The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-05-17
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson VII. Second Quarter,
!, For May 1e, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Memory Verses, II. 1S-GoIdeh Tsxt'
Rom. xiii, 6, r. v-commentary FFs'
pared by Rev. .. M. stearns.
The gospel by Matthew is In a spe-
eial sense the gospel OF the kingdom,
ana the key word Of the kingdcn is
righteousness, absolutely perfect &C.
cording to the Interpretation OF the
commandments here given by our
lord, from which we learn that a sin
full look breaks a command as Tnuch
as an act, and from Jas. u, 10l we
learn that "whosoever shall keep the
whole Law and yet offend in one point
Is guilty OF ell. 1t must be an inward
righteousness Of the heart, not ike
that Of the Pharisees, Of whom our
Lord said that, although they apHeared
righteous o~utwardly to men, the! were
within full OF hypocrisy and la suity,
outwardly whited sepulchers, n yard
" all uncleanness Matt. xiii, B5-2s).
In our lesson He says that in nd case
can such righteousness enter the king
dom (verse 20), and in lisa. lxiv, 6, we
are told that all our righteousness
are as filthy rags. Concerning the
kind that God requires we are told.
'eThere is none r~ighteous-no not one"
and when we are brought face to face
with the law every mouth is stopped
and all the world guilty before God
(Rom. ti, 10. 1g. Men have many
standards. God has but ONT. called
''the righteousness Of God" Rom- iii,
8, %; <, 8; II Cor. v, 21l. In verse IL
OF our lesson He said that He came to
fuldll the law and the prophets, and
to John the Baptist He said, .Tt be-
cometh us to fulfill all righteousness
(iti, 10. There was neither daw nor
failure In His righteousness. he could
~truthfully say, Il do always those
things that please the Father" and
the Father testified concerning Him,
~This is my beloved Son, in whom 1
am well pleased" John viii, 90; Matt.
Isl. IL; xvii, 81. BE was the Lamb with
out blemish and without spot He did
no sin; He knew no sin; He waslholy,
harmless. unde6led and separate from
sinners q Pet. /. 10; H. %; III Cor. v,
81; Heb. vii, 26). His was righteous
ness indeed, and nothing short OF His
perfect Righteousness can enable any
one to appear before God acceptably.
The case on our side is therefore utter
ly hopeless az far as any efforts Of
ours are concerned, for "by the deeds
Of the law there shall no flesh be justi-
6ed In His sight (Rom. iii. 20). The
very best that the very best man can
do far short OF His perfect
righteousness. What a gloomy out
look it would be If He had not devils
ed means whereby we need not be
driven away from Him QI Sam. xiv,
i4l. Not only did the Son OF God give
in His life a sample of the perfect
righteousness which God requires; but.
having no sin OF His own, He bare our
sins in His own body on the tree.
There was laid on Him the iniquity Of
us all. He was made a sin offering
for as, and when we plead guilty and
receive Him we become accepted In
Him and He is accepted for as. as it
is written in the law concerning the
guilty man and his perfect Offering,
"It shall be accepted for him. Lev. 1.
A. The priest had no need to examine
the mamie pleaded ~guilty-but he
did examine the sacrifice, and II It
was without blemish. according to the
law, the guilty man identifying him
self with his perfect sacrifice by laying
bis hand upon it was accepted because
OF his sacrihne, and the blood was
shed, the life laid down, for 1t is the
blood that maketh an atonement for
the soul Gev. xvii, II; Heb. tx, 22).
What a wondel4ul redemption it is.
and wholly of the Lord. he took nv
place as d guilty n and suffered in
my stead, making an end Of my sins.
that ! might take His place before
God, clothed with His righteousness.
How wonderfully beautifully are such
words as Justified freely by His
grace" s'nlade unto us wisdom. right
eousness, sanctiication, redemption.o
'1n whom VIZ have redemption through
Bis blood, the forgiveness OF sins.n
Yet there are m~ultitudes in SO called
Christian lands, c~nurchgoers and
church members. who, being ignorant
Or Gods righteousness and going about
to establish their own righteousness.
have not submitted themselves to The
righteousness of God, not understand
ing that Christ is the end OF the Inv
Tor righteousness to every one tAst
helieveth (Rom. <, 8, 4; iii. "a; I Corlt
30; II Cor. v, a. Eph. l. g, u. If our
eyes have been opened to see thdsa
glorious truths, let us joyfully sing. n
win greatly rejoice ID the Lord: ry
soul shall be joyful III my God, 1Or
He hath clothed me with the earned
OF salvation, He hath covered me VIII
the robe OF righteousness lisa. Iii. III
Az quickly 81 Joshua, the high priek
lost his flkhy garments and tire dags
Tor 9 companion and received heauk
&ul rainent and the Lord for his friaAa
Tech. III. 1-5l, so quickly NAV aar
sinner who Is ready to plead guiis
recsiye SIS q free git the perfsMA
righteousness OF God fla Christ pals
9 death to life ana begin to Has
tns new and blessed life Of a child
the kingdom, q Joint heir With cbri@
proving to others by such love al tha,
o. last lesson that God is love and usl
willing that any should perish n 1oI&
~. Aas.II Ra AMA On