Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-03-20
The SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments for
March y.
Subject: Paurs Message to the Ephesians,
Eph., H.. l.lO-Golden Text, Eph. H., j.
Memory Verses, Commentary
on the Days Lesson.

!. The children OF wrath Tvs. l-3). |
"And you" AS Christ fills the whole body
OF Christian believers with His fuinesS
(chap. |: 23), so had He dealt with the con
verte'l Ephesians who before were dead in
trespasses and sins. "Quckencd." Made
alive spiritually. Dead" See Col. 2:l3
Dea tn Is often used by all writers and in al
nations to express a state Of extreme mis-
cry. The Ephesians by trespassing anc
SHINING had brought themselves into q
state Of deplorable wretchedness, as had
all the heather nations, and having thus
sinned against God they were condemned
by Him and might be considered as dead
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 III
ficted upon them. They were incapable o!
performing a holy act. Their bodies were
the living coffins in which their dead souls
were buried. "Trespasses and sins. y
Trespasses may signify the slightest devia.
tions from the right; sins moro habitual
and daring transgressions, but the terms
run together in meaning.
Q. aye walked" They had sinned con-
tinualfy, not merely occasionally. They
lived in sin and followed the evil practices
of the heather world. True Christians
separate tHeIlSelNtS iIOIl INC Nollu NIo"'
II: 2; 2 Cor. 6: H-lS) and do not conform
air" This has reference to Satan, the
prince of devils He is also 'the god OF
this world" q Cor. A. 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-
phere poisonous and impregnated with
deadly elements "Of the spirit As the
Holy Spirit works that which is good in
obedient souls so Satan works that which
is evil in wicked hearts. He is prince of
the spirit that, not only in Paul's day but
even now, "worketh in the sons Of disobe.
dience."
8. owe also" Paul here changes from
the second to the first person, putting him
self in. with those whom he has just de.
scrlbed. GAIL" Jews and GentlIes alike
"Once lived" The R. V. brings ont the
meaning. The word conversation" is mis-
leading. The whole course of the life was
wrong. They lived in sin and walked in
sin. and sin was interviewer in their very
being. at 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 If all those SINS which their
corrupt natures inclined them to commit.
mind" Thoughts; mental suggestions
and purposes as distinguished from the
blind impulses of the flesh 'By nature"
Nature. in Greek, implies 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 inliu'
ences. Here ia an incidental proof OF the
doctrine of original sin. "Of wrath" The
child of anything is one connected with.
partaking Of or exposed to anything. The
children of wrath are those who live in
open disobedience ". q and are thus ex-
posed to the wrath of God. See Rom.
II. Salvation an 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 esneciallv emphas:zed--,,
God. mercy. grace Erich in mercy God
is rich in MANY things besides mercy. He
is rich in worlds; He owns the gold and 81 =
yer in n thousand hills. as we'll as the cat
tie on them. But while knowledge of
these riches is not necessary to our saliva
tion. it is necessary that we know about
the riches Of His mercy. See Elk 80: 49,;
Psa. s.: 10; Isa So: 7 and many other
Scriptures God is rich in pity and com
passion for the sinner. "Great love" His
infinite love for MS is the ground OF our sal
walton. He loved us and died for us while
we were yet sinners. Together with
Christ" God has given us as complete a
resurrection from the death OF sin to a
life of righteousness as the body OF ChrIst
has had from the grave. See Rom. g.. IL.
TT,r,or;Iad favor Thor ca Iva
ton was not of themselves ". 8)-"not the
mere product of any natural abilities or
any merit of their own" neither was 1t by
works ". 81, but it was through the love.
mercy and grace Of God. "Saved." Not
merely saved from sin-justi6ed and sane
tifed-but gloriously saved from death,
the devil and hell; saved to resurrection.
Christ and glory, in the full view of the
endless ages to come. These people were
saved at this time and so we see there IS
such a thing as salvation from sin in this
life.
6. "Raised-sit." Believers are citizens
of heaven and have their places assigned
there. which they will soon take possession
of phil 8: 20. 2l). But this may be, un-
derstood as referring to sanctified souls IN
this life Having been raised from the
death of sin we enter into heavenly
UNI III WIFI CHTIst, duu tuC nO". - ''N~
scribah'v happy in His love. 1t is heaven
begun below.
10. cages to come" etc What God
had done for the sinners at Ephesus would
be proof of His great goodness and mercy
and serve as an encouragement to sinners
in all ages of the world. Through faith !"
Faith is. |. The condition upon which we
are saved. q The instrument in Gods
hands by which we are saved. 3. The
means by which we continue saved. Gift"
That is. salvation is the free gift Of God.
Boast" We could not purchase saliva
ton. we did not merit it, and good works
could not save us; therefore it is not OF
ourselves, and there is no room for boast
ing. 80 completely is salvation divine
act that the man who refuses to accept it
on Gods terms must perish; there is no
other wav"
III. The Christian life divine creation
". 10Y. 10. ellis workmanship" Instead
of our being the workers, God is the work
or and we are the workmanship fact
accomplished. Created" The saved soul
is created anew-a new creation q Cor. D:
II; Gal. 6: Is; Eph. 4: 24). "Unto good
works" Though we are not saved for
orr good works, yet we are saved that we
nav perform good works to the glory Of
God and the benefit of man." Good works
are the fruit of faith "Ordained-pre-
pared" God has not only created us anew
and given us love for good works, but He
has actually prepared" the works for US
to perform "Walk in them" To do good
works will be the established order OF our
lives.