with cheerfulness. To exhort Is
to call near to, to cheer, or encourage. I'm.
parting is to be liberal, and so with zeal and
Joy God is in all things to be glorifed q Cor.
T., 31). Instead Of living under any bond.
age In any sense whatever. the whole mat.
ter Is simplified by putting Gal. H., 20, with
the first two verses Of our lesson and letting
the Lord Jesus be the sole ruler in our bodies.
0. "Let love be without dissimulation.
Abhor that which is evil. Cleave to t'4at
which is good" In II Cor. vi, 6; Pet. l.,
%, the Holy Spirit Is associated with un.
feigned love, for where He controls there
can be no hypocrisy. Therefore be filled
with the Spirit (Eph. ", 1920. Thus also
the evil will become distasteful and the good
attractive.
10. ''Be kindly affectionate one to another
with brotherly love, in honor preferring one
another" Or, as in Eph. iv., 80, "Be ye kind
one to another, tender hearted. forgiying one
another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you," and walk in love. In lowlE
ness of mind let each esteem others better
than themselves (Phil. H., 81, seeking the
welfare of others rather than your own.
II. "Not slothful in business, fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord" In the R. V. the
first clause reads, "In diligence not sloth.
full The last clause will cover the othertwo,
for ii we do all things heartily as to the Lord
and not unto men, knowing that Of the Lord
we shall receive the reward of the inherit
ance, for we serve the Lord Christ (CoL i'll. !,
%, 24), all will be we'll.
-. "Rejoieing in hope, patient in tribu.
lation, continuing instant in prayer" Re-
joicing in hope Of the glory of God, and
gloryirg in tribulations also, is the way 1t
is stated in chapter ", %. Contemplating
the glory to be revealed enables US 10 think
little of present sufferings (chapter vin., 18).
19. distributing to the necessity OF saints /,
given to hospitality" Ministering to the
saints Is our only way Of ministering to
Christ, and all done for even tho least is
K, 42). AS 10 the latter clause, 1t Is written,
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for
thereby some have entertained angels un-
awares' (Heb. xiii. ,2). Compare Gen. xviii,
2, %, with xix. 49, If we consider our.
selves and all we have as the Lords, we will
be ready both to entertain and distribute. d,
II. "Bless them which persecute you
bless and curse not" So our Lord taught.
sLove your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you and pray
for them which despitefully use you and
persecute yOu that va NAV he the children
of your Father which Is in heaven" (Math. ",
AZ. Even the law taught, "Thou shalt not
hate thy brother In thine heart thou shalt
not avenge nor bear any grudge" (Lev. xix,
IT, 18).
15 "Rejoice with them that do rejoice and
weep with them that weep" Because we
are members of ono body each member
should rejoice or suffer with the other
members, being animated by one spirit and
Joined to one head. The rest Of the chapter
Is just as practical rs the verses we have con-
idered. Be contented with mean things
(verse 16), remembering Him who became
poor for US. Instead Of indulging In wrath,
rather give place to the wrath Of God (verse
10, r. Y. margin).
Obedience to the first verse, the complete
Fielding Of ones self to the Lord, that He
may be the sole occupant of these bodies,
will cover the whole lesson and accomplish
!he fulfllment Of every precept. Lesson
Helper.