The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-07-26

Lesson W.-Third Quarter, For
July %, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

t@NG OF NHS @&&AoRty mAbL EHg ETSo%S SR@
43-Memory Verses, 37-s9-GoIdsH
Text, Matt. xiii, S0-Comupentary
Prepared by Rev. o. M. stsarns.
This Is the second parable Of tha
series OF seven recorded by Matthew
as one discourse spoken partly In pub
lie to the multitudes and partly fn
private to the disciples on the I'M
day, but all referring 10 this presena
age OF IsraeI's rejection OF her Mes
siah and the consequent postp0nement
Of the kingdom. 1t is truly great and
gracious c-ondescension on the part aG
God to make known to us ais purpose
Ellis eternal purpose whAch He has
purposed In Christ Jesus Jul LorTs
Eph. III, III for known unto God are
all His works from the beginning eG
the world and all that comes 10 pass
is simply what His hand and counsel
determined before to be done lActa
XIV, is; tv. %. See also ACTS II. %;
lisa. XVI, 8, 10; xiv, "A; Eph. 4, H.
Because people who have the sword oE
God, and therein His mind and pur-
pose, do not agree with Him they
become conceited, wise in their own
estimation, and talk and, act unwtseiy
and attempt TO carry out plans never
devised in heaven. These who are
appointed to teach the wOrd OF Coo
are greatly to blame ne instead of
speaking His word Faithfully they
act like the false prophets IN the daya
OF jeremiah and make people vaAns
speaking a vision OF their heart
and not out OF the mouth OF the Loga.
According to the words OF our LORD
In these parallels during this present
age up to the time of the harvest, only
part of the seed sown win bear fruit.
1t win be as when Paul dwelt at Rome
some believed and some believed NOT
(Acts xviii, "a. Side by side with the
children OF the kingdom viii lourish
the children OF the wicked one. These
unbelievers viii be found within the
protesting church, as the birds In the
branches, and the food OF the church,
that which preachers give to the peo-
pie, viii be anything but sound dec
trine, for that the people will not en-
dure. It viii be and even now is as
In the days Of Isaiah when they said,
"Prophesy not unto as right things;
speak unto as smooth things; prophecy
deceits; . > cause the holy one OK
Israel to tease from before us7 elsa.
xxx, 10, III. Our Lord elsewhere fore
told these things In Matt. <, 16-tSs
xiv, "a In these four parallels ana
notably In this one. we see the great adj
versary, the devil He hates the word
OF God, takes 1t or keeps it from pe0-
pie, gets his followers into the pro-
Tossing church and into her pulpits,
and Jet the Lord Is working out His
eternal purpose, and He shall not fail
not be discouraged Elsa. Kill, u. The
kingdom cannot come while the devil
continues to be the prince Of the power
of the air, the prince or god Of this
world CEph. II, 3; John xiv. 30; III Cor.
Nv, ~, but when the stronger than he
shall cast him out OF the air and or
the earth into the bottomless pit ReY.
XII, o; XIX, 148 then a king shall reign
in righteousness, and the effect OK
service OF righteousness shall be peace,
and the nations shall learn war no
more. All talk about winning the
world for Christ in this g or ex-
tending His kingdom, or uplifting the
race, is without Scriptural authority,
and ali pride OF church or denomina-
ton or mere human effort Of any kind
Is not Of God, but from him who would
have men think that they are gods.
Note carefully our Lords explanation
Of the parable of the tares. In the
FIRST parable the seed is the word oa
God, but In this the good seed are tha
children Of the kingdom, those who
have received the word of God John
!, 10. The tares are those who be-
lieve the devn and are therefore his
children. There are just two great
leaders, the Son Of Man and the devil,
and the conflict is between them for
man and his Inheritance, the earth.
We must not think OF tares as TIE
openly ungodly, but as something so
like the wheat that some cannot tell
the difference. The tares represent re-
ligious philanthropic people Of culture
and refinement, people who are admir-
ed and esteemed and by many consid-
cred the very salt of the earth. There
Is one very decided mark which dlstin-
cuisines the wheat from the t-ares-true
children OF God confess themselves
sinners and accept Jesus as God and
put all their trust in his precious blood,
the great sacrifice for sin. All others
must be tares, for che that hath not
the Son Of God hath not life" Q John
v, 12l. The devil win tolerate as much
religion as any n may desire, and q
beautiful character and abundance Of
philanthropy provided the sacrifice OF
Jesus Christ AB the sinners only plea
is not mentioned. The Lord knOweth
them that are,his. Let us be sure that
we are redeemed by precious blood
ana then eve and always without dis.
e0uragefnent SOW the good seed og the
word, ready aa seed ourselves Ia faIl
Into the ground and die that we may
win others. 7 was greatly helped at
one time by D remark OF the late Tr.
Arthur q. PaaEson To this effects Year
parish IL rot your field; the field ID
the world. and y0ur parish III i force
that God has given you to train mat
ne may use ypu and them 10 work lhe
Geld These who 40 moi zee the xe-
suits they ase loeksnw cor WIN be
a. 49, EkAA &I1