Passaic City record., 1893-12-09
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
DECEMBER 10.
Lesson Text: HThe Heayenly In
heritance," 1 Peter L., 1-12-,
Golden Text: Col. t., r.
Commentary.

1. "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to
the strangers scattered throughout Pontus,
Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. 81
The writers of the epistles know but one
master-theyare either servants or apostles
OF Jesus Christ-and being controlled by the
Spirit they glorify Him (Math. xiii, 8;
John xvi, 14). Their aim is to help the1n
fellow strangers to be holy in their lives and
full of good works that God may be glorified
(chapter H., IL, IL.
2. ''Elect according to the foreknowledge
of God the Father, through s..nctification OF
the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of
the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace unto you
and peace be multiplied" Scriptural elec-
tioD is the choosing of some to bless others,
these chosen ones being taken out from the
rest that they may be specially qualified for
special service (Eph j., IL Rom. viii, 29l.
The exceeding abundance of His grace ami
peace is given to such that through them it
may be multiplied to others. If you have
received Him, you are one OF His elect. II
you have not received Him, you may do SO
at once (John vi. 81 ill.,, Is: Rev. xii,
I'D.
s. "3lessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His
abundant mercy hath begotten US again unto
lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead" The significance of
the resurrection is fully stated in Cor XIV.
10, Co. ne VINO was ueau Is ailNe ioESNSr-
more, and at the right hand of God are the
evidence of our justification and the sssur-
ance of our continued life (Rev. l.. IS Rom.
iv 25; viii, 34). To be identified with
r.san, living Christ, who has all power in
heaven and on earth, andto be commissioned
as His ambassadors 10 proclaim His salvation
is surely the highest honor that mortal man
can enjoy on this earth (John xviii. Is III
Cor. v. 20l.
To - inheritance incorruptible and
undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved
in heaven for you" All things here are
perishable. but the word of the Lord and the
glory of the Lord endureth forever (verses
"a. 25: John H., II; II %. xiii. asl Jesus
at the right hand of God is not only our
righteousness and cur life, but also the as
surance that our bodies shall yet be just like
His and that we shall reign with Him Il Cor.
xv., %; Phil. ill.,. 81, Rev. " 9. 10l.
5. who are kept by the power OF God
through faith unto salvation ready to be re-
yealed in the last time" Jesus does the saw
ing and the keeping, and we do the trusting
and obeying. See how we are kept in Jude
Rom. xiv. 4 Isa. xiii. 13. Salvation is
olffs now if we have received Christ. Weare
also day by day working it out. and yet we
are waiting for it. for it is every day nearer
than when we believed QI Tim. i, 8; Phil.
H., II. 13; Rom. Kill, 1D. 1t is a threefOld
salvation. We have eternal lite, we are mani
Testing that life, and we expect the glorified
body and the joys OF the kingdom.
3. 'Whereln We greatly rejoice, though
now for season. If need be, We are in heavi-
ness through manifold temptation. We
will surely rejoice if we believe the facts, but
not otherwise, for JOY and reace come only
by believing (Rom, XIV, 49,. Jesus told us
that we must expect tribulation, but that we
may have peace (John xvi, 33. Paul testi-
fles that it is possible TO be joyful, yea, even
exceeding joyful, in tribulation (Rom. VS.
II Cor. wi. -
7. THAT the trial of your faith, being much
more precious than OF gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire, might be found
unto praise and honor and glory at the ap-
pearing of Jesus Christ. 1t is most profit
able study to mediate on the word "pre-
cious'' in these two epstles Il Pet. l.. z, 19;
IL, 4, ] II Pet. j., 1, A. Faith thai cannot
endure is very questionable faith. We must
steadfastly believe and wait patiently till He
come JAS v T. ST. Cor iv., 5) Then we
shall see how all our light Affections have
been working out for far more exceed
ing aad eternal weight of glory (II Cor iv.,
I'D
"Whom having not seen ye love, in
whom, though now ye see Him NOT, yet be-
ieving, yd rejoice in the Joy unspeakable
and full of glory Some think that if they
could only see Him they you'd love Him, but
He said blessed are they that have not
seen and yet have believed" (Johr Xxx, 29).
To faith unseen things become very real and
may be enjoyel almost as a present pos
session. The city which Abraham looked for,
and the recompense of the reward which sus-
tanned Moses, and the glory to be revealed
which Paul saw We're wondrousy real to
them and will be to US if we only believe
(Heb. XII, 10. 25. 26; Rom. viii, 49,
8. Receiving the end of your faith, even
the salvation of your souls" This is not
very clear unless it refers to the joy which
%I., of olxyu-
ton. which is an earnest and a pledge of the
completed salvation at the revelation of
Christ. The ''now" of the previous verse
would point that way. 1t is our privilege to
rejoice that We are the children of God and
partakers OF the glory to berevealed (II Tim.
j., 2; Pet. ". L John ill.,. p
TO- 'Of which salvation the prophets have
inquired and searched diligently who pro-
phesied of the grace that should come unto
you. See Dan. j.. 2. 2 X. II. 81 To search
diligently seems to be .le sense OF John ",
SO, and not any careless reading or super
HcIal study, rather constant day and night
meditation as in P5. j., "a prayerful and
persevering comparing of Scripture with
Scripture in absolute dependence and re-
lance upon the Holy Spirit.
IL. "Searching what or what manner oftime
the Spirit OF Christ which was in them did
signify when it testified beforehand the suf-
ferings of Christ and the glory that should
fOliOW. Here Is the TACT Stated tnet the
Spirit of Christ was in the prophets and may
give some light upon chapte ill.,, 1920, tor
the Spirit of Christ was in Noah. ''The tes-
timony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy"
CRev. xix, 100. Here is also the fact that
the burden of prophecy is the sufferings of
Christ and the glory yet to be revealed. See
this illustrated fully in Ps. xxi. and Isa.
lii. as specimen chapters. By His suffering
we ace now redeemed, but we wait for the
glory to be revealed.
~. 'Unto whom it was revealed, that not
unto themselves, but unto US. they did min
lister the things which are now reported unto
you by them that have preached the gospel
unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down
from heaven, which things the angels desire
to look into'' Here are prophets and apos-
ties, in the power OF the Holy Spirit, minis
tering unto others. Angels also minis
terng spirits. Even the Son Of Man came
not to be ministered unto, but to minister
(dath. Xxx, 28), and if we are filled with His
spirit it will be our delight to live to be cham
nels of blessing to others. Some things we,
like the prophets. may have to pass on to
others without fully comprehending them,
the full understanding being only for mllen-