The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1906-03-31
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON /, SECOND QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, APRIL /.

Text Of the Lesson, Matt. vii, 15-20.5
4 Memory Verses, "A, 25-Goaden Text,
y jas. 4, 22--Commentnry Prepared by
& Rev. ID. M. stearns.
Copyright, 1905, by American Press Association.
If we begin this lesson at verse Is,
then we shall have q circle OF truth,
the broad and marrow ways, with their
destruction and life, ana the wise and
foolish, with their rock and sand foun-
dations. One great, prominent and
practical Bible truth is that we have to
do with d living and true God in whose
hand our breath is and whose are all
our ways, who gfveth us life and
breath and all things and who so loved
us that He gave His only Son to be our
Saviour, that we might become His
children and live as such before the
world (Dan. v, %; Acts xvii, %; John
Iii, 10; Matt. Y, 16, 4S). When we do
good or pray or deny self, it must be
unto Him as In His sight, seeking to
please Him only, and always. with a
quiet mind free from all anxiety about
food or Iaiment, knowing that il we
seek first His kingdom and righteous
ness He will surely see to all ursneed
Chapter VII. In doing this we must not
judge others nor talk Of our inward
joys to those who are as dogs and
swine, but as the children of God man
ifest the Spirit Of our Father Chapter
vii, 1-12). This sober, righteous and god
ly life required OF us is a very narrow
way, and because so narrow and diff
ferent from the worlds ways few are
willing to walk in it. 1t may be enter
ed now by any who are willing to de
NY self, take up the cross and follow
Jesus. But the time will come when
those now unwilling shall be shut out,
however earnest their pleading or loud
their protests {Luke xiii, 24-27l. The
broad way is the easiest for the pres
ent and therefore gets. the crowd, the
unthinking mass, who, like sheep, go
astray. @ ssss y
Ever since the devil lied to Eve there
have been his followers who speak
peace and prophesy lies out of the de
ceit of their own heart and say to the
workers of iniquity, No evil shall
come upon you" (Jer xiv, 13, IA; xiii,
14-1D. Paul warned the church at
Ephesus that grieyous wolves would
enter In among them, not sparing the
flock, and that even from themselves
there would arise some seeking their
own pre-eminencea tActs Xxx, 29-31).
One of the signs of the perilous times
of the last days will be a form Of god
liness without the power and people
4 who will not endure sound doctrine,
but will turn away from the truth to
believe fables QI Tim. iii, 8; iv, 3, a;
ii Thess. II, 10, 11). True followers OF
the Good Shepherd, who laid down His
4 life for the sheep, will not seek their
own welfare, but the good of the sheep
even to the laying down of life for
them If necessary, The devil and his
followers seek to make name for
themselves, but true disciples of Christ
seek only to glorify God q Pet. iy,l1 D.
Faith in Jesus Christ implies d con.
viction of our own sinfulness and ut,
tecly lost condition and a casting OF
ourselves upon His mercy, receiving
Him as our own personal Saviour. Such
reception Of Him will make manifest
In the life such change that all can
see the difference and recognize the
new creation. Any profession Of faith
In Christ that does not manifest new
life, old sinful things passed away
must be words only and of no avail
Not only every one that saith, = =
but he that doeth" tverse 2I). BE We
doers of the word and not hearers on
", deceiving your own selves GAS. i
22).
To be a teacher or preacher or even
worker Of miracles does not necessa
rily prove one a child of God, for in the
days Of Moses the, magicians of Egypt
Initiated his signs up to- d certain point
(11x. VII, III, 12, 22) and III tAa coming
days of the antichrist his companion
the false prophet, will work great mira
cles and deceive the people. Yet both 81
these will be cast alive into the lake OF
fire lRey. xiii, Ill 5; xix, 20). Notice III
verses % 23, Of our lesson how He
speaks Of Himself as the Judge whe
will decide the destinies Of men
Many will say to ME; Z then will
profess unto them.' Men would moi
dare to disregard His words If they
were not thoroughly blinded By tht
devil and his followers There is only
one Judge for all mankind (John Y, %
Acts xvii, 31), and He is the only Sav.
iour of sinners and the only sure
foundation for Jew or gentle (Acts iy
12;;I T Cor. I'LL, III. Note the same teach
ing in the Old Testament as in the
New: Al just God and q Saviour, there
is none beside Me. Look unto Me and
be We saved. And again: Behold,
lay in Zion for foundation a stone, .
tried stone, precious cornerstone, q
sure foundation. He that believetl
shall not make haste. = Y And the
hail shall sweep away the refuge oi
lies and the waters shall overflow The
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