The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-09-21
The
Sunday School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR SEPTEMBER &c.

Subject; Temperance, Cor. 1928
32--Golden Text: Rom. 15:2--
Commit Verse 24-Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
TTME.-57 Al. ID.
PLACE.-Ephesus.
EAPOSITION.-I. Let NO man
seek his own, but each his neiohbor,s
good, $3.50. Some of the Corin-
tnlans whose thoughts were entirely
occupied with themselves and their
own rights and privileges were saw
ing: All things are lawful to me-
Paui, who was governed by the Chris
tan principle of love, and therefore
thinking OF the effect of his actions
not only upon himself, answers:
Yes, all things are lawful; but all
things are not expedient Cor helpful.
or profitable). A true Christian
does not ask what Is permissible. but
what is profitable He asks. not what
have a right to do, but what win
"edify," what will build up the
Church of Christ, others as well as
myself. Is it permissible for a
Christian to attend the theatre?" one
asks. Better ask, Is 1t profitable. will
it edify? rs 1t permissible for a
Christian to use the Lords Day as
he does other days?'' Better ask. is
it profitable, will it edify? In all
things Let no man seek his own but
each his neighbours good The be-
lever should not be troubled with a
morbid conscience, he should not fear
to eat anything sold in the markets
because of suspicion it might have
been offered to an idol and thus
tainted. He need ask no question
about that; for even if it had been Of
fered to an idol it really belonged to
the Lord; flor the earth is the Lords,
and the fulness thereof" Cps. 24:1;
50:12; 1 Tim. 4:4). A glorious
truth that, with many practical APP
plfcations. If the earth is the Lords
1t is ours also If we are His children.
There are some to-day afraid to sit
down to the Lords table unless they
have first carefully examined every
one there and found that they are
perfectly sound in doctrine and in
life, lest they themselves be defiled.
That is sadly confounding the o. T.
laws with NJ. T. liberty. One can
never know perfectly, and could
therefore never have a conscience
perfectly at rest. Christianity is not
morbidness e. Tim. III; Rom. 8:15).
The Christian might even go to a
feast made by an unbeliever, and in
case he did he should eat whatever
was set before him, and not be haunt
ed by the torturing suspicion, Per
haps this was offered to an idol" He
need ask no question about this. But
if some one should say, This hath
been offered In sacrifice" then he
should not eat, not because he would
himself be hurt, but for the sake of
the one who said it, that he might not
be hurt. His liberty could not be.
judged by another's conscience, and
he would still have liberty to eat as.
far as his own conscience was con-
cerned. but his liberty would give
place to love. Here are two great
principles Cd Every mans liberty
must be determined by his own con-
science, not another's (cf Rom. 14:i
2-10). CD Liberty must give way
before love. The question is not what
have liberty to do, but what does
love prompt me to do. If / do par
take in grace, no one else whose opin-
ion may differ about what is permits
sible has right to speak evil of me
concerning that for which I return
thanks to God But If am a real
Christian (cf. Jno. 1880, I will do
nothing that will cause another to
stumble just because / have right
to and no one else has right to con-
denim me for doing.
III. Whatsoever We do, do all to-
the glory of God, 1888. Paul lays
down very simple but very great
principle for deciding what we may
do and how to do it, Whether there
fore We eat or drink, or whatsoever
We do, do all to the glory of God.
That principle will settle all our ques-
lions Do nothing that you cannot do
to Gods glory, and whatever you de-
eide to do. do it to His glory. Then
we can put away all troublings of our
conscience and be free from all sense
of condemnation. But how many
things professed Christians are doing
which If they stopped and thought
they would soon see that they could
not do to Gods glory. Ifyouha any
doubt about anything you are doing,
ask yourself, can / do this to Gods:
glory? If you are not absolutely sure
that you can then don't do it. And
il you do it be sure you do it to Gods
glory. We should give no occasion
to stumbling to any one of the three
classes into which God divides men,
Jews, Gentiles, the Church of God.
Our own pleasure should never be
our rule OF action, but the pleasure
and profit of others, even all men.
Our own profit should be utterly ig-
nored (cf. Phil 24), and we should
live for the profit of others, /. e., that
they may be saved. We should be
glad to give up our liberty or any
right if some one thereby may be
saved (cf. CHI, 9:12, 22). How in
tensely Paul was occupied with one
thing, the salvation OF others (cf.
Rom. 1871; Glib; 11:14; ! Cor. 8:
22) This is the Christian principle
of total abstinence, abstinence for
the purpose of saving others
Social Position.