The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-04-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR APRIL i9.
Subject: The Law Of Love, Rom. KILL, !.
1S-Golden Text, Rom. xiii., 1o-Mem.
ory Verses, 0, 1o-Commentary on the
Days keasou.

1l-Golden Text, Rom. xiii., 1o-Aern-
ory Verses, 0, Io-Cominentary on the
Day's Lesson.
7. ITO ALL" To all those in authority
over you. Tribute" Tax on person or
property. Custom" Revenue. Toll on
merchandise. Fear" Such ~ is due to
public. official and to an authorized aven.
ger OF wrong. Honor" Do not behave
disrespectfully to any person, and to those
in authority show reverence and respect
on account Of the dignity Of the office,
even though you cannot respect the man.
8. Owe no man." II cannot be sup
posed that the apostle meant to prohibit
the contracting OF debts on any account.
Christians are indeed under the highess
obligations to pay all legal demands with.
out reluctance or needless delay and with
great punctuality, and they should avoid
all superfluous expense and carefully guard
against contracting any debts which they
have not q reasonable prospect OF dischars.
ing. They ought also TO stand aloof from
ali adventurous speculations or rash en-
gagcments, beyond their circumstances,
and whatever may expose them to the dan:
ger and discredit Of not rendering to all
their dues. Love one another. In, the
preceding verses the apostle has been
showing the duty, reverence and obedience
which all Christians, from the highest TO
the lowest, owe 20 the civil magistrate,
whether be be emperor, king, .pro-eonsul
or other state officer; here he shows them
their duty TO one another.
9. SHALT not commit" etc. In this
verse the apostle quotes from the law Cs
though he would say that the perfect love
which he declares they owe to one another
will enable them to fulfIl all the oblisa-
tions OF this law. And whatever he has
omitted, which the law contains, is all GOV.
neishbor as thyseif." When this is done
in reality there is completeness and we
keep the whole law. He that loves another
win not deprive him of his vile, Of his life,
OF his property, Of his good name, and will
not even permit desire to enter into his
heart which would lead him to wish to pos
sess anything that il the property OF an:
other. The law Of love forbids the Use OF
Intoxicating liquor, forbids its sale to 9TH
ers. and will not permit US to assist those
persons who sell liquor to others. either
by lending them money. by renting our
buildings to them, or in any way giving
them our support and showing them favor.
10. "Worketh no ILL.," The law of love
forbids the doing Of anything that would
injure myself or others. Where love
rcigns the golden rule is .practiced, and
he who loves acts toward his neighbor as
he would that his neighbor would act to-
never work i'll toward another. and thus
the law is fulfilled BY love. Intemperancc
is the exact opposite Of this. 1t causes
men to break every commandment. and 10
work iii of every kind to his neiRhbor.
IL. Knowing the time" The nature
and character Of the period in which we
live. High time" That is, the hour has
arrived. ITO awake" How many So
called Christians are fast asleep! The &C.
cursed liquor traffic il becoming powerful,
bold, defiant; is destroying our best
brains and blood; is running our morals; Is
undermining the Christian Sabbath, one
filing the land with paupers, disease and
crime. and yet we sleep on peacefully as
though we had no responsibility in this
m. tier! Salvation nearer" etc. The pc
riod of completed and ultimate salvation
is nearer than when we first believed. We
have only little time remaining in which
to work, therefore awake from thy slum-
berings and come forth to immediate &C.
ton.
u. The night" OF heather darkness,
ignorance. immortality and wretchcdness.
Far spent" Heather darkness was rap
idly coming to an end. The full manifesto
ton OF the SUI. Of righteousness in the
illumination Of the whole Gentle world,
dciiverance from evil; OF true Christian
knowledge; OF purity, happiness and peace;
OF eternal blessedness SIS ut hand Let
US cast off," The works Of darkness de-
scribed in the next verse. The Christian
il obliged to renounce and cast of" many
things. He is required to be separate from
the world 4 John 2: IS, 49,: and to
touch not the unciean thing" e Cor. 6:
~. let us put on" There. are some
things for the Christian to receive and ae-
eept. The power OF living Christ living
Ephesians 6: ll-7 we are exhorted to put
on the armor which God has provided for
the Christian. Protection Is provided for
every part but the back, which shows that
the Christian is never expected to flee from
an enemy. "Of light" Light itself is IN
armor. That person whose actions arc
open to view, who does nothipg in the
dark and under cover, is in a sale position.
He can prove his whereabouts. The armor
Of light" is his protection.
Is. Walk honestly" Be decent, or
derly and sincere in all department. an ex.
ample for all eyes to look upon. Men
choose night for their reve!s Of sin and su-
perstitious doings, but children Of light
(Eph. 8: ll-ls) must behave becomingly
and live above such censure. "As in the
day" In an open way which every one
may see and know Not in rioting and
drunkenness. They are not to indulge in
rc:els where intemperance in eating and
drinking Is common and where indecent
exercise in games, etc, follows, and where
conversation is corrupt. This was what the
heather did whom they so condemned.
Strife and cnvying" The very opposite
of love. but the result Of such practices rs
were mentioned above. This exhortation
made plain the standard OF Christianity,
holding j, in contrast with the heather
practices. And If this epist.e should fall
into the hands OF the Roman magistrates
or others they would see the purity OF the
doctrine OF the Christians. The apostle
wisely puts everything to prove the value
OF virtue and the darkness OF sin.
IL. Put ye on-Christ." Without fu..
ther comment on heather practices, the
apostle plainly explains what the armor Of
light means. 1t was plain to be seen what
they must put aside, and this cxhortation
would apply to all who might hear it, To
put on Christ signifies receiving and be-
heving the gospel. This fully done and
held to would stop all thought of following
any sinful inclination OF their nature.
"1he flesh" By flesh here We are to un.
derstand the carnal nature, the gratiiica.
ton of which led to the denominations. In
Temperance puts of Christ and provides
for the lusts Of the flesh. Christ il able TO
SO completely cleanse the heart from sin
and fill il with love that no principle OF
sin or desire for sin will remain.