The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-03-01
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MARCH 5.


WILL, 3e-Comlnentary on the Days
Lesson by tho Rev. d. NJ. stearns.
12. "Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, am the light Of the world. He
that followeth Me shall not walk in dark
ness, but shall have the light Of life." By
reading the first verse Of this chapter with
the last one Of the previous chapter we see
something OF the homelessness Of our Lord
many a time. While all 60 to their own
homes He goes to the Mount Of Olives,
probably to Gethsemane, for He oittimes
resorted thither with His disciples (chap-
ter xviii, q. Early In the morning He
was again II the temple and teaching the
people. Now the self righteous Pharisees
bring to Him q woman, whom they say
was taken while committing sin, hoping
that He will condemn her or proving Him
to see what He will do, but he, by writing
their names were written because they had
forsaken God Ger. xviii, 1S).
81. "Then said Jesus to those Jews
which believed on God, II ye continue In
My word, then are ye My disciples in
deed" The evidence Of true discipleship
is continuance, patient continuance In
we'll doing Rom. H., y. He is able to
keep US from falling and to present US
faultless, and he who hath begun good
Wofh III W VIII pefiofn IL untu TUG uhy
OF Jesus Christ. No power can take rs
out of His hand, but II We are truly there,
truly His, there will be the fruit of right
eousness manifest In our lives, there will
bs outward evidence Of the life within.
The light will shine unless It Is only q
painted light dude H., 81; Phil. l., 6;
John z, 27, 2S). God will work in US
those things that are pleasing In His sight
(Heb. xiii, 90, 21). There are those who
have a name to live, but are dead Grew.
ill.,, y. There may be so little life that It
abundance of life (John 4, 10) 1t cannot
be hidden any more than you can keep
bright, healthy child still.
80. "And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free" Then
shall We know If we follow on to know
the Lord Clos. w., 81. By nature We are
in bondage to sin, the world, the flesh and
the devil, and only He who is the Truth
can set US free, but He Is able and as will
ing as He is able. He does 1t by His word,
by which we are not only born again Gas.
we are sanctifled, cleansed, built up (John
Gen. t., IA, where the Spirit moved and
God spake and light came, all that Is ac-
complished is done by the Spirit Of God
and the Word Of God. From the new
birth, when we began to live until we
shall be made like Him, all Is wrought by
the Spirit and the Word. Many Chris
tian Is in bondage to some besetting sin
or weight. and only the Word of God can
set him free, even as 1t Is written, Where
withal shall young man cleanse his wayp
By taking heed thereto according to the
word Cps. cxlx., 9. I'D.
33. "They answered Him, We be Abra-
hams seed and we're never in bondage to
any man. How sayest Thou ye shall be
made free?" Their statement will not agree
with Ex. l., 13, "A, where 1t is said that the
Egyptians made their lives bitter with hard
bondage, nor with their confession in John
xix, IS, "We have no king but Caesar"
After the flesh they were children Of Abra-
ham-that is, they were descended from
hm-but II they were true children Of Abra-
ham they would do the works OF Abraham
Their conduct made 1t manifest that they
were Of their father, the devil, who was
both liar and murderer oversees SO, ~.
Cain and Abel were brothers, both sons Of
Adam and Eve, but Abel was a true son Of
Adam saved by grace, while Cain vas Of
the wicked one q John ILL.,, 12).
"a. Jesus answered them, Verify, verify,
I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin
Is the servant OF SIM" In Rom. w., 16, It Is
written. "Know ye not that to whom ye
yield yourselves servants to obey, his SER
wants ye are to whom ye obey. whether Of
sin unto death or Of obedience unto righte-
ousness?" The teaching OF John ILL.,, 6-10,
and similar passages seems to be that the
new nature In the believer, that which Is
born of God, cannot sin, but the old nature
or carnal mind cannot but sin. II one pro-
Tossing to be born OF God; continue in sin,
then 1t Is manifest that he Is not child Of
God, but Of the devil. A Christian may,
under temptation, stumble into sin, but he
will not continue in it, while mere pro-
fessor, one not born again, though he may
run well for awhile, will turn again like
dog to his vomit and like SOW that was
washed to her wallowing in the mire GI
Pet. H., 22). We are slaves or servants to
that which controls US, whether II be sin
or innocent pleasure or the life Of righte-
ousness. Our Lord did nothing OF Him
self. He only spoke what the Father taught
Him and did only those things that pleased
the Father, He was perfect servant OF
God.
IS. "And the servant abIdeth not in the
house forever, but the Son abideth ever"
In chapter Iv., 10, He says to His disciples,
Henceforth call you not servants. but I
have heard OF My Father I have made
known unto you. In Com. viii, Is, 1G. we
read, "Ye have not received the spirit Of
bondage again to fear, but ye have received
the spirit Of adoption whereby we cry,
Abba, Father" The Spirit Himself beareth
witness with our spirit that we are the
children Of God. 1t is truly great thing
to be servant in tic family Of God and to
be able to say, Thy servants are ready to
do whatsoever my Lord the King shall ap.
polntl II Sam. Iv., 15.) But to be u Child
Of God, an heir Of God and joint heir with
Christ-who can estimate this? Behold
what manner OF love the Father bestowed
upon US that we should be called the sons
OF God, and then to think that we shall be
like Him and sit with Him on His throne
and come with Him In His glory.
&c. "If the Son, therefore, shall make you
free, ye shall be free indeed" No one can
make US free but the Son, and He does 1t
thoroughly. The love of the spirit OF life
in Christ Jesus makes US free from the law
OF sin and death, and this only by God
sending His Son in the likeness OF sinful
death (Rom. viii. 2, 81. How much it cost
to set us free! He also frees US from the
fear OF death, for He came to deliver them
who through fear OF death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage (Heb. H., 15).
He frees from besetting sins and every
weight and all that Is unbecoming In
child of God. All those who are willing to
be delivered he isreadyto free. He does
It when we trust Him and yield ourselves
q. Ill., bot To M " do ~ -1neSOn HplOer,