The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON XII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH 81.


vet have / made myself servant unto all,
that / might gain the more. For the
sake of temperance lesson we turn from
the narrative in the Acts TO "a section of
this epistle, but it il 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 be lived as we'll as preached in or
der to gain more people for Christ. The
section in which we find our lesson begins
with chapter viii, /, and runs to the end OF
chapter XII, the beginning of each section
being easily recognized by the words
"now as touching or "now concerning"
(chapters vii, 1 viii, 1; xii, 1; xvi, u. The
central thought in this section seems to be
chapter X, 81, Whether, therefore, ye eat or
drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the
glory of God, the object OF such life be-
ing primarily that God in all things
may be glorified through Jesus Christ Il
Pet. iv, IL, and then that some may be
saved (chapters TX, 20; x, 33). Paul was In
debted to no one for favors; he was under
compliment to no one. He said to these
very Corinthians that II he had wronged
them 1t was In that he had not been bur-
den to them, and for this he asked thei,
forgiveness. He sought them and not
their possessions Oh Cor. xiii ID, 14). Be
ing thus free from obligation to all, except
the obligation laid upon him by God to
preach the gospel to all, he gladly became
servant to all for Christ's sake that lac
might gain more for Christ.
90 "Unto the Jews became as jew
that might gain the Jews" We must
think of Paul as a servant or Christ, q
member of the body of Christ in perfect
Joint and health, under full and complete
control of Christ, the head, and ever seek
ing in all things to please Him Chapters Iii,
8; xii, IL; Gal. !, 10; 1 Thess, ii, Al. He
had a great desire that Christ should be
mapnifled in his body whether by life or
! by death (Phil l. 20). 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 inconsistency
or of conniving at wrong thing in order
! to win men to Christ. He was jew ana
knew what it was to live under the law.
| In dealing with such he would, as far as
he conscientiously could, put himself in
their place and from their standpoint lead
| them to Christ
81. "To them that are without law, as
without law, that might gain them that
are without law" He often speaks OF
gentiles as "them that are without" He
would have believers exercise special care
in walking honestly toward them so as to
win them. AS far as 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 thoy might be saved
90 "To the weak became l as weak
that might gain the weak. 1 am made
all things to all men that / might by al
means save some" In Rom. XIV. 1-3, ne
takes, as he always does, Christ for his ex
ample and teaches us not to please our
selves, but others, and to bear the iniirmi
ties of the weak and this even in the com
mon acts of eating and drinking, as TIT
context shows. There is "a self centeret
life and Christ conferred life, and, though
strange it is yet true, sadly true, that tn
former is often manifest in believers t.
the great grief Of the Spirit and dishono
of God. Paul, like his Master, though
not of himself. but of how he could glorif
Christ and win people to Him.
23. "And this l do for the gospel
, sake, that might be partaker thereon Wit
, you." What is this which, as "a servan
of Christ, he is aiming to be partaker OF
1t cannot be eternal life, the gift of God
nor the forgiveness of sins, nor peace wit
God, nor Justification, nor sanctifcation
, for all these come to us in Christ freel
by virtue of His finished work. See Rom
, | Iii, "a; v, /; viii, 1; Cor. ill, 2l-23; VI
IL. We do not work for redemption an
| its benefits; but, receiving Christ as God
| unspeakable gift to us, we believe tina
His divine power hath given unto us a.
things that pertain unto life and godlines
( lI Pet. 1, 81. Being n saved man throug
Q the blood of Christ, Paul knows that dt
: NAL of self in preaching the gospel wi
bring him reward oversees IL, 1S), ana d
wishes the believers at Corinth to shaI
this with him.
n "a. "Know We not that they which TIL
n in race run all, but one receiveth I'll
I prize Go run that ye may obtain" Now
!. salvation Is not obtained by running, IL
= we cannot run till we have obtained sa
q walton. Until we are saved we are dead !
/ trespasses and sins (Eph. IL, 81, and dea
u people cannot run for God To run In a
l. ordinary race, those who desire to run mus
s first enter; so in the race before us, I'll
"a Christian life, or race, we must hrst ente
and the entrance Is at the cross Inc Il
u. Is paid for all who are willing to enter, II
~ the blood Of Christ cleanseth from all sil
25. "And every man that striveth II
l. the mastery Is temperate In all thing
Now, they do it to obtain corruptib
= crown, but we an incorruptible III
|, wreath, the reward, the honor associate
with the victor in the Grecian games SOC
4 faded or passed away, but the Christie
- seeks crown incorruptible to cast Mt q
feet of Christ Grew. Nv, 10). That the
~ are rewards for the faithful In additic
to salvation, which Is the free gift OF Go
and that it Is possible to he rewarded
be saved and have no reward. sec 1 &c
* Iii, H. 10; III John viii; Rev. xii,
rs Luke xiv, ii, etc.
r. 26. II therefore so run, not as unct
l. tainly; so fight 1, not as one that beatc
a the air" In an ordinary race tnerc Is II
certainty as to who shall win, ana on
=. one can possibly win the prize. In I
W Christian race there need he no uncertai
" ty, for Christ Himself will be the judS
to and He will reward every one acoordi
~ to his works All who will may have
" wards for servicc--the crown OF life
es patient endurance, the crown of our less
IN for denial of self, etc. (Jas. !, IL; Rev.
TO- Thess. ii, 10; l Pet. v, A; III Ill
Nv, 81.
o- stput I kaon upder nv body a