Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-06-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson XIII. Second Quarter,
For June 30, 1907.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, ! Cor. X, 1888.
Memory Verse, s1-Gelden Text,
Rom. xiv, 2f--cemmentary Prepared
Nv pav D. M Stearns,

Rom. xiv, 21--Commentary FreParee
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
tCopyrigbt, 1907, by American Press Association
The letter was written to those who
were "in Christ Jesus" waiting for
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(chapter !, 2, 2, and the closing words
are, "If any man love not the Lord
Jesus Christ let him be accursed; the
Lord cometh" xvi. 22). The letter
opens with an assurance to the faith
fulness of God, who calls unto the fell
lowshlp of His Son Jesus Christ oul
Lord and ends with the exhortadon,
watch We; stand fast In the faith; quit
you like men; be strong" Il, 0; XVI, l3).
Some of these people had been thieves
and drunkards and worse. but were
now washed, sanctided, justified and
temples of the Holy Ghost through the
precious blood of Christ wi, Oil, 10.
2O) The epistle was written to re-
mind them of their former lost and
helpless condition, their redemption
through a cruciied and risen Christ,
the resurrection glory that awaited
them In the kingdom, and In view or
all this to walk In love, steadYast, I'M
movable, always Astounding in the
work Of the Lord chapters Kill and
Nv, 5S).
Our lesson is taken from the section
of the epistle which concerns the be-
levers attitude in reference to things
offered to idols and his conduct toward
those who still worshiped idols CHAP
tiers viii to xi. inclusive) The believer,
the child of God, given to Christ out
Of the world, Is still left In the world
that through him the world may
see and know and believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ John xviii 20-23). The
one great question, therefore, for the
believer Is: How can my life tell most
powerfully for Christ-hOw can the
life of Jesus be made manifest in me?
Oh Cor. ". H. The section OF the
eplstle selected for our lesson Is
summary Of this important matter, be-
ginning with the statement that while
1t may be perfectly lawful for me to
do many things it may not be expedi-
ent for me 10 do them, inaSmuch as lib
erty on my part might not help others.
The lesson closes with the saying
that as believers we are not to seek
our own profit, but the profit of others,
that they may be saved, or. as 1t Is set
forth In the closing words OF the pre-
vious chapter, we are so to keep I'M
der, bruise, beat black and blue our
body of sin, the self, the old man In
us. for the gospels sake. that we. may
by all means save some Qx 1920. III
we do otherwise we may find our lives
disapproved at the judgment seat OF
Christ and see our works cast away,
burned up and we ourselves saved as
by fire Chapter iii. 1915; II Cor v,
8, 1O).
The opening verses of our lesson
chapter tell us Of many In Israel who
having been redeemed from Egypt fall
ed to enter the promised land because
of unbellef and idolatry, not that we
are to think Of them as lost. but as
cut of from present privileges here,
even as In chapter xi, 80, we read OF
believers at Corinth who were sick and
dying because Of sinful lives when
they ought to have been clarifying
God. The matter Of eating this or not
eating that Is comparatively trihing
matter, inasmuch as 1t Is not what we
eat or drink that necessarily deiles us.
See Mark vii, IS, 10.
Note also Col Il, 16. II. The life Of
child Of God is one of perfect free
dom to enjoy the riches and fullness of
his Fathers home, but In such way
as to make others want to belong to
the same family. Our eating and
drinking aud all our conduct before
men should be after such a fashion as
would lead others to want to know
our God. Clarifying God means max
Ing Him so glorious In the eyes Of 9TH
ers that they shall be drawn to Him
and become His children.
Take any kind Of q sinner such as is
described In chapter vi, 9, 10. and there
Is not a single thing that God asks or
expects Of such In the way Of reform
to make him. child Of God. All such
are dead in trespasses and sins and can
no more do a thing to save themselves
than dead Lazarus could do to get out
Of that tomb, but the same word that
gave Lazarus life can and will give
life to any dead sinner. Hear and
your soul shall live" THE gift Of God
Is eternal life" "Look unto me and
be saved" Gas many as received Him
to them gave He the right or power
to become the sons Of God" Qsa. ",
3; xiv, %; Rom vi, %; John |, ~. The
way of salvation for the sinner through
Jesus Christ and His finished work Is
most plain. but the great hindrance is
the selfish. self seeking, self indulgent.
worldly, domineerlng, un-Christlike life
that so many live who are called by
His name.
Temperance means self control, self
Remuneration. following Him who never
pleased Himself, never sought His own
will or His own glory, but came to
glorify God and to seek and save the
lost. When our, one ambition is to
please Him. to- magnify Him, to so let
Him live In us that people shall be
attracted to Him because Of us, then
we shall have learned the meaning OF
temperance. This will not be accom-
plished by any amount Of effort Oh
eur part or even by striving or agoniz-
ing, but by so beholding Him that the
glory of His life shall be reproduced
In ours by the same spirit who dwet In
Him QI Cor Ill, IS: ", g.. See slao
Gal II. 20; Rom. vi, IL, Is.