The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-12-15
THE SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER -.

Lesson Text. "JoI,n's Message About Sia
and Salvation," I John L., . to H., g.
Golden Text. I John L., O--LessoD
Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.
8. "This then is the message which we
have heard of Him and declare unto you,
that God is light and In Hin Is no darkness
Mt aiI." John wrote his gospel that wo
might believe that Jesus Is tho Christ, the
Son OF God, and believing have life in Him
(John xx., 31). He wrote this epistle that
we who believe might know that we havo
eternal life, bo full of joy and not sin
(Chapters ", 10; l., 4; H., ~. Knowing Jesus
personally, having heard and seen and
looked upon and handled Him, he declares
Him as the Word OF Life, that we, too, may
have fellowship with him, and with
the Father, and with Jesus Christ.
O. "If we say that we have fellowship
with Him and walk In darkness, we lie and
do not tell the truth" From the beginning
Of the Bible story light Is suggestive Of God
and darkness OF sin and satan. Tho waste
and void and dark condition Of things In
Gen..i.,2, seems to hnve been the result Oft
Judgment, which must have come upon tho
earth, for, according to lisa. XIV, 18, II. ",
compared with Gen. L., g. God did not create
the earth waste and void. Isa. xxxiv., II,
and Jer. w., %, are the only other two
places where we have the same combina-
tion OF Hebrew words as in Gen. L., 2, and
In each case a judgment Is manifest.
2. "But II we walk In the light, as He IL
in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood Of Jesus Christ His
Son clennseth us from all SIM Light
light is OF God. Not only did Jesus Christ
say, ~ nm the light OF the world" but Ho
also said to His own, aye are the light OF
the world; let your light so shine before
men that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father which IL in heaven"
(AIath ", IA, 16). II we walk with God. we
cannot but walk In the light, but walking
with God implies at least two things-viz.,
humility, such as Is not natural to us, and
perfect agreement with God about every
thing (Mic. vi, s, margin; Amos ill.,, 81.
8. 'If we say that we have no sin. we
deceive ourselves. and the truth is not in
u.s." There arc those who conclude from
the previous verse that oil sin, root and
branch, Is removed from their beings, but
such thought Is contrary to the teaching
OF Scripture, and surely the Holy Spirit In
placing the statement OF this verse just
where He has sought to correct any such
false teaching. While we are in these NOR
tai bodies the flesh or old nature remains
ia u.s. -and lusteth against the Spirit, but
the Spirit Is also In us as children OF God
by faith in Christ Jesus and keeps us from
the things which otherwise We might do
(Gal. ", II, II. W.
D. "If we confess our sins, He Is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from oil unrighteousness."
While In the mortal body always delivered
to death for Jesus sake-i. O., the death Of
SELF or the flesh or sinful nature UI Cor.
w., 1D, IL We sin against God as all are
liable to do, hero Is our comfort, that in
stant confession OF sin brings instant for
giveness through the blood OF Christ, and
then we must go on moro watchfully and
prayerfully.
10. "If wo say that we have not slnncd
we make Him q liar, and Ills word Is not
In u.s." John Is writing to those who are
children OF God by faith in Christ Jesus
for only such rs have received Christ are
children of God (John l.. 12). Others are
children ofthe devil even though they may
bo very religious, according to our Lord in
John WILL, A.
2-1. "My little children, these things
write unto you that ye sin not, and If any
man sin we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" Our
marching orders day by day are to sin not:
We have been redeemed by the blood OF
Christ, that tho righteousness OF the law
might be fulfilled In us who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit (Rom. viii, ~.
Surely God has made full provisions for us
to live this life which He would have us
clete with Him, Jesus Christ the right
eous, and by our paraclete in US, the Holy
Spirit; yet SO weak are we and often so un-
watchful that Notwithstanding the abun.
dant provision we grieve both Father, Son
and Spirit.
sins, and not for ours only, but also for tho
sins OF tho whole world" Propitiation
hero signifies atonement, reconciliation
sacrifice, and that provided by God through
Christ is sufficient for all the world. There
Is no forgiveness of sins apart from Him
and His great work, but in and through
Him there is sufficient for all who will ac-
cept Him, even for every soul on earth IL
they will come. How shall they come II
they do not hear?
9. "And hereby we do know that we
know Him IL we keep His command
ments." Not faultless conformity, for
there Is none such on earth, nor ever was,
except In Christ, but hearty acceptance
OF and willing subjection to His whole re-
vealed will. He Himself said, "He that
hath My commandments and keepeth
them, he 1t Is that loveth Me-
4. "He that saith, know Him, and
keepeth not His commandments, is u liar,
and the truth Is not in him." So skillful Is
satan in perverting tho truth and in blind
ing people that he leads some to say, "Oh,
u does not matter very much how / live.
I believe In Jesus Christ, and therefore I
nm saved. III my life ls not quite correct,
Twill only lose my works." Now such are
evidently deceiving themselves, and are
liars. Believing about Jesus Christ saves
no one. He must be received into the heart
| and that Is the Scriptural sense OF peiieV-
| ing (John l., 12).
S. But whose keepeth His word, in him
verify is the love of God perfected. Hereby
know we that we are in Him." When We
receive letters from those whom we love,
we treasure them and read them many
times, and live on them. A mere casual
reading OF letter, and that but once,
would not indicate much love for the writer.
How, then, can those be said to love God
who care not for His word?
6. "He that saith he abideth In Him,
ought himself also so to walk even as He
walked" He could say, '"rhe Father hath
sent Me, and I live by the Father" But
He also said, GAS the Father hath sent Me,
so send you," and "He that eateth Me,
even he shall live by Me" (John vi, 81; Xxx,
21). Now He was here wholly for God,
speaking the words Of God, doing the will
OF God, always pleasing God. There Is no
other way for us, and we must be willing
to renounce self. deny self, die daily unto
self that His life may be manifest in US, or