The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-03-18
TIE slBBA1H-sCH0Ol LESSON
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH II.
Lesson Text: "Christian Self Re-
straint." Cor. TX, 1921
Golden Text: ] Cor. TX,
25-Commentary.

Is. "For, though I be free from all men.
yet have l made myself servant unto all, that
l might gain the more" For the sake Of q
temperance lesson we turn from the narra-
tive In the Acts to u section Of this epistle,
put It Is a temperance lesson in the sense OF
every form OF restraint and control of the
self life that the Christ life may be made
more manifest, and thus the gospel b. lived
MS well as preached In order to gain more
people for Christ. The section in which we
find our lesson begins with chapter Will, 1,
and runs to the end Of chapter XII, the be-
ginning OF each section being easily recoy-
nized by the words 'now as touching" or
mo concerning" Chapters vii, /; viii, /;
Kill, /; xvi, ~. The central thought in this
section seems to be chapter X, 81, "whether,
therefore,. ye eat or drink or whatsoever ,e
do, do all to the glory Of God" the object OF
such n life being primarily that God in all
things may be gloritied through Jesus Christ
q Pet. w., III, and then tina, some may DO
saved (cnapters tx, 81; K, 33). Paul was
indebted to no one for favors; he was under
compliment to no one. He said to these very
Corinthians that Il he had wronged them il
was ip that he had not been n burden to
them, and for this he asked their forgive
ness. He sought them and not their possess
sions on Cor. xii, Is, i4). Being thus free
from obligations to all, except the obligation
laid upon him by God to preach the gospel
to all, he gladly became servant TO all Tor
Christ's sake that he might. gain more for
Christ.
90. Unto the Jews / became as n Jew
that l might gain the Jews" We must think
OF Paul as n servant OF Christ. n member OF
the body of Christ in perfect joint and
health, under full and complete control OF
Christ. the head, and ever seeking in all
things to please Him Chapters ILL.,. s; xiii,
IL; Gal. l., 10; l Thes. H., ~. He had a great
desire that Christ should be- magnihed In his
body whether by life or death (Phil. l., 2O).
We must keep this in mind in considering
this and the next two verses lest we might be-
tempted to think Paul guilty OF some incop-
sistency or of %connivlng ut u wrong thing in
order to win men to Christ. He was a Jew
and knew what II was to live under the Jaw.
In dealing with such he would, as far as no
conscientiously could, put himself In their
place and from their standpoint lead them
TO Christ.
81. $40 them that are without law, as
without law, that / might gain them that
aps without law" He often speaks of gen.
tiles as them that are without" He would
nave believers exercise special care in Walk
Ing honestly toward them as to win them.
As far rs Paul could in the SIGHT OF God, he
put himself in their place. saw things with
their eyes and from their standpoint sought
to lead them to Christ that they might be
saved.
%. "To the weak became I ne weak that
l might grin the weak. am made all things
to all men that 1 might by all means save
some. In Rom. xv., l-9, he takes, as he al
ways does, Christ for his example and
teaches us not TO please ourselves, but 9TH
ers. and to bear the intirmities Of the weak,
and this even In the common acts Of eating
and drinking, as the context shows. Theirs
Is a self conferred life and a Christ centered
life. and, though strange 1t is yet true, sadly
true, that the former is often manifest in be-
levers to the great grief OF the Spirit and dis
honor Of God. Paul. like his Master, thought
not OF himself, but OF how no could glorify
Christ aud win people to Him.
20. And this l do for the gospels sake.
that might be partaker thereof with YOU"
What is this which, as q servant of Christ, he
Is aiming to be u partnker of 1t cannot
be eternal life, the gift OF God, nor the for
gtveness OF sins, nor peace with God, nor JUS
htieation, nor sanctiacation, for all these
come TO us In Christ freely by virtue Of His
finished work. See Rom. ILL.,, "a; ", 1; l
Cor. Ill.,, 21-23; vi, II. We do not work for
redemption and its benefits: but, receiving
Christ as Gods unsDeakable gift to US, we
believe that his divine power hath given
unto us all things that pertain unto life and
goodness Oh Pet. l., 81. Being 4 saved man
through the blood OF Christ, Paul knows
that denial Of self in preaching the gospel
will bring him a reward Oversees II, 1877, and
he wishes the believers ut Corinth TO share
this with him.
"a. "KDow We not that they which run
In u race run all. but one receiveth the prize.
Go run that ye may obtain" Now, salvation
Is not obtained by running, for We cannot
run till we have obtained salvation. Until
we are saved we are dead in trespasses and
sins (Eph. H., 81, and dead people cannot
run for God. To run In an ordinary race.
those who desire to run must first enter; so
In the race before us, the Christian life or
race, we must first enter, and the entrance
Is at the cross. The fee is paid for all who
are willing to enter, for the blood Of Christ
cleanseth from all sin.
70. And every man that striveth for the
mastery is temperate in all things. Now,
they do II 10 obtain a %corruptible crown, bur
we all incorruptible." The wreath. the
reward. the honor associated with the victor
In the Grecian games soon faded or passed
away, but the Christian seeks n crown incor.
rupttble to cast ut the feet OF Christ CRev. w.,
10). That there are rewards for the faithful
In addition to salvation, which is the free
gilt OF God, and that It Ia possible to be re-
wsrded or be saved and have no reward,
See / Cor. ILL.,, IA, 10; II John Will: Rev.
xiii. u; Luke XIV, IA. etc.
70. II therefore 80 run, not as uncertainty;
so fight !, not as one thar beateth the air.
In an ordinary race there IL uncertainty rs
TO who shall win. and only one can possibly
win the prize. In the Christian race there
need be no uncertainty, for Christ Himself
will be the Judge, and He will reward every
one according to bis works. All who will
may have rewards for servicc-the crown OF
life for patient endurance, the crown OF our
Lesson for denial OF self, etc. (Jas. L., y;
Rev. H., 10; Thess. H., 10; I Pet. ", 4; II
Tim. Nv 81.
q. "But I keep under my body and bring
II into subsection, lost thar by any means
when I have preached to others | myself
should be a castaway." Not u lost soul, for
none OF ,Christ's sheep can perish (John r.,
2s, 29) but disapproved as to service. Sea
r. v. Paul never questioned, nor aver taught
Others to queStion. the eternal safety OF every
truo believer (Phil. l., 0; II lin. l., -; Eph.
". 26.27; jude XIV. But no did strongly
emphasize the possibility OF the loss OF SER
vice aud tho necessity OF u whole hearted
denial and Pronunciation OF the self life (0al,
H., 20; w., IA; II Dor. w., 10, II; Rom. xii., !,
2).-Leason Helper.
H. ~-.--