Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-05-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

ARRANGED from Peloubet's Notes.l
GOLDEN TEXT-Through the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved.
even as they--Acts 15:u-
TIME-Aboyt A. D. 50, as almost uni
versally agreed.
LESSON COMMENT.
I. A Serious Question Arises in the
Church.-Vs. /, 2. Gal. 81. The ques-
ton that divided the opinions of the
church was whether the Gentiles must
become Jewish proselytes, and submit
to the Jewish ceremonial law in order
to be saved.
Paul ssnIi the Gentle Christians denied
that there was any such obligation.
Repentance, faith in Christ, and a new
heart implanted by the Holy Spiritwere
the only conditions. The Jews might
keep their ceremonial law If they
wished, even as Paul and Barnabas did,
as a part of their national life, but 1t
must not be imposed upon the Gentiles
as a necessity
II. a Delegation is Sent to Jerusalem
for Advice--Vs- ?, 3. GAL 81, 2. 2.
NO small dissension and disputation-"
Both sides were sure they were right,
and found no way of agreement.
They determined" Under the guild
anee Of the Holy Spirit, as Paul says in
Galatians 2:2. ''That PAUL." The lead
er on the Gentle side, brought up
strict PhariSee, a, Hebrew of the He
brews; this was Paulis third visit to
Jerusalem. ''And Barnabas:" The
noble-hearted Levite who had given SO
much to the poor at Jerusalem, and was
gifted with the power of eXhortation.
''And certain others of them" Lead
ers who could testify to the work
among the Gentiles, and give weight to
the delegation. Among them was Titus
(Gal. 2:1), a Gentle Christian SHOULD
go up to Jerusalem about 800 miles
away, for advice.
III. The Discussion.-Vs. 4-21. Gal.
1929. 4. ''They were received of the
church," The word translated here
''were received implies a cordial recep-
ton on the part of the Jerusalem COM
munity, who welcomed with affection
Barnabas and Paul as the great mis-
sionaries of the faith
Peter in VS.. I'll, relates his own ex-
perience of the Divine vision, the con-
version of Cornelius, and the gift of the
Holy Spirit coming equally upon the
Gentiles and the jews, thus giving the
Divine Endorsement to their equality
in the new dispensation.
The Testimony of Paul and Barnabas
in V. IL is that God by miracles and won
ders had Endorsed their. action in receiv-
ing the Gentiles-
James, the chief of the Jerusalem
church and a very strict Jew, was con-
WINGED by the facts, by the working of
God, by His Spirit, and by finding the
same truth in the prophet Amos.
4. The Decision.-Vs. 1929. Gal.
go, 10. %. Then itpleased:" etc. The
whole church came to a unanimous de-
cision.
First, to send delegates. Judas, sur
named Barsabas:" son of Sabas. Moth
ing. is known of him. ''And SiIas:''
Shortened form of Silranus. He be
came Paufs missionary companion.
Second, they sent a written decision,
that those who had gone from Jerusa-
lem and troubled the Gentiles had ex-'
ceeded their authority The church
had given no commandment (the word
means express orders or injunction'')
that the Gentiles must become Jews in
order to be saved IS. 1T seemed good
to the Holy Spirit" BY His action upon
theGentilesa as related in the conference.
IS plainly as actions could speak, the
u
to u.s." Convinced by the arguments,
by the inspired Scriptures, and by the
workings of the Holy Spirit. What.
would convince them ought 70 convince
and satisfy the whole church every
where On the other hand. it was
right that for time, and under the cir
cumstances, the Genti1es should yield
something. to the position and legal
Of
for them to unite together
socially as Christian brethren. Three
of the required things were of this
kind. 90. Meats offered to idols:''
fdeat thus offered would have been.
killed in a way forbidden by the Jews,
and they would be liable 10 pollution.
and from Blood Blood was forbid
den to the Jews Iby the Leviticall law
Oev- 8: II; 17:1O-14), but among the
Gentlles, it was, in various forms, a
delicacy; they were ''accustomed to
drink blood mingled with wine at their
sacrifices"
And from things strangled:' - Things
strangled were not used as food by the
Jews, because the blood was still in
them. Abstinence from them was,
therefore, enjoined for the same reason.
These prohibitions were only tempo
raTy, and to meet the necessities of
Christian intercourse at the time Paul
discusses this question in Romans Il
and L Corinthians g.
But the fourth prohibition was diff
ferenf. "And from fornication:" This
was added because it was the peculiar
besetting sin of the Gentle converts,
who had grown up in an atmosphere
where it was not regarded as wrong,
but was often a part of the very worship
Of their gods. The LeviticaI law against
every form of unchastitv was extreme