The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-01-21
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JANUARY rs.

Subject: Paul's Counsel In the Thessalo-
mans, I Thoss. w., 1&.2s-.Golden Text
4 Thess, W., 2l.Memory Verses, 1918
-commentary on the Da,'s Lesson.
I. Christ's second coming Tvs. LID.
The first part Of this chapter stands IN
close connection with the last Fix verses
of chapter 4. The two paragraphs touch
upon two different aspects OF our Lords
coming, viewed first as it concerns depart
ed Christians, and then in its relation TO
men living upon the earth. The iormcr
passage supplies comfort respecting the
dead in Christ. the latter en]oins watca:i.-
ness and preparedness upon the living:
Paurs teaching concerning the return OF
the Lord Jesus from heaven had very
deeply impressed the Thessalon;ars. lat
his views had been greatly misunderstood
The day Of the Lords coming ". y no
doubt includes not only His coming 1T
the end of the world. but all the sper.ai
manifestations OF that coming, as at the
day of death and the destruction OF Jeru.
saiem (see Matt. a."
II. Rules for the sancti6ed lie Tvs. u.
~. In verses IL and Is he urges them TO
properly love and esteem their ministers.
IL. Brethren" This exhortation applies
to ministers and laymen alike; The
weak" A man may be weak in his I,!dg'
ment or in his character. There may be a
to understand the truth. Such people
need the assistance of those who are
strong. We can support" others with
~ our sympathy, (2) our prayers, ~ our
example and (i) our counsel.
IS. "See that none" etc. Some one
has said. Evil for evil is beast like; evil
for good is devil like; good for good 10
mnnlike; good for evil is godlike." Retail:
iation .betrays a weak, igEoble and cruel
disposition. He is below himself, who is
hot SSid "s s2Sss q. '"'1 "Bu. es sRa, ioi iS o '' sss'
The true Christian always, renders good
lined is to he pursued both within and
without the church. No follower Of Christ
will Intentionally harm any man. =.
10, II. Rejoice Away" He who would
always rejoice must pray without ceasing.
Paul had learned the secret that "in sor-
row endured for Christ's sake there is hid
den n new spring of Joy" See Rom. S: 3
5: 2 Cor. IL: 10, and the words OF Christ in
Matt. 5: 1912. To rejoice is not only a
duty. but a privilege. The Christian has
the fountain Of joy within him. Pray"
True prayer springs from the heart. It
includes ~, an acknowledgment OF Cod
w tnGEKIuinSbs, -toJ SohhSoStoh, w ~
treaty. It is our duty TO pray because ~
impress us with q sense Of our dependence
upon God, (3) because it 10 the means by
which We commune with God. ~ because
it is made the condition Of our receiving
from God. Prevailing prayer III springs
from q sense Of real need, ~ is earnest.
81 IL humble, ~ is importunatc, ~ 10 Of
fered for specific blessings, (6) pleads the
promises and rests in them as the ground
Of all faith.
IS. give thanks" Even in persecution
we should thank God that we are consid.
cred worthy to suffer for Christ. Prayer
and THANKSGIVING are the two wings Of the
'' q, b %. WHICH hSne it E'' sst uHe"s Since to 81. sef spiri.
may be 1uenched he is a fire. rs appeared
on the day Of Pentecost fAets 2: 81: This
emblem sets forth the sudden and veh.-
mcnt activities Of the Holy Spirit, with
His gifts Of warmth for the heart and light
for the mind, and His power to kind,e the
human spirit. The. gift OF the Spirit was
then existing, deep and powerful, in the
young Thessalonian church," and they
were here commanded not to forbid those
who under divine inspiration stood up to
reveal mysteries or speak with tongues.
But the command is universal. Whatever
nln0cIS TIC WOEh OIL Inc SpIElI III OuISCbtCb
or Others is here forbidden. The Spirit Is
gucnched by depreciation. neglect or sin.
q. g. Prove" On the other hand. do
not accept as genuine all that may claim
to be genuine. It is our duty to probe.
test. try all such manifestations and "ho;d
fast" only the good. But the exhortation
here ia capable Of the widest application.
We arc to discern between truth and err
Tor. and sift the chaf from the wheat.
Hold fast" We should never allow the
good to slip from US. Buy the truth and
sell it not" To do this will take q strong
effort on our part. Abstain" Not only
hold fast the good. but abstain from and
rcnounee the evil which may have been de-
tected as a result Of proving all things. .,
ef. @. God of peace" Peace is the
sum of all spiritual blessings that mai re-
ceives and experiences" The apostle
prays that the God of peace might n
tify them wholly. The Thessaloaian Chris.
.ians were truly regenerated; they had had
a genuine conversion (see chap. u, and
yet they needed entire sanctifcation.
''Sanctify you wholly" The work Of sanc.
tifcation was begun in conversion, and
now it was their privilege TO be made com
plete-to be sanctifed wholly: Sanctifica.
ton signifies, !. Separation from sin 2.
iOuseCIdIlOu " SCQ-tHC rStsSIik oHais
from a common to a holy use. g.. 1T 10
the net or process Of making holy" 4.
1T denotes the result Of this process-the
state OF one who is made holy" Spirit
soul-body." That il, the whole man. 1T
is net necessary to regard spirit and soul
and body Is three distinct logical divisions
of mans nature" But If it seems desirable
TO distinguish between soul and spirit. then
the spirit must be regarded as the highest
part OF man, by which alone man possesses
intelligence and is enabled to apprehcnd
God, and the soul as the seat Of the affec.
tions, passions and appetitcs. yet We
are to conceive of them AZ one Indirisible
ard spiritual being, called also the mind
and the heart. but usually designated as
the soul" BE preserved" etc. From
this we sec that this experience OF entire
sanc;itication is for this life.
"a. Twill do it." This settles the mat
ter. The God who has faithfully called u
to holiness is ready to make US holy. and
Peter in Acts Is: 0 tells how the expe
.ience was obtained by both Jews and Gen.
tiles, He says their hearts were purified
Nv. Concluding words (vs. $3.50. o,
&c. Pray for us" St. Paul frequently
made this request. II he. in al the
strength of his gifts and his Office, felt his
Ncienuence' on the prayers oi Tue cnuttu'
how much should we? Kiss" This, the
rsual sign of affection between kindred
and near friends, appears to have beer
lutte universal in the primitive church.
but the custom gradually died out during
the Middle Ages. To-day we have the
"handshakc." which answers all purposes.
q. %. "Adjure you" Literally, l put
you upon oath to do this. The grace"
etc. This is St. Paul's usual form OF final
benediction. 1T contains I'll spiritual
good that one Christian can wish another"