Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-03-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MARCH IL.
Subject: The Slavery of Sin, John will,
Stakeholder Text, John viii, 81
Memory Verses, 81, 32-Commentary
on the Days Lesson.

I. The test and blessings of discipleship
ter, as K. v, Jesus therefore said" be-
cause many had believed on Him after His
declaration that He was the Light of the
world, and after His nswer to the Phari-
sees, and now Jesus directed His remarks
to these new disciples. (Which believed"
The term "believed' applies here to the
disposition openly expressed, to acknow!,
(R. W Not a ftful, intermittent rela-
ton, but thorough, intense and continuous.
I'm My word" If We obey My command
ments and follow NV teachings carefully.
Our spirits must drink in Christ's words
as our bodies inhale the atmosphere. No
man is worth listening to OF questions OF
faith and doctrine who is not himself a
Gods word must become the permanent
condition of our life. "Disciples." A dis
ciple is a learner: one who accepts and fol-
lows another as teacher and master. True
disciples are real representatives of Christ,
who live a holy life before the world.
80. Shall know the truth" Shall know
it doctrinalls, spiritually, experimentally,
er; shall know the reality of things. and
shall know Christ Himself. the embodi-
ment of truth (John l4:D. The rulers had
spoken of knowing the law, Jesus speaks
Of knowing the truth. This is a species
of learning infinitely transcending all the
guesses of doubling scientists and s%neering
philosophers. make you free" Intelli-
gence is not sufficient. A learned man is
still a wicked man under the bondage Of
sin unless he has been made free. knoWl-
edge appears as the fruit of faith. and free
dom as the fruit of knowledge. Christ as
s~ociates liberty always with the truth,
which He is Himself, and SO presents the
+,-4l -. Al, o,,,o sc 1,lo,+,, n, 4lo oGoo%
II. Freedom offered from the slavery Of
sin Tvs. 1856. SO. They answered"
Many commentators refer this they" not
to the many who believed ". 3O), but to
the other Jews who had not believed. The
little episode OF verses 1892 is thus held as
a pleasant parenthesls, and the believers
are all allowed to be genuine and perhaps
of the simple people who had already be-
lleved, but to the carplng, %caviling. Phari-
sees. "Abraham's seed" They had Abra-
hams blood in their veins, but not his
faith in their hearts. "Never in bondage"
This answer was not more true than the
language of pride ordinarily. Politically,
the seed of Abraham had been in bondage
Spiritually. they had been in bondage to
idoiatries in past times. were now to the
rabbis, who were lteralists II interpreter
ton. and without spirituality or sympathy
Matt. 23:4l. How sayest Thou" Upon
what possible principle dost Thou promise
to Us that which We already are proud OF
possessing, viz, glorious liberty? We al
ready possess as our birthright what Thou
art Offering to lis as the full result Of dis
ciD.eship.
81. Verify, verify" A solemn d%eclara-
ton enforced by these words. "Whoso-
ever committeth sin" In these words
Jesus utterly eSpels the political question
from His scope He states 1irst the princi-
PIE and then the application. He spoke Of
a more degrading bondage and a higher
freedom than they imagined. He whose
tendency and habit Is to commit sin. He
who makes choice OF sin: prefers the way
OF wickedncss before the way o. holiness;
who makes a covenant with sin, enters into
league: who makes q custom OF sin; who
walks after the flesh and maAes a trade of
SIN. is the servant of sin" Is the slave.
the hond-servant OF sin He does the work
OF sin. supports its interests and accepts
its wages. He cannot dismiss sin at pleas
IRE; the moment he attempts it he finds
the chains drawn tighter. Dream not of
freedom while under the mastery OF your
desires.
in at this point. No bondage is greater
than the bondage to strong drink. Ssrvi-
tude is repu,sive to all men. In our land
OF freedom men demand their rights in
business, vet there are hundreds of men
and boys and sometimes women who put
themselves under the bondage of the drink
hacit.
%. "The servant abideth not" The
reference may be to Hagar and Ishmael
and lsaac-lne bond and tine free. They
had spoken OF themselves as the seed of
Abraham. Jesus shows them that there
may be of that seed Two kinds: the son,
properly SO call, and the sla;e. These
Jews might be the seed OF Abraham. and
Yet, not being his spiritual children, might
not abide in his household OF faith. Not
many years after this their capital and ma
ton We're Destroyed, and the Gentiles took
their Place in the kingdom OF Cod Think
nos to be made tree rom SIN by the rites
and ceremonies OF the law of Moses, for
Moses was but q servant and had not that
parental authority Ia the church which the,
Son had. The son abiueth' CR. W The
comparison here IS between any son and a
bond servant, and son should not begin
with a capital Sinners are Saves, Chris
tlans are sons and neirs- So IF the Son"
Christ now refers to Himself The Son Of
God alone has power to ~lioeratc those who
are slaves to sin Jesus Christ is the head
and has full authority and ability. The
Father hath given all things INTO His hand
John l7:2). Free indeed" The Jews
boosted OF an imaginary freedom, but the
liberty which Christ offered was real a1d
lasting in its effects 1t would have saved
the nation from the bondage of captivity
to Babylon centuries before: it would
save them from bondage to the Romans.
What freedom they had under the Romans
Was due to what they had learned and
practiced of the word Jesus knew that
deliverance from the Roman yoke was the
great work expected from the Messiah.
He therefore spiritua,ized this hope.
III. Jesus shows the character of the
wicked Jews Tvs 800 81. "Abraham's
seed" Christ admits their claim that they
are the natural descendants OF Abraham,
bat denies that they are his children w..
29) in the highest and best sense. Seek
to kill" That they desired the death of
Abraham's truest Son is proof that they
are not true sons Of Abraham Their MUIR
derous intent proves that they are children
Of the devil ". AZ instead of Abraham.
No place in you You do not allow My
word to enter your hearts and lives. So.
Il speak," etc. The Son existed with the
Father during past eternity and He reports
the things He had seen. I'VE do" etc.
Their father was Satan ". AZ, and they
We're instructed and led by him. 80, %.
The argument here is that they were not
true children OF Abraham because they
were not like Abraham in character and
actions. Abrahan's life was wholly unlike
their.
Trick Of Clever Swindler.