The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-06-05

CULLEN ICA1- DIG yc Va sNo
Word, and not hearers only, deiudlns
your own lves."-James 1:22.
Last week we had from the dps OF
Jesus three illustrations Of that false
Righteousness which he will not coun
tenance in his new kingdom. Today's
lesson is the last of the present series
which has to do with the fundamental
teachings expressed by Jesus IN his
manifesto and it Is emphasized by the
Golden Text taken from James epis-
tie.
Jesus begins with a short parable
which, though not recorded by Mat
thew as being used in this same con-
nection is here used to introduce and
to explain what val said about the
mote and the BEAM. Parenthetically
Jesus informs Us that we are not
above our Master. We must teach
principally in the same manner he
taught, .. G.; by u lives: He has
been setting forth the manner OF life
to be followed by his disciples. He
is the incarnate truth, aud IN that
fact lay his power and success as a
teacher, so as we incarnata his life,
live his life before the world. we shall
most successfully. teach. His sight
was unimpaired, hence his ability and
power. Jesus, however, guards
against any self-assumed righteous
ness upon the part Of his followers by
telling us that Everyone" that Is
every disciple, when he Is perfected
shall be as his master" ". 40.) No
leader or teacher has ever made any
great and lasting contribution or m
preston upon history except az ne
has In a measure emulated the life OF
Jesus or followed the principles he
taught the world.
Beam and Mote.
II is as we are being perfected, fol-
low on after perfectness in Christ
Jesus, that we are e~ffectually able to
see for ourselves and to lead others.
Jesus by leans Of this teaching about
the beam and the mote shows us how
impossible 1t is for a mar who Is him.
self ~disobedient to the truth to be
able to do anything that will help
others who are In a like state OF DIS
obedience. He plainly implies that
It Is not only impossible but actually
q sin for one who has a beam, a
Splinter" in his eye to attempt to re-
move the mote-a light speck OF dust
from the eye Of another. The sin
Of attempting to teach that which we
ourselves do not obey is greater than
the sin Of him who is not obedient but
makes no attempt to teach the truth
and called forth the emphatic thou
hypocrite" Of Jesus. How many
fathers desire their sons to walk in
the path Of truth and yet they make
no effort to remove the beam from
their own eyes-hypocrites-is 1t to
be wondered at that they both fall
Into the ditch?
Jesus emphasizes all Of this by use
OF the figure of fruit-bearing. The
preposterousness Of our looking for
figs upon thorn bushes, or to look for
grapes upon a bramble bush 1s pat
ent to all. We know that corruption Is
not so much a matter Of infection as
1t has to do with inward purity. II
the tree Of life Is pure 1t will yield
perfect fruit, for life always repro
duces it's own type, in the same a
ner the influence a man ez:erts is the
influence of what he Is in his W
life. II he is good, his influence will
be good; II he Is evil his influence will
be evil.
In verse 46 Jesus adds further
light upon this matter of hypocrisy.
He has already told US we are to build
upon his words, which were the truth.
Now he shows us that to call him
Lord, Lord" with lips only, and not
because Of a heart conviction, ven
though 1t be known and heard Of all
men, will not avail. This sort Of cry
ing aloud shall be tested by him who
knows the thoughts and the intents
of the heart and it, too, shall receive
the just reward Of all hypocrisy. 70
cry Lord, Lord to Judge others by
different standards from those by
which we Judge ourselves, is but an
other evidence Of the sin Of selfish
ness.
Obedience the Only Proof.
If we will real Paul's epic upon
love q. Cor. 49, daily 1t will clarity
our vision and correct the motive of
our lives so that its fruit will be &C
ceptable to God. Obedience Is the
only one and only acceptable proof
that we are friends Of Jesus John
1910. To further add light and
significance to this whole matter
Jesus tells us of the two kinds of
foundations upon which men build.
That upon the solid rock may be Sc
verely tried, as shall all the works Of
mans hands, but being rightly found
ed the storm breaks and not the
house.
house. Not so he who builds upon
the sand; there we see the house go
ing to pieces amid the storm. Who Is
the man who builds so safely? Is 1t
not he who comes to Jesus? That
hears his word and that doeth his
word as we'll? uBt there Is also an
other builder who does not dig down
to the rock, Is satisfied with loose soil
which amounts to no foundation at
all. His house meets the same storm
but with vastly different results. Out.
wardly these structures may look
alike. Which are you, a nearer only,