The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-12-08
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER I2.

I've, I-ob 10, 1o-oOlueu 1ext: IL llH,
vi, documentary on the Lesson
by the Rev. DR.. d. NJ. Stea1ns.
1. II charge thee therefore God, and the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the
quick and the dead, and by His appearing
and His kingdom, These are some OF the
last words Of Paul by the Spirit to Timothy,
his dearly beloved son In the faith (chapter
l., q, OF whom he said that he had no man
so dear unto him phil. H., 20, margln). He
had been urging him to be strong in the
grace that Is in Christ Jesus; to endure
hardness as good soldier and please Him
self approved unto God. ....
g. "Preach the word. Be instant In sea-
son, out of season. Reprove, rebuke, ex-
hort with all long suffering and doctrine" "
In chapter ILL.,, 16, II, he had said that all
Scripture Is given by inspiration Of God
and Is profitable that the man of God may
be thoroughly furnished unto all good
works, and now be extorts him to use that
word faithfully, the word which he had
known from childhood Qii., 15). Paul
teaches to hold fast the faithful word
Titus l., 81; to hold forth the word Of life
(Phil. H., 16), and to rightly divide the
word OF truth QI Tim. H., 15).
8. "Eor the time will come. when they
will n& endure sound doctripe, but after
their own lusts shall they heap to them
selves teachers, having :itching ears" How
long we have already been In those times
I cannot say, but that we are in them no
one can question. Lovers Of self, lovers
of pleasure more than lovers of God hav-
Ing a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof Chapter ILL.,, 1-4), are things
too plainly seen. Some men who have the
rule in church affairs do not hesitate to
ask for pastors who will give them the
thought Of the age rather than the word
Of God, and there are pastors who are
more ready to please the people than to
preach the preaching which God bids
them. False prophets as in the olden time.
4. "And they shall turn away their ears
from the truth and shall be turned unto
fables" Then because they receive not
the love Of the truth that they might be
saved, God shall send them strong, delu-
sion that they should believe lie that
they all might be judged who, believed not
the truth, but had pleasure in unrighte ous-
ness Oh, Thess. H., 10-12). It Is surely a
woefu1 sight to see large congregations
gather to listen to those who discard por-
tions Of the word of God and call other
portions myths. r,- a.-
s. "But watch thou In all things, endure
afifctions, do the work OF an evangelist,
make full proof of thy ministry" There
Is no pattern for minister or evangelist
but the Lord Jesus Himself. Hewas filled
with the Spirit, led by the Spirit, spoke the
words which the Father told Him and did
always those things which pleased the
Father (John xiii, 49; WILL, 29). When He
suffered, He said, "Even 80, Father" and
he finished the work which the Father
gave Him to do CMath. xi., 26; John xviii, ~.
6. 'For am now ready to be offered and
the time of my departure Is at hand" Long
before this He had said, 81 am read
name Of the Lord Jesusp (Aots xxi, 13). It
was His constant desire that; Christ should
be magnifled In His body whether by life or
death lPhil. l., 20). He knew that to die
|, would he gain and to be with Christ would
be very far better Phil. l., 81, 2S). But now
He seemed sure that He was soon going
home. He speaks of 1t as His departure.
The body would die, the tabernacle be
taken down, but he, Paul, the person IN the
body, would depart to be with Christ, and
would be absent from the body and present
, with the Lord.
=. "I have fought a good fight; have
finished my course; have kept the faith."
It is the fight Of faith, and the life OF faith,
and the walk Of faith q Tim. VI, u; Gal; !;
H.. 20: Col, H., g. 1t Is believing God all
the way through and all that He has said.
AS Paul put It elsewhere. Believing all
things that are written In the law and In
the prophets" (Acts XIV, 1G. It is not
a faith that can ever be made to suit the
times. As Dr.. Weston says, "1f Christ
taught as many teach he would never
have been cruciaed for IT," We must
earnestly contend for the faith that was
once for all delivered to the saints, and re-
member that Paul said, 1T any one, even
an angel from heaven. preach any other
gospel, let him be accursed" Dude ILL.,;
Gal. t., 8, 81.
a crown of Righteousness which the Lord,
the righteous Judge, shall give me at that
day, and not to me only, but unto all them
also that love His appearing" Crowns,
as understand 1t, are rewards for service
TO be given to those who earn them, tnat
thew NAV have somewhat to cast at His
feet in that day Rev. w., 10). They are
not given to US when we die, but only at
the appearing Of our Lord at the resurrec-
tion of the Just duke xiv, "A; Pet. ", 4;
Rev. xiii, 12). have often referred TO
the other four to be given to the faitniui
for four distinct kinds Of service, but this
one is for those who in all their service
carry with them icertain attitude OF soul
VIZ, loving His appearing. When he
comes to the air for His people, I firmly
believe that every saint will meet Him, but
MANY may be ashamed and many receive
no crowns q John H., 2S; I Cor. ILL.,, IA, l6):;
16, cat my first answer no man STOOD
with me, but all forsook me-" To stand
alone for the right Is intimate fellowship
with our Lord, who said to the eleven, eye
shall be scattered and shall leave Me alone,
and vet am not alone, for the Father Is
with Me" (John xvi, 32). David was aw,,
fully alone when his faithful 600 turned
against him and talked of stoning him, he
being at the time in like painful circum.
stances with themselves. but 1t is written
that David encouraged himself in the Lord
his God q Sam. Xxx, g..
II. notwithstanding the Lord STOOD
with Me and strengthened me, that by me
the preaching might be fully known. and
that all the gentiles might hear, and was
delivered ont of the mouth o. the lion." He
hath said will never leave thee nor forsaKe
thee, so that we may boldly say the Lord
Is my helper (Heb. xiii. 5, s.. Happy are
those who can say from the heart, "behold,
God is my salvation; will trust, ana not
be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah 1s my
strength and my song" lisa. Kill, y.
18. "And the Lord shall deliver me from
every evil work and will preserve me unto
His heavenly kingdom, to whom, be glory
for ever and ever. Amen" Yet IN the race
of this and Phil. l., 6, and II Tim. l., IL, and
similar strong assurances, there are tnose
who insist that Paul feared lest AFTER all ne
might be lost. Perish the thought that any
true child Of God can ever perish!-Lesson
Helper.