Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-09
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|M BIBLE STUDIES.
BIBLE STUDIES.
LOVING OUR NEieHBoRs.


Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
myself Romans xiii. Q.
Today's study is from ST. Luke's
account Of TIE Sermon on the Mount.
1T docs not profess to oe regulation
for the world, but applies to saints
to those who have consecrated sheir
lives fully to follow in the footsters
of Jesus-to suffer with Him that
they may also reign with Him. Even
these may not be able 10 live up to
every feature Of the Masters instruc-
lions. because of weakness in their
fallen flesh. We must take the Mas
ter's words addressed to the faithful
as representing the full, complete,
perfect standard. 1t is for each dis
ciple TO recognize this supreme STAN
dard and to measure and gauge his
thoughts and words and doings
thereby, and as closely as possible at
tain this standard.
Thus doing our very best, yet sure
" coming short, the Apostles words
apply to us. THE righteousness of
the Law is fulfilled in us who walk
not after the flesh. but after the
spirit" We walk after the spirit,
and would walk up to il if we could,
but being unable to do SC, The blood
of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all
SIM This is the happy state of all
who through faith and conservation
become children of God during this
Gospel Age.
AS for others than Gods people. He
does not speak to them at all. except
to tell them that they are sinners un.-
der the sentence of death. but that
He has made provision for their
reconciliation through the blood OF
the cross. and that whether they be-
come disciples of Christ or II I under
the call to Brideship, nevertheless
their words and conduct in the pres
ent life will all advantage or disad-
vantage them in the life to come. In
this secondary way the World-all
mankind aside from the Church, The
consecrated- be measurahty en-
lightened By the Masters teachings
in this lesson, even while Il is not adj
dressed to them.
The Path of Love Marrow Way
The path of love is. as Jesus des-
cribes it. under present conditicrs, a
marrow way narrow Is the gate,
difficult the way of life now open.
Only the sanity few viii he willing
to walk therein and only these will
gain the great Prize, the pearl of
great price" joint heirship in Mes
siahs Kingdom Hearlien DO not
merely observe the Golden Rule
toward your enemies. but love them
and do good to them that hate you
and bless them that curse YOU, and
pray for them that despitefully use
vou'
The Masters expression, Unto him
that smiteth thee on the one eheet
offer also the other. is To he taken as
signifying simply DO not render eVi
for evil. even though he smite thee
on the other cheek also. our Lord
Himself. when smitten, according to
the report. did not invite the shifting
of the other cheek, but rather He de-
Tended Himself to the extent of criti-
cising the evil deed, But IL He had
been smitten on the other cheek also,
let us not for a moment think that
He would have resisted. in the sense
of rendering blow for blow.
The next statement is more COM
prehensiyely given by Saint Matthew,
IF any man sue thee at the law and
take away thy coat, withhold not thy
cloak also" The follower of Jesus
may flee from an adversary. or he
may resist him to the extent of prop
err expostulation, but he is to be thor
oughly responsive to all government:
If the court decides that his coat and
his cloak shall both be taken from
4. mi ,syfU
even though he realize that such q
procedure would be unjust and quite
at variance with the Divine regula-
ton Saint Paul as well as Jesus
used argument in his own defense
not only with the mobs. hut also be-
fore judges: but they resisted the Ia rs
never
"This Is a Hard Saying
Give to everyone that asketh OF
thee, and of him that taketh away
thy goods ask them not again." The
broadcast Interpretation we could con-
sistently give TO this would he-Be
generous. tender hearted. err on the
side of TOO great generosity rather
than To be hard hearted, selfish. The
Lord could not have meant us to take
Ills WORDS Win dDSOIult IleTdileSS ,
as for instance, Give a child "A razor
if il cries for it; or. Give money to
the disspated. that they may injnre
themselves still more. The spirit oil
sound mind forbids that we should
understand the Master to teach that
we should do anything for another or
assist him in any manner that would
be really to his injury. This is ex-
pressed in the next statement: AS
We would that men should do unto
you do We also to them likewise"
Very evidently our Lord was set
ting up His teachings in contrast
with the maxims OF the Pharisees the
holiness people of that day. TO love
another because he loved as, or to
give TO another in hope that he would
equally befriend us, would have moth
ing creditable i'm it.
Jesus disciples are to do good for
principles sake--to be in fun accord
with the Heavenly Father, To have
His smile and approval They are
TO take Him as their Example and tn
to-. a.