The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-05-16
INTERNATIONAL
SUNNS01OOL
LESSON
By y. o. SELLERS. Director OF Even
ting Department. The Moody Bible In
stituto OF Chicaso)
LESSON FOR MAY IS.
THE OLD LAW AND THE NEW
LIFE.

THE OLD LAW AND THE NEW
LIFE.
LESSON TEXT-Matt. 5:i7-c5
GOLDEN TEXT-"Ite that loveth hts
ncighbor hath fulnlied the law.'-Rom.
B:S
II there 10 any one thing we as
Americans delight In, II Is In enactlng
laws. We seem to have an insane
idea that all the Ills OF human life
can be cured by legislation. There
seems to be a correspondlngly great
er carelessness In the matter of Law
enforcement. Jesus did not found his
kingdom upon a multiplied number OF
Thou shalt not's." OF merely negative
enactments. He took the old Divine
law and fulfilled 4. O., Allied Il full
with life. He put purpose. life and vi
tally into that law. lie transformed
II from an outward formal observance
TO an inward heart motive. At the
outset OF this lesson Jesus not only
says that he will obey the law OF
Moses and the admonitions OF the
prophets. but that those same princi.
pies shall apply In the hearts OF the
citizens OF his new kingdom. That
moral order which is In accordance
with the Divine standard Is still to be
observed. Christianity gives no H.
cense to its followers. The righteous
ness which is OF Christ does not les
sen our moral obligations. Jesus says
that not the least lot or title" the
smallest part OF q Hebrew letter. the
"dotting OF an I or the crossing OF a
To- shall be set aside. They must all
be realized In the lives OF his follow.
ers.
Responsible car Teachings.
In order to emphasize this still fur
ther, he tells those whom he calls and
appoints to his service that they shall
be held responsible for what they
teach. as well as what they practice.
with regards these commands. To
teach men to break one OF the very
least Is TO become least In his new
kingdom. To obey and 10 teach 9th.
ers to obey is 20 become great In this
new kingdom. Such is the importance
he places upon the Old Testament
teachings and his statement as TO Its
authors. Let US beware reading into
his words any meaning that shall set
aside this portion OF Holy Writ. or
that shall suggest any question as to
their accepted authorship or author
ity. But Jesus was also aware OF the
danger OF outward obedience or mere
perfunctory fulflment OF that Law to-
gether with the myriads Of traditions
that had grown up with II. Hence II
is that he so specifically warns his
followers that their righteousness. !.
e. right relations. must exceed that
OF the Pharisees whose loyalty TO the
law and TO tradition Is so famous His
followers must keep not only the form
but the spirit also, and so he goes on
20 illustrate. beginning with an old
commandment. Thou shalt not kill"
he shows us that the outward final
act OF murder is but an outgrowth OF
the spirit OF a mans heart. hence he
who hates his brother man Is In dan
ger Of |. e.. already In the power OF.
those forces that in their elimination
will bring him before the tribunal.
"In danger OF hell" Jesus clearly
indicates in all OF his teaching a fu-
ture state OF punishment as we'll as
one OF bliss. and granting that these
words are only symbolical. of which
we are not convinced. we must pray
TO be delivered from the reality. These
words are OF tho merest nonsense II
they be not true. and certainly We
cannot accuse Jesus OF testing nor
suggest him to be fool Oacking In
knowledge) as he speaks upon 30 seri'
Gus q subject.