The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-11
THE CHRISTIAN
AS A CITIZEN
international Sunday School Lesson
for April 1e-"The Law of Love-"
Romans xiii, ia. Temperance Les
son.

TOR April lS-lhe Law of Love-"
Romans xiii, ia. Temperance Les
son.
The next great awakening within the
Christian church in America, it is free
ly predicted, will be an awakening to
civic righteousness. Already we see
signs Of it. The pulpit is beginning to
speak in clear tones; the real leaders
of patriotic sentiment and action are
devoting their best thought to the sub
Ject, and we may expect wave of po-
Ht1ca1 reform to sweep over the coun-
try that will be but the outward mani
festation of a deep national, Christian
purpose. AS the biggest problems be-
fore the churches in the United States
today relate to citizenship and politics.
so one of the graVest questions con-
fronting the church in Paul's time was
that of the disciples duty toward civil
authorities. How should a Christian
act toward heather rulers, whose au-
thority was bound up with all man
ner of idolatrous obSerVanceS? The
question was an important one, espe-
cially to the disciples or Rome, the
fountain head alike of government and
of corruption.
In order to settle some of these
perplexities, Paul wrote this thirteenth
chapter of his letter to the Christians
at Rome, passage that has been call
ed the Christian citizens chapter" It's
counsels may be summed up as these:
Obey your rulers; owe no man any
thing; love everybody; be vigilant; put
off your old nature, with its fieshly
lusts, and put on the new life that is
in Jesus Christ.
The Corner Stone of the State.
One danger that confronted these
new Christians was that in their new
liberty they might attempt to throw off
all authority and all restraint. Their
teachers repeatedly warned them that
the spirit Of the gospel was not a
spirit Of disorder, but of order and
law. Paul here emphasizes the i'm
portance of obedience to duly constI-
tuted authority. Christians must obey
their rulers, no matter how bad these
may be. The worst government is
better than the best anarchy" Men
can live together only by yielding
obedience to commonly recognized law.
A natural consequence of this teach
ing is. as the apostle developes 1t, that
due. The gospel way is straight"
This is only one of numerous instances
in the New Testament where the gos-
pei touches practical conduct. very
free rendering of this seventh verse
might be Let there be no tax dodg-
irg, no unpaid bills, no underpaid en-
ployes, no defrauded masters no
shmping of tasks or lessons, no cheat
m Of "a hxr
a postage stamp, no disrespect to SUI
periors and no jealousy of equals"
The Higher Type.
While emphasizing obedience to hui
man and particular laws, Paul was not
unmindful that there is a higher and
all-incluSiVe law. The simplest way to
keep these lesser laws, he declares, is
to obey the supreme law of love, as
laid down and interpreted by Jesus. 1t
comprehends all other laws. The per-
son who is animated by the spirit of
love, and ever eager to pay his debt of
love to his fellow men and to God, will
have no need of a book of etiquette or
of q. copy of the laws of his city or
state.
In the worlds greatest novel, Lies
Miserables," we have a picture Of a
man, Jean Val Jean, who obeyed the
law Of love to the uttermost. He fol-
thus his character rises to q dignity
attained by no other in all the realm
Of fiction. He was good man, help
full citizen, and hero, because he loved.
Jean Val Jean followed in the foot
steps Of the One who first clearly
taught and perfectly exemplified the
law Of love- Like the Master, no OPP
preston, no injustice could make him
hate his fellow men.
Principles Versus Rules.
1t Is said that the Arabian common
tators of Mohammed published a code
containing $4,000 rules; but cases soon
arose to which none of these rules would
apply. We know that in the time of
Jesus the doctors of the law had over
laid the divine commandments with
human interpretations and regulations,
as some Of the masterpieces Of paint
ing In the old cathedrals were at times
covered with common paint. This
framing Of religion into a set Of rules
made 1t burden too grievous to be
borne. Jesus pierced to the core of the
matter when he enunciated, as the one
essential principle, simple brOtherly
love to men and f1lial love to the Fa-
Their in heaven. Love is the fulf1llment
Of the law" the person who obeys that
new commandment will disobey none
Of the older ones. Communities of
CHRISTIANS nave ever made the best
citizens Of a state, because they have
endeavored to obey this supreme law.
New Life Under the New Law.
During the late war a man could
not fight under both the red and yell
low of Spain and the red white and
blue Of the United States. Paul. who
as stern logictan, relentlessly follow
ed every course Of reasoning to its
conclusion, made it plain that whoever
walked this new way. Of which he was
teacher, must cut loose from the OLD
life. Loves disciples must - simply
must-cast off all works of darkness.
The old life of the flesh must go abso-
lutely. The new life is life In the sun
light; 1t Is done with the deeds of
darkness. If Christ's teachings mean
anything, they mean a new manner of
living to those who have walked the
worlds way.
Clean and Strong Citizens.
The lesson committee did not wrest
the Scriptures in call this a temper
ance lesson. For it's plain and princi-
pal teaching is clean living and helpful
brotherly conduct. It's closing exhor-
tation is MAKE not provision for the
flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof" The
gospel gives to the state citizens who
are pure and powerful; of every
Christian it should be said
His strength was as the strength Of
ten,
Because his heart was pure"
The healthiest. wisest, most pros
j 4.