The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VII, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERnATlONAL SERIES, MAY g..


ing themselves continually to prayer and
to the ministry of the word wi, ~ certain
men came down from Judea and taught
as above The teaching of Scripture on
all points that we need TO know Is clear
and simple, but the perversions of the
devil ever since his first work in Eden are
fearful.
g "Paul and Barnabas had no small
dissensiOn and disputation with them. "
The story of Abraham and the giving OF
the rite of circumcision is SO plain that we
wonder how any one could fail TO see that
Abraham was righteous man before he
received the rite of circumcision. Compare
Gen XIV, q, and xvii, 10, and then see how |
clear are Paul words in Rom. iv, IL, con-
corning circumcision, "A seal of the |
Righteousness of the faith which he had, |
yet being uncircumcised.
3. Declaring the conversion of the gen
tiles, they caused great joy unto all the
brethren" This was as they journeyed to
Jerusalem, for so did these Judean teach
ers stir the people that il was thought best
TO send to the apostles and elders at Jeru-
salem concerning it. The enemy had not
bargained for this quickening of the broth
rem along the road as they heard OF the
wondrous work of God among the gentiles.
4. "They declared all things that God
had done with them" This was before
the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. 1t
was certainly more important to hear first
what God had done by His word and Spirit
through His servants than to hear of the
disputings of these teachers at Antioch
who were troubling the people about cir
cumcision.
8. "Needful to circumcise them and to
command them to keep the law of Moses. "
| This was the teaching of some of the Phar-
| isees who believed There are many OF
| them today who teach that something be-
| sides receiving Christ Is necessary to saliva
| ton. Baptism, joining the church, taking
| the communion, doing good, praying, NOR
| tifying the flesh and such like are by
some held to be essential to ones saliva
| ton. Such never can tell whether they
are saved or not for they cannot tell when
they have done their part, as they say
| 9. "And the apostles and elders came
together for to consider of this matter. Z"
Peter was the first speaker oversees to I'D
of any account, and they stopped disputing
to listen to his testimony. He spoke of
what they knew and of what he had actu-
ally seen of the grace of God. Then fol-
lowed Barnabas and Paul with their record
of the miracles and wonders which God
had wrought by them among the gentiles,
after which James very clearly decided in
favor of salvation without the necessity OF
circumcision.
90. The council then decided to send
back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas
two others, chief among the brethren
Judas Barsabas and Silas, who might by
their testimony confirm to the brethren al
Antioch the decisions of the council, ant
thus tend more fully to comfort and estab
lish them.
23. Correcting unto the brethren which
are of the gentiles." To hear Jews greet
ing uncircumcised gentiles as brethren
simply because they had received Chris
was n great advance in grace over chapter
X, 2S: XII, 2, 3. Even / have heard a min
lister of the gospel very decidedly object t.
being called brother or to speaking of othe
believers as brethren, although our Lor'
Himself said Zone is your Master, ever
Christ, and all We are brethren" (Math
xiii, S. What does all some minister's
"a Certain which went out from u
have troubled you with words, subvertinl
your souls. All who would put anything
between the penitent sinner and the saw
;our are troubles and perverters. As help
less and hopeless as the impotent man a
Bethesda, rs the palsied man let throug
the roof, as the poor leper, or as Lazaru
corrupting in the tomb Is the condition c
every sinner But Christ comes to the sir
, ner and gives Himself with all that He IL
, and as many as receive Him become tn
! | children of God (John !, 12).
. 25, &C. "Men that have hazar1ed thei
lives for the name of our Lord Jesu
Christ" Some men can teach and argu
and dispute, but not 50 many are ready
endure hardness or lay down their live
for Christ The teaching of those VIII
suffer with Him Is apt To be of MOI
| | weight than that of mere takers.
81. "We have sent, therefore, Judas an
Silas, who shall also tell you the san
things by mouth" They would therefor
have the letter from the apostles the spoil
l en- words of Judas and Silas and the liv'
l of Paul and Barnabas all To comfort an
L establish them. God does not trouble II
, people, but ever seeks to comfort then
a He is the Father of mercies and God of a
, comfort, and comforts as only moth'
can Oh Cor. i, 3; Isa. Xvi, 13). If /
brings us into trial, il is that He ma
more fully reveal Himself to us as OF
comforter, that we may know Him bette
. 2S. cit seemed good to the Holy Gho
+ and to us TO lay upon you no greater bu
l. den than these necessary things. III
n Holy Spirit is the great teacher and COZ
!. forter and director of all the affairs in Il
church, and IL is for us TO be so fully N
" der His control that all the work and a
the words shall be, 1.-THE Holy Ghost al
u.s. our part being simply that of We
sells or instruments in which He can a
complish that which He desires, for l
o knoweth the will of God. / am sure tn
d it Is the greatest thing ON earth to be
Il person under the complete and consta
control of the Holy Spirit of God for 4
service and glory of God.
9 % Not one thing but the reception
!. Christ is essential TO salvation. 1t
Wholly Through the grace of the Lo
Jesus Christ (verse I'D, apart from al
a works of ours (Eph. IL, 8; Rom. iv,
!. Titus iii, 81. But being saved freely
His grace, il is, then, nota matter of q
cumcision or of uncircumcision, but of
new creature filed with faith which wor
y eth by love (Gal. V, 6; vi, 15), the 10
which constrains us to let alone whatev
4