The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-03-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON XII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH ~.

Text of the Lesson, Eph. Al, lilo.
Memory Verses, 4-7-Golden Text,
Eph. ii, s. Commentary Prepared
by REV. ID. NJ. stenrns.
copyright 1903. by American Press Association
/. And YOU hath He quickened, who
were dead I'm trespasses and sins.
The last clause of this verse de-
/ scribes the condition of all, without ex-
ception, until redeemed, and the same
sad truth is found in such passages as
Rom. ~. %; V, -; Tit. i'll, 3; but the
natural man rebels against it, and es-
pecially the educated religious natural
man. who teaches that all people are
children of God, that there is good III
all and all who desire to be good are
Christians \ minister In New York Is
reported as recently having said that
he knew nothing of the new birth ana
had never experienced it. In spite or
all that men say and teach we must
say, LET God be true and every man a
liar" QRom. iii, ~.
2 g. Children Of disobedience; by
nature the children of wrath. even as
others.
This is as God sees us, and He alone
is qualified 10 tell us what our hearts
are like for they are deceitful above
all things and desperately wicked DER.
xvii, 8, 10. The whoe world heth In
the evil one, and he, as the prince or
the power of the air. the prince Of this
world, rules it and its people u John V,
10; John xiv, 30; xvi, IL. The life or
walk of all who are not born from
above, however it may vary, is In each
one n life according to the course or
this world, fulfilling the desires of the
flesh and of the mind. and it is all dis
obedience, under the control of the evil
one.
l. s. But God. who is rich in mercy. for
His great love wherewith He loved us.
even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ (by
grace we are saved.
God commendeth His love toward
us. i'm that while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us" when we were
vet without strength, Christ died for
the uugodly" when we were en-
emies. we were reconciled to God by
the death of His Son" (ROm. V, q, :,
1O God so loved the world chat is,
the world lying in the wicked One)
that lie gave His only begOtten Son
that whatsoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting
life, (John iii, 49, This letter was writ
tn TO the saints, the faithful in Christ
Jesus ii. u, those who had believed on
Him and truly received Him and were
therefore accepted i'm the Beloved, in
whom they had redemption by His
blood. the forgiveness of sins and were
blessed with all spiritual blessings in
Him q. 3. 6, y. Paul is showing them
how il all came about and reminding
them Of their condition by nature, that
they might watch themselves, have no
confidence in themselves, but rejoice
in Christ Jesus (Phil. iii, y.
g. Z. That in the ages to come re might
shew the exceeding riches of His grace
in His kindness toward US through Christ
Jesus.
Ouickened with Christ, raised up
with Him, seated with Him in the
heavenlies, are some of the truths In
these and the preceding verses. Else
where il is crucified with Him, dead
with Him. buried with Him. risen with
Him. suffering with Him, gloried
with Him. coming with Him (Gal. ill.,
20: Rom. vi. 4-G; viii. Il; Col. ill., IA.
What He did and suffered for us in
our stead as our substitute we are
looked upon as having done and suf-
fered with Him. We cannot feel nor
realize this. but we can firmly believe
il. and that is what He asks us to do
Only i'm the ages TO come shall we see
the full significance of it all, when
with all saints we shall comprehend,
as we cannot now, the breadth and
length and depth and height of the
love that passeth knowledge (Eph. ILL.,
1S, 49,.
s. O. For by grace are we saved through
faith and that not Of yourselves; 1t Is
the gift of God, not of works. lest any
man should boast.
The law was given by Moses, but
grace and truth came by Jesus Christ
He was full of grace and truth (John l.
II. IL. Truth tells and shows just
what we are. and grace saves us In
spite of it ALL Not only do the epistles
begin and end with something about
grace, but some of them are very full
of grace In his own case Paul felt
that the grace of God was exceeding
abundant q Tim. i, IA, and in his
epistle he has much to say of the glory
OF His grace and the exceeding riches
OF His grace G. 6. Z; ii, -. | do not
know that ii is better defined any
where than i'm III Cor. viii, ., and when
we can see and know how rich lie
was and realize in some measure how
poor He became for us we shall then
know more fully the meaning of grace
10. For we are His workmanship, Gre
ated in Christ Jesus unto good works
which God hath before ordained (pre-
pared that we should walk in them.
While no works of ours can either
save us or help to save us. or add to
our safety. but if saved it must be by
L.. - fc,