The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-10-20
5,J,R(N)L
Lesson IV.-Fourth Quarter, For
Oct. rs, 1905. :,
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Rev. o.. M. Stearns. 49,
Copyright. l9os. by American Press Assoctatiaa-}
We turn today to this psalm for a
lesson on the JOY of forgiveness, and
tha fact that there is so little Joy on
the part of those who profess to be
forgiven may indicate that there has
never been a realization Of what sin
is or possibly no assurance Of forgive
ness for when such word as Qsa-
xiii. 25) II, even l. am He that blot
teth out thy transgressions for mine
own sake and will not remember thy
sins fails to produce great gratitude
and gladness it Indicates sad indif-
ference to ones guilt or to the great
cost Of the redemption which takes II
away. Our lesson begins with "Ob,
tie happiness Of him whose traDsgres-
sion ard sin ard iniguity has been put
away" In EX. xxi, 4. 1. the Lord pro
claims Himself as the one who for
gives lriquity. transSression and sinr
and In Lev. xvii. II; Heb. *, %, L. lS
very clearly taught that this forgive
ness can only be by the shedding OF
blood. ana what or whose blood Is
stated IN Eph. i. I. and many" paralleF
passages-"In whom we have re-
demption through Els blood. the for
givenass of sins. according to- Tfhe
riches Of His grace" In verse 8 of our
psalm we see that in order to obtain
forgiveness there must be an, aeknows-
| edgment, an uncoverlng,a a cOnfessiono or
sin, iniQuity and transgression' foSshe
that covereth his sins shall not, pros
per, but he that conlesseth and foE-
| saketh them shall have mercy 1ProV.
xviii, 1S). OF. as In Ps. X3xviii, is.
II will declare mine iniquity; will DC
sorry for my sin"
God is ever ready to forgive IL only
the sinner will confess his guilt He
/ says, only acknowledge thine iniqut-
ty, that thou hast ransgressed against
the Lord thy God Ger. ill, 13). Again,
it is written, IF we confess, our
sins He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness" u John
|, o. The result Of attempting to
cover our sins from Cod Is seen
in verses 3 AMI 4 Of our lesson. That
men should be so deluded rs to think \
it possible to hide anything from iiim
to whom al things are naked and open
and to whom darkness and light are
all alike seem hardly conceivable, but
as soon as Adam and Eve s!nned we
see them attempting to hide from God
(Gen. Ill, s., so blind and so foolish
does sin make people. In one place
the psalnist says. $50 foolish Was&l
and ignorant was as beast before
thee" ops. lxxiii, 22).
In verses 6, Z, the safety Of the for
given is spoken Of as hiding In God
and thus preserved from trouble ana
compassed about with songs Of deliV-
erance, reminding us Of the gracious
words of lisa. kill, /, Q, Fear ncts for,
have redeemed thee; | have called
thee by thy name; thou art mine.H
! and then the assurance that neither
flood nor fire can really harm: those
who are truly His. "Onr. life Is hid
r!th Christ In Cod" preserved In
Jesus Christ" (Col. Iii. g.: Jude. D-we
know that these things are written In
the book. but how few comparatively
seem to so appropriate them as to
cause them to be flied with Joy and
peace. There seems to be Il great full
ure to possess our possessions (Obad.
ID, a slownesS to believe that God
means what He says and that He
means you or me or any one who
huInbly and persistently comes to Him.
We should be like the man in John "
who believed the word which Jesus
had spoken and went his way expect
ing to find his son well. Being for
given by His great work without any
OF ours Rom. iv, 5; TIT Ill. 81 and
safely hidden in Himself, we are now
! free to serve Him, to live unto, Him
and to walk in the good works He haD
prepared for US (Eph. II, 10; Tit. Ill; 81,
but this also must be His working In
us, and for every step we need: His
sure guidance, which Is v0uchsafed to
us In verse Of our lesson. The mar
gin is very helpful. Il VIII counsel
thee; mine eyes shall be upon thee
or will tell you how to 60, and 'TateG
! you to see. that you get there" ThlaS
however, implies nearness and antfl
macy, for we can only teH anything by
q look to those who are near to>ts end
know us. See this sure guidaaceFeleaFl
" and fully promised in lisa. x1zs 2l5
Ex. xiii, 20. and illustrated in''IErael.Hh
! If Israel had wanted to stay: when
the cloud said go or to go when thSs
cloud said stay it would have MADE
It very hard for them. 1t is only 'FVhs1r
there Is perfect submission thaS' aNi'sH
at rest. The exhortation in, verse" o.
not to be as the horse or the mule
must be taken In the light OF the last
clause Of the verse. for there ara
horses and mules. too, which 'put,vto
shame many who drive them, In .lsa-,
/. 3. God says that the OK and the ass
had more intelligence than His peoplsa
Israel. Even from the birds and the
flowers He would have us learn. les
sons Of trust in Him who has assured
us that we are Of more value than
many sparrows The righteous may,
have sorrows here. but they shall all
be turned into JOY DOhn xvi. 2N,
whereas the sorrows OF the wicked
shall be forever. The psalm ends with
rladness and rejoicing and even shout