The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-11-24
TIE sabbath SCHOOL Lesson.
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FOR NOVEMBER %.
Lesson Text, "saiutnry warnings. Peter
w., 1-s IN temperance Lcssonl--Gold-
en- Text. I Peter w., 7-Cominen
on the Lesson by Rev. u, M, Stcgrns.


ON the Lesson by Rev. u. NJ. stcarns.
Having completed our study of the Acts
OF the Apostles, IL certainly seems fitting
that we should have at least one lesson
from the writings of Peter, who was an
apostle before Paul. who was used by tho
Spirit to be the messenger on the great
day Of Pentecost, who was also used to
open the door to the gentlles, and with
whom Paul at one time spent fifteen days
in Jerusalem (Gal. l.. II. fs). But whether
we study the writings OF Peter or Paul, the
same Spirit spoke through both and
wrought In both, even as Paul said, "He
that wrought effectually in Peter to the
apostlcship of the circumcision, the same
was mighty in me toward the gentiles"
(Gal. H., 81. In fact, we must bear In
mind that whether we study Moses, or the
prophets, or the gospels, or epistles, or
Revelation, all were written by the very
same holy Spirit of God.
1. "For as much then as Christ hath suf-
fered for us in the flesh arm yourselves
likewise with the samc mind, for he that
hath suffered In the flesh hath ceased from
SIM" The thought here takes us back to
chapter ill.,, 1S, where he said that Christ
hath once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that He might bring us to God,
being put to death In the flesh but quick
ened by the Spirit. IL seems to me that
the thought Is continuation OF the be-
ginning OF his epistle, where he empha-
sizes the living hope by the resurrection OF
Christ from the dead and dwells upon the
Inheritance thereby sec red to us which
| ought to lift us above all present things,
making us holy In all conversation.
2. 'That he no longer should live the
rest of his time I'm the flesh to the lusts of
| men, but to the will of God" Or us I'm
Rom. vi, IL, "Dead indeed unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our
Lord" The saved sinner is a new creature
or creation in Christ, old things passed
away, all things new, and he is supposed to
have left In the grave of his baptism into
Christ all the self life, with its aims and
| desires, and henceforth ever to walk In
| newness OF life (Rom. vi. g. A..
g. For the time past of our life may
suillce us to have wrought the will OF the
| gentiles, when we walked In lnscivlousness,
lusts, excess of wine, revelngs, banquet
lngs and nbominable idolatrles." That Is
| the life of many citizen OF this world to-
| day, just living to fulfill the desires of the
| flesh and Of the mind (Eph. H., ~, with no
| thought OF God or Of n future life. That,
| however, is not the writer's point here,
| but rather that those who bear the name
| of Christ are ofttimes guilty of living that
! same old life In some measure, to their own
loss and to the great dishonor Of Him
whose beautiful name they bear.
| 4. "Wherein they think 1t strange that
| We run not with them to the same excess OF
4
Is not only the people of this world who
think 1t strange that their wives or hus-
bands, or brothers or sisters, will not fre-
quent the theatre and the ballroom any
more since they have received Christ, but
many whose names are on the church
registers and who are seen Mt the com
| munion table and yet continue In this old
| goddess life are harder to put up with in
| their cruel words and conduct toward
those who will walk no longer with them
[ In their worldliness.
8. "Who shall give account to Hin that
isready to judge the quick and the dead"
1 AS we found In the Acts, there shall be q
resurrection both of the just and the un-
Just, but not at the same time. There shall
| be n judgment also of living and dead just
and unjust, but not oil ut the same time.
II we are Chrlst's our judgment for sin Is
past ut Calvary, where He suffered for our
| sins, but oil who are His must appear before
| His Judgment seat, to be judged for their
works since they received Him (Rom. xiv,
| 10; III Cor. ", 100. After that we will come
with Him to judge the living nations for
their treatment CT Israel (Math. XIV, 3D.
At the end Of the thousand years all the
unsaved will appear before the white throne
ere they are sent into the lake Of fire to
have their portion with the devil and his
angels (Rev. Xxx, HID. 1fpeople had any
faith at all In God and His word, one would
suppose that the statement, "God shall
bring every work into judgment, with
every secret thing, whether 1t be good or
whether it be evil'' (Eccl. xiii, 1D, would
lead them to consider their ways, and II
| Christians believed what is written In I
Cor. ill.,, IA, 15, they would surely mend
their ways and quit their worldliness, lest
they be saved rs by fire, much to their
shame.
| O. "For, for this cause was the gospel
preached also to. them that aro dead that
they might be judged according to men In
the flesh, but live according to God In tho
Spirit" The best light have upon chap
ter ILL.,, 10, IL that found In chapter L., II,
which, II understand 1t, teaches that the
same Spirit who was in Christ was nlso In
| Noah, as well ms in all the profits, and
through him preached to the antedilu-
vlans, who, in the days OF Christ's humili-
| alton were spirits In prison. May they not
| be the dead here referred to who, when
they were alive, had the gospe! preached
to them some of whom must have believed
during those 120 years, but possibly died
before the delugeP 1 confess that the
, waters are deep here, but some day We
| shall know more fully.
| 7. "But the end OF all things Is at hand.
Be ye therefore sober and watch unto
| prayer" In view OF the possibility OF our
sojourn In these mortal bodies ending any
day, or the possibility OF the whole church
being caught up any day, what manner Of
persons ought we to be In oil holy conver-
sation and godliness2 Whatever gifts or
graces God has bestowed upon us, let US
| minister the same one to another as good
stewards of the manifold grace OF God
| (verse 10). Let us not think trials strange,
but endure all meeklv, counting them q
privilege, and, even II we suffer for doing
well, God will be well pleased II we take It
meekly (chapter H., 20).
8. "And, above all things, have fervent
love among yourselves, for love shall cover
multitude OF sins" Humility before God
(chapter W, s, 81 and love to our fellows
must be very pleasing in the sight OF God,
for both are so Christlike. Though He was
rich chow rich we cannot imagine), yet for
our sakes He became poor that thus He
might make us rich, and 1t was His love to
us when we were dead In sins that did it
the love that shed His blood for US, that
blood which alone can take away sins. This
is the love that covers sins, and IL We have
any love to Him worth mentioning we will
not worry much over chart ter ILL.,, 10, or w..
| Q, but Just hold fast and wait for light and
live to get souls under the blood which
cleanseth from all sin.-Lesson HELPER.
Right in His Line.
"How long," inquired the Eastern DO