Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-12-08
international gessplls.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON XII, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, DEC. 19.

Text of the Lesson. John 1, 8, to ii, @.
Memory Verses, $40 - Golden Text, I
John 1, Commentary by the Rev. d.
NJ. Stcarns.
s. "This then Is the message which we
have heard of Him and declare unto you,
that God is light and In Him Is no dark
ness at ALL" John wrote his gospel that
we might believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and believing have life In
Him John XIX, 81. He wrote this epistle
that we who believe might know that we
have eternal life, be full of joy and not
sin (chapters v, 13; 1, 4; II, y. 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.
6. "If we say that we have fellowship
with Him and walk in darkness, we lie
and do not the truth" From the begin
ming of the Bible story light is suggestive
of God and darkness Of sin and satan.
The waste and void and dark condition OF
things in Gen. l, 2, seems to have been the
result of a judgment which must have
come upon the earth, for, according to
lisa. xiv, 1s, r. ", compared with Gen. l.,
g. God did not create the earth waste and
void. lisa. xxxiv, II, and Jer. iv, %, are
the only other two places where we have
the same ombination Of Hebrew words as
in Gen. 1, 3, and in each case judgment
is manifest.
z. "But If we walk in the light, as He Is
in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His
Son cleanseth us from all SIM" Light
shines, discovers, beautiflcs, purifes, for
light is of God. Not only did Jesus Christ
say, ~ am the light of the world" but
He also said to His own, aye aro the light
of the world; let your light so shine be-
fore men that they may see your good
works and glorify your Father which Is in
heaven" (Math. v, II, 16). If we walk
with God, we cannot but walk In the light
but walking with God implies at least
two thjpgs-viz, humility, such as is not
natural to us. and perfect agreement with
God about everything (Mic. vi, 8, margin;
Amos i'll, 81.
8. eff we say that we have no sin. we
deceive ourselves, and tho truth is not In
u.s." There arc those who conclude from
the previous verso thut all sin, root and
branch, is removed from their being, 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
in us and lusteth against the Spirit, but
the Spirit Is also in us us children OF God
by faith in Christ Jesus and keeps US from
the things which otherwise We might do
(Gal. v, II, r. w..
q. If we confess our sins, He Is faith
full and just to forgive US our sins and to
cleanse US from all unrightcousness." I"
While in the mortal body alway delivered
to death for Jesus sake. e., the death Of
self or the flesh or sinful nature (II Cor.
iv, 11), if we sin against God, as all are
liable to do, here is our comfort, that in
slant confession Of sin brings instant for
giveness through the blood of Christ, and
then we must 60 on moro watchfully and
prayerfully.
10. eff wo say that we have not sinned,
we mako Him liar, and His word Is not
In u.s." John is writing to those who are
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus,
for only such us have received Christ are
children of God (John !, 12). Others are
children of the devil even though they may
be very religious, according to our Lord In
John viii, "A.
81. "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, a.
Surely God has made full provision for US
to live this life which He would have US
live to His glory by our advocate or para
clete with Him, Jesus Christ the right
eous, and by our paracleto in us, the Holy
Spirit; yet so weak arc we and ofton SO un-
watchful that Notwithstanding the abun-
dant provision we grieve both Father, Son
and Spirit.
Q. "And He is the propitiation for our
sins, and not for ours only, but also for the
sins of the whole world" Propitiation
here signifies atoncIpcnt, 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 If
they will come. How shall they come If
they do not hearp
g. "And hereby we do know that we
know Him If we keep His command
ments." Not faultless conformity, for
there is mono such OH earth, nor ever was,
except in Christ, but hearty acceptance
of und willing subjoction to His whole re-
vealed will. He Himself said, "He that
hath My commandments and keepeth
them, he it Is that loveth Me-"
4. "He that saith, l know Him, and
keepeth not His commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him." So skillful Is
satan In perverting the truth and in blind
ing people that he leads some to say, "Oh,
1t does not matter very much how live,
believe in Jesus Christ, and therefore
dlIl sNfSu. IL uIS liz IL uOV QulIo CoiIoO0,
will only lose my works" Now such
are evidently deceiving themselves, and are
liars. Believing about Jesus Christ saves
no one. Ho must BIZ received into the
heart, and that is the Scriptural sense Of
believing John i, 12).
5. but whose keepeth His word, in
him verify is tho 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 Il letter, and that but
once, would not Indicate much love for
the writer. How, then, Gun these hc said
to love God who care not for lis word?
6. "He that saith he abidrth i'm Him,
ought himself also SO to walk, even us He
walked" He could say, "Tho Father
bath sent Me, and 1 live by the Father"
But He also said, Gas the Father hath