The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-17
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH 81. 4,
Lesson Text: "Christian Self Re-
straint," l Cor. TX, 1927
Golden Text: ] Cor. tx,
25-Commentary.

10. "For, though I be free from all zen,
yet have made myselfservant unto all, That
might gain the more" For the sake OF
temperance lesson we turn from the ma, ra-
tive In the Acts to section OF this epistle,
but 1t is a temperance lesson in the sense OF
every .orm Of restraint and control Of the
self life that the Christ life may be made
more manifest, and thus the gospel be lived
as we'll as preached in order to gain more
people for Christ. The section in which we
find our lesson begins with chapter viii, l,
and runs to the end Of chapter xi., the be-
ginning Of each section being easily recog-
nIzed by the words snow as touching" or
"now concerning Chapters vii, L; viii. l;
xiii, /; xvi, y. The central thought in this
section seems to be chapter K, 81, "Whether,
therefore, ye eat or drink or whatsoever yeN
do, do all to the glory of God" the object Of
such life being primarily that God In all
things may be glorif1ed through Jesus Christ
Il Pet. iv., 11), and then that some may be
saved (enapters i1., %; T., 33). Paul was
indebted to no one for favors; he was under
compliment to no one. He said to these very
Corinthians that II he had wronged them 1t
was in that he had not been burden to
them, and for this he asked their forgive-
ness. He sought them and not their posses.
sions CII Cor. xii, IS, ~. Being thus free
from obligations to all, except the obligation
laid up or him by God to preach the gospel
to all, he gladly became servant to all for
Christ's sake that he might. gain more for
Christ. ~
20. unto the Jews I became as Jew
that might gain the Jews" We must think
of Paul as a servant Of Christ. member OF
the body Of Christ In perfect joint and
health, under full and complete control OF
Christ, the head, and ever seeking In all
things to please Him (chapters ILL.,. s; XIII,
12; Gal. l., 10; I Thes. H., y. He had great
desire that Christ should be magnif1ed in his
body whether by life or death (Phil. l., 2O).
We must keep this in mind in considering
this and the next two verses lest We might be
tempted to think Paul guilty Of some incon-
Sistency or Of conniving at wrong thing In
order to win men to Christ. He was Jew
and knew what 1t was to live under the law.
In dealing with such he would, as~far as he
conscientiously could, put himself In their
place and from their standpoint lead them
70 Christ,
81. "To them that are without law, as
without law, that might gain them that
are without law" He often speaks of gen.
tiles as s'them that are without" BE would
have believers exercise special care In walk
ing honestly toward them as to win them.
As far as Paul could in the sight Of God, he
their eyes and from their standpoint sought
TO lead them to Christ that they might be
saved.
%. "To the weak became as weak that
might gain the weak. am made all things
to all men that I might by all means save
some" In Rom. xv., 1-3, he takes, as he al
ways does, Christ for his example and
teaches US not to please ourselves, but 9TH
ers. and to bear the inirmities OF the weak,
and this even in the common acts OF eating
and drinking, as the context shows. There
Is self centered life and o Christ centered
life, and, though strange 1t Is yet true, sadly
true, that the former is often manifest In be1
levers to the great grief of the Spirit and dis3
honor of God. Paul, like his Master, thought
not of himself, but OF how he could glorify'
Christ and win people to Him.
%. "And this I do for the gospels sake.
that might be partaker thereof with YOU"
What Is this which, as servant OF Christ. he
Is aiming to be a partaker of 1t cannot
be eternal life, the gift OF God, nor the for
giveness Of sins, nor peace with God, nor JUS
t1fication. nor sanctifcation, for all these
come TO US In Christ freely by virtue Of His
finished work. See Rom. it,, "a; ", /; I
Cor. ill.,, 21-23; vi, II. We do not work for
redemption and Its benefits: but, receiving
Christ as Gods unspeakable gift to us. we
believe that his divine power hath given
unto us all things that pertain unto life and
godliness CII Pet. L., 81. Being saved man
through the blood Of Christ, Paul knows
that denial Of self in preaching the gospel
will bring him reward Oversees II, 1s), and
he wishes the believers at Corinth to share
this with him. G...
"a. "Know ye not that they which run
In q race run all. but one receiveth the prize.
Go run thai We may obtain" Now, salvation
Is not obtained by running, for we cannot
run till we have obtained salvation. Until
We are saved We are dead In trespasses and
sins (Eph. H., s., and dead people cannot
run for God. To run in an ordinary race,
those who desire to run must first enter; SO
In the race before US, the Christian life or
Is at the cross. The fee is paid for all who
are willing to enter, for the blood Of Christ
cleanseth from all sin.
rs. "And every man that Striyeth for the
mastery Is temperate IN all things. Now,
they do it to obtain corruptible crown, but
we an incorruptible." The wreath. the
reward, the honor associated with the victor
in.the Grecian games soon faded OF passed
away, but the Christian seeks crown incor-
ruptible to cast at the feet OF Christ Grew. iv,
10). That there are rewards for the faithful
in addition to salvation. which is the Tree
gift Of God, and that 1t Is possible to be re-
warded or be saved and have no reward,
See Cor. iii, IA, Is; II John will; Rev.
xii, 10; Luke xiv, IA, etc.
26. "I therefore so run, not as uncertainty;
30 fight I, not as one thar beateth the air"
In an ordinary race there Is uncertainty as
to who shall win, and only one can possibly
win the prize. In the Christian race there
need be no uncertainty, for Christ Himself
will be the Judge, and He will reward every
one according to his works. All who will
may have rewards for service-the crown OF
life for patient endurance, the crown OF our
lesson for denial OF self. etc. (Jas. l., II;
Rev. H., 10; I Thess. il, 10; Pet. ", 4; II
Tim. iv 81.
27. "But I keep under my body and bring
1t into subjection, lest that by any means
when I have preached to others I myself
should be castaway." Not a lost soul, for
none of Christ's sheep can perish (John l.,
%, 29) but disapproved as to service. See
R, Y. Paul never questioned, nor ever taught
others to question. the eternal safety OF every
true believer (Phil. l., 6; II Tim. l., 12; Eph.
v, 25-27; Jude xxiv). But he did strongly
emphasize the possibility OF the loss of ser
vice and the necessity Of whole hearted
denial and renunciation of the self life (Gal,
H.. 90; VI, IA; II Cor. iv., 10, II; Rom. xii, !,
2).-Lesson Helper.