The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-01-26
Sunday School Column
Side Lights on Next Sundays Les
son for Teachers and Pupils.
BY CHAs.. K. MEYERS

son lot -AeAcnerS anu Fupllo.
BY CHAs. K. MEYERS .
Jan. 80. Some Laws of the King
dom. Matt 5:l7-26: 3s-45.
Our lesson this week is con inua.
tion of the great sermon delivered by
Jesus and Familiarity called. The
Sermon on the Mount . We saw
last week that Jesus set up new and
to the world generally, remarkable
standard for the gaining OF the favor
OF God. Our lesson this time goes
much further and makes known dem
ands for conduct which were simply
astounding to Jesus hearers then and
arouses now. feeling Of doubts whether
human nature can ever c1me up to
the requirements Of projections set
forth. just think Of 1t . moment.
Jesus asks to love our enemies: to do
good to those who treat US with cruel-
ty and meanness. He seems to 60 90
far as to ask that one resist not
abuse, and blows upon the body, giv-
ing example that it struck upon one
cheek the right way response would
be to offer the other. All this is
strictly contrary to the natural inn
pulses Of the ordinary man and wom-1
an. Spoken to the Jews who COM
sidered revenge as right; to the
Romans who were cruel and brutal:
to the savage man whose existence
depended on his ability to fight his
way in the world the words Of Jesus
seemed utterly at.variance with their
ideas Of life, and called for an entire
changing Of their natures. Jesus we'll
expressed the change needed whea He
said, one must be born again.
But see what has been accomplish
ed along this line in the less thantwo
thousand years since Jesus set up these
perfect standards. It is but we'll
known history how the gospel Of Jesus
has gone on from triumph to triumph,
raising the people Of the world to the
civilization of which all now are so
proud. The world is far from ideal
but is SO far in advance Of what it
was in the days Of Jesus that the
change is most wonderful. None but
those biaeed and willingly blind can
deny that the bible religion has shown
its divine origin by lite fruits.
One of the demands of Jesus was
that his followers forgive their enem-
les. The situation is we'll set forth
in the petition contained in the Lords
Prayer forgive US our trespasses as
We forgive those who trespass against
US. The great Apostle Paul in the
letter to the Ephesians sets forth ones
duty to forgive in his command that
Christians forgive one another even as
God for Christ's sake haas forgiven
them. Jesus ssid at another time
that one should forgive as often az
the offending one, asked to b, for
given repentipg his wrong doing.
The demands Of the gospel of
Jesus are that We love our enemies;
pray for those who use us shame
fully, that We be not overcome by
evil but overcome evil with good.
The final verse Of our lesson sets
the highest possible standard by
saying, BE ye therefore perfect.
even az your Father in heaven is
perfect - We know that some hold
that because christians are told to
be perfect. therefore this is attain
able on the earth. This has led
them to teach that perfection now
exists and that they have reached
lit. Unfortunately their daily wakl
does not impress relatives and
friends as perfect. and their very
lives prove that absolute perfection
is not in reach OF any human being.
Jesus says in the lesson verses that
even to think of doing wrong is siu
il no move is made outwardly to do
the wrong act. The bible says that
God for Christ's cake will forgive our
sins. and on this ground all christians
must stand. 1t is possible to put
revenges ont OF the heart, to pray for
our enemies and strive to win them to
Jesus by love. Let none be dis
couraged ut the high standard set
forth but pray for strength to come
as near as possible to the requirements
of the Kingdom of God" as explain
ed by Jesus in the Sermon on the
Mount.
How. This?