The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-15
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOE
NOVEMBER 10.
Lesson Text: "Imitation Of Christi
Eph. tv., 20-32 : Golden
Text: Eph. iv., 81 -
Comm entary. q

who with darkened understandings, alienat-i
ed from the life of God through ignorance
and blindness, walk in the vanity OF their
mind, and then he adds this word to
the saints. The Christians walk or LIE fs to-
be the most marked and manifest contrast to-
that Of the worldling we are to walk not as
other gentiles, but worthy Of our vocation In
love as children of light, and circumspectly
(chaper w., II, /. and chapter ", 2, 8, 15).
81. "If 30 be that ye have heard Him and
have been taught by Him as the truth Is I'M
Jesus" We hear Christ and are taught by.
Him when we hear His word either directly
from'the Bible or through His servants, even!
as He said, .He that heareth you hearethi
Me, and he that despiseth you despiseth Me-
and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that
sent Me" duke x, 16). We must, however,
see that all messages are according to thei
book, and now more than ever must watch
for the Messenger elsa. viii, 20)..
%. "That ye put OF concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt
accordin9to the deceitful lusts. Or as In
Col. Ill.,, Q; "Put off the old man with his,
deeds" This old man, or carnal mind orf.
flesh or body Of death, as it ts varfousiy,
called, Is not subject to the law Of God and
never can be. It is said to have been ,cruci-.
fed with Christ, and We are TO reckon 1t dead {
and have done with It (Rom. vlH., vi, 6,
11). 1t is the II, myself" partof US whose
acquaintance we are to cut forever and know
no more. u z. Z u !. i Il 3
%. ':And be renewed in the spirit Of, your
mind" The new birth, by which we becomei
thingwe never had before, even Christ Htm-I
self into our hearts (John l.. u, 13). Then
weare to yield our whole being to Him that
He may fill the temples, our bodies, with
Himself and His Spirit, and so transform us !,
by the renewing OF our minds, conforming Us
to His own image Rom. VI, .1s; xhp !, a.
viii, 29). ~ /:
a. "And that ye put on the new man,
which after God Is credited in righteo usnessi
"not I, but Christ, who hyeth In me-" for wef
are His workmanship created In Christ Jesus
unto good works, which God hath before
prepafed that we should walk in them, these
works being wrought by "not /, but thei
grace of God with US" (Gal. H., 20; Eph. d. :
10; Cor. xv., 10). We were chosen In Him
that we should be holy (chaptert J., .Dc !:
25. "Wherefore, putting away lying, speak
every man truth with his neighbor, for we,
are members one of another" Our business
here is the building up Of the body OF Chrtst, !:
and this win never be accomplished by lying, !;
but by speaking the truth In love Oversees u, I
15) Some common ways of lying are to say:
we know Him and yet not keep Bis. COM:
mandments, or to say we love God and yet
not love our brethren q John IL, A.; ty., 20l. =
AS to deceit and lying, read Ps. ci, &
&C. !sfBe ye angry and sin not let not the.
sun 20 down upon your wrath" 1t must Do;
possible, then, to be angry without commn.
ting sin, and yet In verse 81 we are to PUT
away ali anger It is q different word In the,
Greek In each code, but neither word seemsI
to indicate G work Of the Spirit. Sin not II,
plain enough and Is confirmed By, I John u.
/; therefore let our daily prayer be "Vouch-,
safe, Lord, to keep us this day without
SIM" and let US expect Him to dol 81 8,
a. Neither give place to the devil /" Ale
doubts and fears and forebodings are very,
apt to be from him. Therefore, as one has
said never offer him a chair and consent to-
talk the matter over with him, but refer HIM
instantly to your Advocate and hold no par.
ley with him q John IT,, y. Resist him with,
the sword Of the Spirit and the shield OF faith;
(Jas: w., I'll Pet. ", 8, 9; Eph. VI, IL, l6,s
17). ..... go ~
2s. s.Let him that stole steal no more, butt
rather let him labor, working with his hands.
the thing which Is good, that he may hayetot
give to him that needeth." The eighth COM
mandment (Ex. Xxx, 15) Is emphatic upon
the first clause. The second is supported BY
Acts xx., 35, where Paul says, 81 have showed
you all things. how that 80 laboring ye ought!
to support the weak" Observe why wo.
ought to labor, not simply for your own sup
port, but to have something for the needy.
20. sLet no corrupt communication pro-
ceed out OF your mouth, but that which is
good to the use of edifying, that 1t may min
lister grace unto the hesrers." The words OF
our mouths and meditation OF our hearts are
to be acceptable unto Him Cps. XIX, 14).i,
Foolish talking and jesting are not becoming
(chapter ". A., and all idle words must be-
given account OF (Math. iii, 96).z Who is
sufficient for this? He says, "My grace tsf
sufficient for thee. q
80 "And grieye not the Holy Spirit oE
God. whereby ye are sealed unto the DAY OF
redemption." Unbelievers may resist thft
snirit (Acts vii. 5l), but believers may
grieve or quench Il Thess. ", 19). He Is q
Holy Spirit and Spirit Of truth ;therefore.
ANYTHING impure or deceitful must grieyei
Him. II He fill us (chapter W, 18) BE wiz
make as as sensitive to evil as the eye 1s TO-
the least particle Of dust, He Is our dear,
Friend and abiding Comforter to show us;
the things of Christ and guide us unto an
truth John xvi. IS, 14). He jealousy de-
sireth US to be all for Jesus (Jas. w., 5: mar
gin).
clamor and evil speaking be put away from
YOU with all malice Perhaps we are most
ant to sin manifestly in the line OF evilspeak-,
ing. See JAS. w., II, with Zsch. VIII. 10 X
viii. II. But bitterness In tho heart is the
most insidious. and the Lord searcheth our
hearts and understandeth all the imasina-
tons OF our thoughts Il Chron. xviii, y:
We can only trust Him to give US clean and
pure hearts and then to keep them so, for VIC
cannot, but He is able. T.. ~
Wash. Lord, and purify my heart,
And make It clean in every part.
And when 'tis clean, Lord, keepit, too,
For that is more than can do.
50. "And re "a kind one to another. ten
der hearted. forgiving one another, even as
God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
The love Of God in Christ to US should con-
strain us to love others. for only thus can We
prove our love to God q John ILL.,, 10; John
yv., 12). As God was manifest in Christ, SO
Christ should be manifest in US to tho siory
of God and the good Of others. Since God
has forgiven US our great debt we should
s-raiy forgive the little debts OF Others to US,
for what comparison can there be between
the greatest wrong OF others to us and OUT
sins against God? Believing that Cod hsth
forgiven us (I John IL. 12) and t1at vs. arg
sealed (chapter l.. 13, l4) will enable US ifceiy
TO forgive others. Helper.
Wages in China.