The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-03-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MARCH n.
Subject. Paui's Message to h Ephes'ap''
Eph.. g., 1.lo-Goldsn Text. Epb. H. q
-Memory Verses, A-5-CoinmeniaTy on
the Days. Lesson.

Subject. Paui's Message to the Ephes'ap'.
Eph.. H., I~.Io-GoIden Text. Epb. H.,
Memory Verse;, A-7-cornmen'aTy ON
the Days Lesson.
l. The children OF wrath Tvs. l-3). ].
"And you" As Christ fills the whole body
OF Christian believers with His iu,ness
lchap. !: 81. so had lie dealt with the :on'
verted Ephesians who before were dead IN
alive spiritually. Dead" See Col. ::l3.
Death is oftt n used by all writers and III all
nations to express a state OF extreme niis,
cry. The Ephesians by ~trcspassing and
SHINING had brought themselves into q
state OF deplorab!e wretchedness. as had
all the heather nations, and having thu:
sinned against God they were condemned
in law" They were incapable OF perform
ing any legal act and were always liable to
the punishment of death which they had
deserved and which was ready to be IN.
ficted upon them. They were incapable OF
performing a holy act. Their bodies were
the living collins in which their dead sous
were buried. "Trespasses and sins.
Trespasses may signify the slightest deria.
tions from the right; sins more habitual
and daring transgressions, but the terms
run together II meaning, Te.v had .i,,ed ron.
=. lie walked. 1neg Hau INV
tinually, not merely occasionally. They
lived in sin and followed the evil practices
OF the heather world. True Christians
separate themselves from the world from.
l2: 9; 2 Cor. 8: li-l8l and do not conform
to Its sinful customs and practices. Prince
air" This has reference to Satan, the
prince OF devils. He is also the god OF
this world" e Cor. q: A.. The air is repre-
sented as the seat Of his kingdom. The
devil seems to have some power IN the
lower region of the air; he is at hand TO
tempt men and to do as much mischief to
the world as he can. We live in an atmos-
deadly elements. "Of the spirit" As the
Holy Spirit works that which is good in
obedient souls 80 Satan works that which
ia evil in wicked hearts. He Is prince OF
the spirit that. not only in Pauis day but
even now, "worketh in the sons Of disobe-
dience."
8. I'VE also Paul here changes from
the second to the first person. putting him
self in with those whom he has just. de-
scribed. "Al." Jews and Gentiies alike.
"Once lived" The r. v. brings out the
leading. The whole course Of the life was
wrong. They lived in sin and walked in
sim and sin was interviewer in their very
, being. 1T tinged every temper, polluted
; every faculty, and perverted every transac-
| ton of life" ..Lusts." The evil. irregular
and corrupt affections of the heart.
Flesh" The carnal, corrupt. nature:
Fulfilling" etc. They lived in the actual
| commission Of all those sins which their
corrupt natures inclined them to commit.
Mind" Thoughts; mental suggestions
and purposes az distinguished from the
blind impulses OF the flesh. by nature
N.I.-o - Crool. ,~rrDl,oo that which has
grown in US as the popularity OF our being,
as distinguished from that which has been
wrought in US BY mere external lnfiu.
cpces. Here is an incidental proof OF the
| doctrine of original sin. "0f wrath The
child Of anything is one connected with,
partaking Of, or exposed to anything: Int
! Children of wrath are those who live in
open disobedience " q and are thus ex'
posed to the wrath Of God. See Rom'
3: SO.
III. Salvation m act OF divine mercy Tvs
4.9). 4. 5. But God" The apostle now
shows the glorious change that had been
wrought in them through the gospel
| Three words are especially emphasized.
. God. mercy, grace. Rich in mercy" God
is rich in many things besides mercy. He
is rich in worlds; He owns the gold and sill
yer in n thousand hills. rs well as the cat
tie on them. But while n knowledge ol
these riches is not necessary To our saliva
ton. it is necessary that We know about
the riches Of His mercy. See Ex. 80: 10;
Pisa. IS: 10; Isa. S.: ] and many Other
Scriptures. God is rich in pity. and rom
passion for the sinner; Great love w. nj nj
vation. He loved us and died for us while
we were vet sinners. Together with
] Christ" God has given US as complete q
resurrection from the death OF sin to q
life OF Righteousness as the body of Christ
has had from the grave. See Rom .: il
Grace" Unmerited favor. Their saliva
ton was not OF themselves ". S)-"not tn,
mere product Of any natural abilities OF
any merit OF their own" neither was IT by
works ". o., but it was through the love
mercy and grace Of God. Saved. Not
me.siy saved from sin-justifird and a
ti6ed-but g~lorionsly saved from death
Christ and glory, in the full view Of the
endless ages to come. These people were
saved ut this time. and so we see there. y
such a thing as salvation from sin in thu
life.
G "Ra;sed-sit." Peiievers are citizen.
Of heaven and have their places assigned
there. which they will soon take possession
Of (Phi. 8: %. 2l). But this may be un
dcrstood as referring to sanctifed souls N
this life. Having been raised from tht
death OF sin. we enter into n heavenly
union with Christ. aud the soul ~ indie
scribnh!y happy in His love. 1t is heaven
begun below.
70. ages to come" etc. What God
had done for the sinners at Ephcsus would
he Droof of His great goodness and mercy
and serve as an Encouragement 10 SINNERS
in MI ages of the world. Through faith"
Faith is. |. The condition upon which W.
are saved. .. The instrument in Gods
hands by which We are saved. :: lhe
means by which we continue saved. Chit,
That ia. salvation is the free gift OF God
Boast" We could not purchase saliva
ton. we did not merit it.. and good work.
could not save US; therefore it is not oi
Ourselves. and there Is no room tor boast
ing. so completely is salvation a divine
act that the man who refuses to accept II
on Gods terms must perish; there IS nc
other wav."
III. The Christian life a divine creation
". l0). 10. His workmanship Instead
of our being the workers. God is the work
er and we are the MOUNTAINEERING TACT
accomplished. Created" The saved som
il created anew new creation .: lor. D;
II: Gal. 6: Is; Eph. 4: 24). Unto ,Sood
works" Though We are not saved for
onr good works. vet We arc saved that we
NAV perform good works tn the glory oil
| God and the benefit Of nan Good works
are the fruit OF faith. "Ordaincd-prc.
| pared" God has not only created us anew
| and given us 4 love for rood works. but Hc
has actually ''prenared' the works for ne
] to perform. Walk in them" To do good
works will be the established order OF our