The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-05-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON TX. SECOND QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY 81.
Text of the Lesson, Rom. viii, 1-l4.
Memory Verse, Golden Text,
Rom. viii, IA Commentary Pre-
pared nv Rev ID. VI. Stearns.

pared by Rev. Id. NJ stenrns'
copyright, 1903, by American Press Association
/. Q There is therefore now no condem-
| nation TO them that are in Christ Jesus,
for the law of the Spirit OF life In christ
| Jesus made me free from the law OF SIN
and of death.
We may be very thankful for one les
son from this glorious portion of Scrip
ture. but we trust that no teacher will
be content with the verses assigned as
a lesson. but will not only read the
whole chapter, as suggested, but VIII
study the whole chapter. DR.. David
Brown saws, "In this surprising chap
ter the several streams of the preced-
ing argument meet and flow In one
river of the water of life, clear as
crystal proceeding out of the throne
of Cod and of the Lamb until it seems
to lose itself in the ocean of bliss
full eternity" l have quoted these
two verses from the r. v, and they
state the complete absolution from con
demnation of all believers in Christ
The sting of death is sin, and the
strength of sin is the law but thanks
he TO God, who giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ Il Cor
Ky, 56, 80.
2 4 That the righteousness of the law
might be fulfilled in us who walk not
after the flesh but after the spirit.
The law of God is holy and just and
good: it is perfect rs God Himself, but
because of our sinfulness and inability
TO keep it it becomes to the sinner the
ministration of condemnation and or
death. shutting our mouths if we would
attempt to plead anything but our guilt
and pointing us TO Christ, who was
made a sin Offering for us, the end OF
the law for righteousness to every one
that believeth QI Cor. iii, u .; V, Il;
Rom. iii. 10; vii, u; Y, i; Cal. H. IL
Oh Coming as sinners, having moth
ing but sin and receiving Christ as our
Saviour, He is made unto us righteous
ness. and thus we are accepted in Him
before God. not that we may be fit for
His presence only, but that we may by
righteousness before men commend
God to men Il Cor i. 80; Eph, /, g; Matt.
V. 10: Tit. iii, s.; that people reading us
may see God.
So. For they that are after the flesh do
mind the things of the flesh, but they mat
are after the Spirit the things or the
Shirt. But We are not in the flesh,
but in the Spirit, If so be that the Spirit
of God dwell in you.
Flesh and spirit, carnally minded and
spiritually minded or (as in Eph. iv,
%. "a. Col. iii, 8, 1O) the old man and
the new man are other ways of saying
unsaved and saved, unrighteous and
righteous. The unsaved live unto
themselves, enjoying the pleasures or
sin for a season. They are in bondage
TO the world, the flesh and the devil.
The saved live no more unto them
selves, but unto Him who has redeem
ed us by His blood and has given us
His Spirit to live in us, making us tem-
piles of the Holy Spirit Il Cor. vi, 10,
20; III Cor. iv, II, 15). This is the way
that it should be, but it is often not so,
because after we receive Christ the
flesh. or old man, is still in us, and in
stead of being reckoned dead, put off,
denied. it is yielded 10, INDUCED, pam
pered and thus the Spirit is grieved
and God dishonored. We are taught
= in these verses that the old sinful ma
ture never can be improved, never can
be subject to the law Of God, but when
we receive Christ we receive new ma
ture, a divine nature, are born from
= above, and we must let Christ have
full control.
4; 10. H. But If the Spirit OF Him that
- raised up Jesus from the dead dwell In
7 YOU He that raised up Christ from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bod
e | les by His Spirit that dwelleth In you.
The words "in Christ and Christ in
you" describe the believer, the justified
l. person who has passed from death to
life and shall not come into Judgment
for sin Dohn V, 24D, but in the resurTec-
ton body shall appear before the judg-
ment seat of Christ to be judged for
service, our works as saints tried and
o either approved and rewarded or else
rejected (Rom. xiv, 10; Cor. V. 10;
. Cor ILL., IA, 10; tx, %, II. W. The body
that becomes n temple OF the Holy Spir.
n il shall by the Spirit in due time be-
! come an immortal body like unto
g Christs glorious body, and FOR this we
i. wait and groan verse %; Phil. iii, 20
81; John iii, p, but it seems to me
that there is in this eleventh verse some
reference to the present body in which
X the Spirit has come to dwell and His
I power and willingness to keep ii if only
J. we will be willing and obedient.
I 12-14. For as many as are led by the
= Spirit OF God they are the sons of God.
Q The spirit of adoption which we have
5 received beareth witness that we are
q the children of God. Some ask, How
u does the Spirit bear witness? AND
they long for the witness of the Spirit
supposing it to be some feeling or pc
culiar experience. 1t is made so plair
: in John v, 1913, that any one who IL
: willing to be taught by the Spirit can
not fail TO see it. God says that HI
q loves me and gave His only Son for M
. that l might not perish John iii, 10
- I haliava this and recpivp Christ am