Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-01-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson v.--First Quarter, For
Feb. z, 1903. &
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

memory Verses, 14-16--Goijsn Tey
John III, 1e-commsntary prspar,
by Rev. o. M. stssrns.
copyright. 1907, by American Press Association
-Four Of the great words Of the 20
pei and the epistles OF John are III
and light and love and believe. the fri
three referring to God and what He
and the last showing how He and a
that He Is and has become ours
Jesus Christ. the Son Of God, is tn
living manifestation Of this life AM
light and love, for 1t Is all seen full,
In Him. and when we receive Him W,
become the manifestation Of this liz,
and light and love to others. This s.
the teaching OF the Scriptures; cut, oh
how believers fail In the manifestation
Chapter II tells US In the CLOSING
verses that while at the Passover
many believed in His name when they
saw His miracles. yet he did not be.
lieve in them because He knew them
and knew what was In them.
The word commit unto" OF verse
"A Is just the word believe" Of verse
- and elsewhere. and thus we have
in chapter 1. II; H. "a. two definitions
or believing which mean to receive"
Him or commit unto" Him.
According to the revised version,
these two chapters are connected
thus: He Himself knew what was in
man. Now there was a man" So we
have in Nicodemus a sample man and
In chapter iv a sample woman. The
samples are about as different as they
could possibly be. the one being out.
wardly as good as possible and the
other as bad as possible. yet the first
must" be born again. and even such |
as the last may" be born again. This
gospel Is written that. receiving Jesus
Christ as the Son of God, all such may
have life through Him. for HE that
hath the Son Of God hath life. and he
that hath not the Son Of God hath
not life" chapter Xxx. 81: John v. 12).
The question of life or death In the
scriptures Is not one Of existence In
he body or out Of the body. although
hat IL sometimes referred to. but Il
question Of knowing God by be.
ng vitality connected with Him or
lot knowing him (John xvii @; Tit.
l6) The flesh or carnal mind. how.
yer cultured or religious. Is enmity
gainst God and never can be changed.
here must be new creation, which '
ONES by a new birth (Rom. viii. z: Q
Cor. v. II, and not by any patching
p of the old nature. 6
Nicodemus was evidently one of the Il
est OF men and stood high in the es a
'em OF his fellows. being a ruler u
mong them. He had also a convic. n
on that Jesus was no ordinary man IL
nd acknowledged that His works de, 81
AIRED that God was with Him in q e.
'ecial manner. 1t is not learning, but o.
e, that saves, and Jesus. seeing the u
eat need Of this man. ut once tells II
III OF it. Many In dealing with such il
one today would assure him that he SO
as a Christian already and needed &c
thing but continuance in the things
already knew. Strong emphasis ON Id
necessity Of the new birth was 80
yer more needed than now. for all M
10 are not saved are condemned. lost. til
al In trespasses and sins (verse IS: he
Ike xix. 10: Eph II, 3.5l phi
III have been stung by the serpent on
n, ana are as truly perishing spirit tu
ly as the Israeites were physically TIL
ey saw In the brazen serpent on the an
e the likeness Of that which caused INF
ir death in the place OF death. They du
not need to understand II, but they q G
need to look npon the braZen ser l
Il as they We're commanded. and .Ia'
ry bitten one who looked lived. In to
nS on the cross we see Him In the cay
ness Of sinful flesh. made sin for plo
bearing our sins In His own body. sur
! the soul that believes that Cod an(
loved him that He gave His only the
often son that he should not Der coy
but have everlasting life. that soul Of
receiving Him Is not condemned. as
has everlasting life and shall neye, ty
sh This Is the new birth, receiy. und
into us q life that was never there quiz
re. even Christ. who is our life. the
c"demuS was a moral. religious II
Iiecttal man. but only a natural sery
. md therefore talked somewhat tear
SHY concerning these spiritual auto
Ss. FOR to the natural man the iittl'
gs OF the Spirit of God are only brie
shness Il Cor II. A. That he be very
enlightened that night or later road
became true child Of God and very
pie Of Jesus we infer from John COM
ID; xix. 80. the only places where but
mentioned except In our lesson. TO In
ng horn Of water and the Spirit is 30 N
explained by putting four texts for (
her-Jas. |, IS; Pet. |. q: Eph. ately
and John vi. So. The expression quicl
Son or Man which IL In heaven" as p
2 l3, may be placed with 10 road
Son which is In the bosom of the Coz
err" While on earth He was In most
sc still In heaven. and now AT the way
sr's right hand He IA with us all per {
avs. The three double "yerilysp to til
rses 3. 8. II, emphasizing the ne. road
Y OF the new birth and of being Of tn
I by the Spirit. should receive Of tn
II attention; also the "musts" of hand
and "A and others to be looked for a
Some one has said: 'As to my pleas
. find two facts are always I'D.
'st-my Bible and my Saviour.
'ible because II reveals my Saw. Tho
and Fly Saviour because He In. He,o,
70 my n'D'e mere is nothing along
lie concerning things unseen but ira vel
ord Of God but that is infaI!ible co,,nt
'rever settled In heaven (Ps exix, Arb
900 Of