The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-05-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON WI, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY II.

Five days after Paul had been placed
under the care of Felix. the governor
at Cmsarea, the high priest and the eld-
ers and an orator named Tertullus ar
rived from Jerusalem, and, Paul being
brought forth. the orator delivered his
accusation, and the Jews assented to it.
Paul, being permitted 10 speak for him
self. denies their accusations and says
that they can prove nothing. 1t is the
common story of things laid to our
charge that we know not-the perversi-
ty of false witnesses Ops. XXXv, ill.,
The Spirit, through Peter reminds us
that it is cause for Thanksgiving If for
conscience toward God we endure grief
suffering wrongfully, that if when we
do we'll and suffer for ii we take ii pa
tiently God is well pleased and that it
is better, if the will of God be so, that
we suffer for we'll doing than for evil
doing Il Pet. ii, 10, 20; iii, 10.
IA. But this l confess unto thee, that
after the way which they call heresy so
worship / the God of my fathers, believ-
ing all things which are written in the
law and in the prophets.
1t was his custom to eXpound and
testify the kingdom of God and per
suade people concerning Jesus, both
out of the law of Moses and out of the
prophets acts xviii. 23). 1t was the
custom of the Lord Jesus to begin at
Moses and all the prophets and eX-
pound in all the Scriptures the things
concerning Himself and to assert that
all things must be fulfilled which were
written in the law of Moses and in the
prophets and in the psalms concerning
Him duke xiv, 81, Al. There is no
one TO follow fully but the Lord Jesus,
and there is no better example of one
who followed Him fully than the apos-
tie Paul.
Is. And have hope toward God, which
they themselves also allow, that there
shall be resurrection of the dead, both
of the just and of the unjust.
When Paul was rescued from the
mob by the chief captain and on the
next day brought before the council,
part Sadducees and part Pharisees, it
was the topic of the resurrection which
so stirred them that it seemed as If
they would tear Paul in pieces had not
the chief captain taken him by force
from among them (chapter xiii, q, 10.
1t was the same night, in the castle,
that the Lord appeared TO him and as
sured him that as he had testified at
Jerusalem so he must testify at Rome
(XXiii, ID, thus indorsing his testimony
and asking for more of it. All who
now believe God believe in the resurrec-
ton of the dead. but not all believers
accept the plain teaching of Thess. Nv,
IS, II; Cor. XIV, %, "a; Rev. Xxx, ., 6;
Luke xiv, Il; Xxx, 80, and other passages
concerning the resurrection.
16. And herein do l exercise myself to
have always a conscience void of offense
toward God and toward men.
His aim is plainly stated in such
words as these: According TO my ear
nest expectation and my hope that in
nothing | shall be ashamed" Not as
pleasing men, but God, who trieth our
hearts, "Ye are witnesses, and God,
also, how holly and justly and an
blamably we behaved ourselves among
you that believe" Phil. i, 20; | Thess.
ii, f. 10). The Lord Jesus and His APP
prevail were more to Paul than the pres
ence or approval of the greatest Of
earth's great ones. The result of Paurs
speech was that Felix said he would
wait until he had heard the chief cap
tain's version of the affair, and he gave
him in charge of a centurion. with or
ders to let him have liberty and also
the fellowship and ministry of his ac-
quaintances verses % and 81.
1926. And as he reasoned Of righteous
ness. temperance and judgment to come
Felix trembled and answered. Go thy way
for this time. When i have a convenient
season will call for thee.
This was in one of his many talks
with Felix and on an occasion when
his wife, Drusilla, a Jewess, was pres
ent also. The words of our Lord Jesus
in John xvi. s, are often COMPOUNDED
with these words concerning Paul, but
our Lord in His words does not men
ton judgment to come. That which
Paul set before Felix concerning right
eousness may be easily inferred from
Rom. iii, 10. "a; Y, Ito; Tit. iii, ;; Phil.
Ill, ~. lie WOulu uOuDIleSS set IOftn
our sinfulness by nature and practice,
our need of Righteousness to enable us
to appear before God, Gods abundant
provision for that need in Christ Je
sus and His free offer of it to every
penitent sinner. That which he taught
concerning temperance we may infer
from Tit. H. -; iii, s; III Cor. iv, a. 10;
Rom. vi, lila. He would show that
when we become righteous in Christ by
His finished work then we are to re-
nounce self and sin and the world and
live wholly unto God, who so freely
justifies the penitent sinner; that as
disciples of Christ we are to deny self
and take up the cross daily and follow
Him Matt. xvi. pa. Concerning judg-
ment TO come He would probably speak
as he did to the Athenians in Acts xvii,
30 81 He might dwell upon the mighty
words of Feel. xii, IA. and set forth
the matter as in Rom. xiv, 7-12; III Cor.
V, 8. 10. He would make ii clear, no
doubt that all who will not receive
Christ and His righteousness are abid
ing under the wrath of God and al
nj