The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-01-19
The
sundays SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTs FOR JANUARY so.
Subject: Some Laws of the Kingdom,
Matt. 5:17-28, 3S-4O-Con-
init Verse a..

ulG tCkSc H1 IPfS5Nt$
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Be We there
fore perfect even as your Father
whieh.is in heaven is perfect Matt
5:48.
TIME-Midsummer A. D. 2S.a
PLACE.-Horns of Hattin.
EXPOSITION. The Law OF
the Kingdom Regarding Anger, a.
g.. BY the old law murder was for
hidden ". 81: CT. Elk. 20:13: Deut.sI
SID; by the higher law OF the King
dom anger, which is incipient murders
is forbidden. Terms Of contempt,
whereby a brothers feelings are In
jured and his reputation endangered.
are forbidden. Jesus teaches that
there is a "hell of fire" ". 101. III
we have wronged another In the
smallest matter so that he hath
aught against" us we should first b g
reconciled to him before We seek 10
bring an offering to God. The secret
of many an unanswered prayer Is that
some brother has a just claim against
US which we have not settled. One
should not allow G just claim to re-
main unsatisied a moment. He
should seek agreement with every adj
versary quickly. "Haye aught against
thee" does not mean, as so often I'M
terpreted. have a grudge OF bitter
ness. against thee, but have q just
claim. We are not necessarily re-
sponsible for the grudge others hold
against US, but we are responsible Tor
the Just claims. All Just claims must
be settled sooner or later.
III. The Law of the Kingd0msRer
earding INJURIES, 3S-41. The lRw5of
Moses required exact justice In the
punishment of offences. "An esfor
an eye, a tooth for a TOOTH but the
law Of Christ, the, law of theNKings
dom, which is not for the administra-
tion of public justice, but for the
government of individual action de-
mands the most thoroughgoing for
giyeness Of injuries. Evil is not to be-
resisted, even as Jesus Himself did
not resist it, leaving US an example,
that We should follow I'M His steps
Il Pet. 3:18-23). When one injury
is done US, instead Of resisting we
should stand willing to receive an
other.
III. The Law Of the Kingdom Re-
garding Giving andsLending, AZ. The
heart should be- open, in love toward
all and the hand ever ready to give.
We should not only be ready to give
to the good and to the worthy, but.
to the unworthy, to the sunfaithfuls
and evil {cf. Luke t6:30-35}. We;
should give to every n that asks OF
us (Luke 6:30). Should we take
this literally? Yes, but note that "
does not say that we should give stoe
every one that asks the very thing
that he asks. eff a man will not
work neither shall he eatn,EF(2 Thess.
3.1O). But while we may not give
the very thing that is asked, we, ought
to give. Giving with unstinting hand.
always giving, giving to al, Is the
law of the Kingdom. That most
bothersome of men, the SborroWer,
should not receive, the cold shoulder,
but q hearty welcome
~. The Law Of the Kingdom Re
garding the Treatment Of Enemies,
43.4S. Love should go out to all,
not merely to friend and neighbor,
but to the enemy as we'll. The man
who does everything In his power to-
undermine us. to blast our reputaSs
ton, to curtail iour influence. should
be the object of our Endest tc6hsidss
Grafton. When others curse us, We
should> bless them !, when others hate
us, we should do them good; when
others prosecute -us and despitefully1
use us, we should pray for them. The
more people there are to persecute u.s.
the more there are for whom We Will
have the privilege Of praying. In this
way persecution becomes a means OF
unalloyed blessing. a stepping stone
on which we step higher into the life
of Jesus Christ. Happy is he. indeed,
who takes these words literally. He
will have no more anxiety from perse-s
cutions and lies and ISLANDERS, BY
loving our enemies we shall ourselves
be sons of God, for the son Is like his
father, and this Is the way the heav-
emily Father acts; He returns blessing
for cursing, kindness for hate; He
maketh His sun, with all its healing,s
fruit-giving power, to rise on the evil
and the good. That is a very sug-
gestiye phrase, Ellis sun" When
you look up at the glorious sun again
just say, "That is His sun and He
gives it to me-" To love them that
love us is no indication of. grace; even
the publicans do the same. The last
verse is. very wonderful, holding up
the perfection OF God as our standard.
1t is really a promise more than .
command, aye therefore shall be per-
feet, even as your heavenly Father is
perfect (R. W. The Immediate
reference Is to perfection in love, low
ing enemies as we'll as friends. bad
as we'll as good (cf. Luke 6:35, 36).s
But 1t is clearly implied that in all
things Gods character Is our stand
ard (Eph. SID. Nothing short OF
absolute likeness to Him should sat-
isfy us, and it is to this that we are
finally to- attain II Jno. $3.50.
Fit For the Masters Use.
If the joy Of youth has more foam
and sparkle, the joy of age has