The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-03-20
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

waking In Hght Eph. bI-l4
waking as wise ..............,.. .Eph. b.lb-Zl
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The Epistle to the Ephesians.-
Paul wrote this letter while he was q
prisoner ut Rome, in A. ID. 81 or g..
1t was probably sent with the letters
to the Colossians and to Philemon,
and 1t closely resembles the epistle
to the Colossians in outline and man.
ner of thought. No special reason is
mentioned in the epistle for it's writ
ing, and it seems to have been low
Ing pastoral salutation. Some of the
oldest manuscripts omit the name
Ephesus in III, one or two having q
blank space there. That fact has led
some to think that it was a general
letter written to be sent to various
churches. Some have identified It
with Paul's epistle to the Lao
diceans, a writing which is men,
toned in some early Christian liter
ature, but which is not now known
unless this suggestion be correct.
Walking in Love.-Of Paul's sum-
mary of Christian duty, the heart is
5:1-21. In this passage there is COM
paratively little reference to specific
duties, but much dwelling on the
spirit which will make the doing Of
every duty delight. By walking in
love Paul means that self-forgetful
desire to serve others which was the
spirit that moved Christ to His great
sacrifice.
Walking in Purity.-The Christian
life furnishes no place for self-indul-
gent immortality. Such sins as are
spoken of here were terribly com
mon in all the cities of the Greek
and Roman world. The "jesting" of
verse 4 is not innocent joking, but
filthy wit and smutty humor. The
first clause of verse alludes to the
false reasons which are often given
in excuse for sins of this sort. There
is no real excuse for them, but the
wrath of God falls on them.
Walking in Light.-The great rea-
son why the Christian must practice
personal purity is found in his rela-
tion to God. Gods light is too bright
for the darkness of human filth to
stand before it. Some, however. while
seeking Gods light, try also to keep
in touch with the worlds wickedness
enough to know what bad men are do
ing. Such fellowship Paul rebukes, de-
claring that the attitude of the Chris
tian must be one Of opposition to all
impurity. If the light of Christ really
shine in the life it will reproyc deeds
of darkness. The Christlil1e life is
one of straightforward, simple, trans
parent purity. The quotation in verse
ii is believed to be from an early
hymn, but there is no certain proof
that such is the fact.
Walking as Wise.-This last Sec
ton is n call to careful living. 1t is
not enough to strive for purity of
spirit, but one must watch constant
ly the outworlling of his spirit in
life. In verse 16 the duty of the
Christian is lilic2ed to that of the
tradesman buying stock for his store.
He must keep his eyes open for good
bargains, and must see to it that all
good opportunities for purchase are
accepted promptly. Especially must
he be very careful when bargains be-
come rare. Such situation is before
the Christian. He must strive the
more carefully to use every oppor-
tunity for noble, Christlike deed,
because Of the evil by which he Is
surrounded in the world. The great
essential qualification for such living,
according to verse II, is knowledge
Of Gods will. Such knowledge, Joined
with cleanness of spirit, is the crown
ing strength Of the true life. Every
life needs periods of excitement and
exhaltation. Such reliefs from mo-
nOtony should be found by the Chris.
tian not in drunkenness or in arti-
fetal stimulation, but in the special
STRINGS of the Holy Spirit. Such
STRINGS will find utterance in songs
Of Christian praise, which rise from
the heart; in expressions of thanks
giving to God through Christ for
every experience of life, whether II
seem good or bad; and in the self
humbling fellowship which accepts
admonition and suggestions from
fellow Christians.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
Walk in purity, Do not go whore
the very atmosphere is polluted with
foul thoughts.
There is an oriental story to the
effect that wise old sheik gave n
young Arab prince, from whom he
was about to part, q list OF evils,
bidding him choose the one which TO
him seemed the least harmful. Tho
young prince turned In horror from
murder, theft, loss OF virtue. and told
tho patriarch that he would choose
intcmpcranee, Said tho Wise old man. {.
"You have chosen that which will
bgiNg you nil.p