The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-21

other place u. Thess. iv:9) he declares
that Christians are taught OF God to do
this. and John asserts U. John iv.11-12),
that we ought so to love because God
loved us, and because Jesus commanded
us so to do U. John iii:1l John xv!12.
Peter moreover, says the same. but urges
that the love be with pure heart and fer
vent U. Peter 1921. But In the lesson
Paul puts the law In more complete
form. owe no man anything but TO
love" lie deems love To be a debt, one
that can never be discharged, which onc
must be always paying. He would bind
Christians together by mutual Affection.
az every planet in the solar system is
bound to every other planet and as all
worlds IN all systems obey the law of
grHvitatlon This Is the new law under
Which believers are placed The old law
regulated mems conduct by statute. In
numcralIc regulations were imposed and
Judges were appointed to adjust differ
ences SO that the rights Of members of
tho jewish church might be secured.
THIS new law does not abolish the deca
lorie it fulnlls IL Rom. iii .31), because
love works no evil to ones neiglbor Il.
Tim. itj.
NEW DAY.-Verses II and l2. Now it
is high time to awake out Of sleep. for
now Is our salvatian nearer than when
we believed. The night is far spent, the
day is at hand" The inspired writer's
were the pessimsts. 'rhey did not look
backward, but forward for the golden era
CEccl. vii:10). Fully aware of the evil in
the> world and deeply distressed on ac
count of 1t, they did not therefore con-
cludc that all things were fastening TO
ruin. On the contrary, the belief that
the general tendency was toward a bet
ter statei that the outcome would be to
At,n x,f 6~1 Mil At..,
prophets every dark picture was lighted
up by the promise of Messiah (Mal. iv:l-
-. With the apos there was the eX
pectatiOn that j, gould come again
or. Tim iv:S. Not ,ac least OF the SER
vices rendered by prophets and Apostles
was the awakening of hope in minds that
otherwise might have been filled with
despair. So in the lesson Paul calls at
tention to the period in which he lived.
'"The night'-the time of darkness and
ignorance, of sin and oppression-'is far
spent THE day is at hand" the time
of light, of JOY. and good will. is being
ushered in. He would have the Roman
Christians realize that they were enter
ing upon a new era. which Abraham
Uohn viii:56). and Zacharias GIu!se i7S)
though separated by centuries. rejolced to
see. He desired them to know their ex-
allied privileges. as children of the day
tion to the fact that they had first be-
lieved GI. Cor. vi:2), an earnest of what
they might expect That they might be
prepared for this new time CHeb. two
he exhorts them to awake out of sleep
CEph. v:D. to shake off the stupor that
had settled down upon the carnal world,
and bring into fullest activity all Of their
redeemed powers.
apostle next exhibits the conduct be-
coming to Christian in this new day.
That conduct he calls a walk. favorite
expression, used by him thirty times in
his epistes, also by the other sacred writ
crs Gen. v:2i; l. John i:7. The follower
of Jesus is not a permanent dwelfer here
CEIeb. Xii:1D. but he is on a journey.
through these earthly relations to an
eternal home. Neither is he expected to
remain in a fixed type of character, but
to be continually advancing Uleb. vi:D.
from the lower to the higher CPhil. iii:1D.
Both of these ideas are beautifully eX-
pressed by the term walk, a progress.
step by step. little by little, toward Il
goal. Christian living is here presented
under two heads, negatively and posi-
lively, what is improper and ought to be
stunned. what is properly and ought TO
be encouraged. Both sides are put forth
the works of darkness" he snys-the
deeds that have been allowed in the for
mer days cannot be tolerated in this
(Eph. VS.; j. Cor. vi:9-10). What deeds?
He -enumerates 'rioting, drunkenness,
chambering, wantonness, strife and envy
ing each of which subjects would repay
careful and prolonged study. All Christ
ians are expected to be free from these.
and to regard them as belonging to that
old life which they have renounced. All.
but they are in a world of sin, constantly
exposed to adversaries! So comes the
positive precept. Put on the armor of
light"-all those appliances furnished in
the Gospel for personal security tEph.
vi:13; l. Thes. v:S). The weapons in
Gods armory are all spiritual but mighty
'QI. Cor. X:D. And then, defended, live
honestly" or dscreetly, as the margin
has it-bestow thought and care to have
your action right. Then comes the final
command, Put ye on the Lord Jesus
Christ" and make no provisions for
the lust Of the flesh. The old fight be-
tween the two natures U. Peter ii:1D, is
here recognized. and the secret of victory
shown Gal Wig.
CONCLUSION.