Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-11-06

he wrote this letter to the believers in
Rome, letter of profound logic and
ethics as well as a profound study in
psychology. and philosophy.
!. None Of us liveth to himself"
w. I'll. Paul begins this chapter by
giving caution as to doubtful dispu-
tations, Judgments upon thoughts"
whether it be in the matter of eating
herbs or meats, or in the observance
Of set days. Who are we but fellow
servants ". d of God? About such
things as habits and observance Of
days we must each be assured in our
own minds, ". 81, but while that Is
true yet, none liveth to himself"
". u, for 1--WE are the Lords" ". g..
He Is the universal Lord, both of the
living and the dead, ". 81. What folly,
therefore, for any believer to set him
self up in judgment upon his brother.
We are the Lords. for this he both
lived and died and rose again ". 81.
There is, however. a judgment seat be-
fore which all shall be brought (v. 10).
We may well ponder upon this last
verse. The judging Of others is well
nigh universal sin. Before one bar,
however, all must stand and we can
rest assured OF strict justice.
Four Things Suggested.
II. "Givr an account to God,r w.
1918. Verse IL suggests four things:
~ A universal summons, each one
of us. great and small, obscure or IA
nous, each one must appear, none
overlooked, none excluded, none ex-
cused. (2) A particular summons,
each one of u.s. not en- masse, but
as separate units. 90 A purposeful
summons, ITO give account" not Of
others but each Of himself. 1t Will not
be blind justice" that shall await us
there, but q holy God. one who knows
all, sees all, every thought and imagi-
nation Of the human heart (Gen. 6:5)
and whose judgment will be righteous,
a. A rightful summons, because Of it's
source, before God" and shall not the
Judge of the whole earth do right?
No excuse because of the failure OF
others will avail, no subterfuge be ac-
ceptable, "strict justice" will condemn.
Man-made laws and ordinances as to
what we eat or what days we may OBJ
serve will then be revealed in the
white light of the God whose name is
love. In the light of such prospect
how pertinent therefore that we turn
". 12). from judging others and look
well to our own conduct, lest that con-
duct become rock of stumbling to
other and weaker brethren. Better far
to curtail our personal liberty than to
help condemn a human soul Suppose
all things are pure to the pure ". 20,
Titus 1:15), yet some have but re-
Gently come from impure surround
ings, shall we even suggest tempta-
ton to such because Of the exercise
of our liberty? The true Christian
will forbear for the sake of Christ
and his weaker brother. Even the
weak brother Is "a brother for whom
Christ died"
Another Law.
III. Follow after things which make
for peace w. 1928. To follow that
which shall edify is to exercise the
law of liberty" James in his epistle
f1:25, 2:12) tells us 20 look into this
law and to continue therein for by 1t
we shall be judged, yet there is still
another law, the royal law" (2:S
Matt. 22:36-40). the fulfilling Of which
will settle every question of mans re.
lation to man. We should so use our
liberty that 1t be not evil spoken OF
or become a rock of stumbling to any
Whether or not the kingdom OF God
be in us, or we In the kingdom, de
ponds not upon the scrupulous obsery.
ance of ordinances either as to eat.
ing, or the observance Of days, but
rather in the manifest righteousness OF
our lives and in having peace in our
hearts, CHI. 1913, being filled with "joy
in the Holy Spirit" " II. Therefore
II to eat meat shall cause my brother
to stumble or to be made weak ". 21)
Il will eat no flesh for evermore,'
!. Cor. 8:f3. Our pursuit in the
Christian life must not be to exercise
our liberty. for our greater liberty is
to restrain ourselves for Christs sake
and our weaker brother Our pursuit
is not to observe the subtilties of legal
observance but rather after the things
that edify Christian growth and
peace is far more important than
questions of hairsplitting interpreta,
tons or observances; the things tina,
make for peace are not the things that
call forth divisions.
All of this leads up to the true prin
ciple of total abstinence as revealed
in verse II, 1T is good not to cal
flesh. nor to drink wine, nor to dc
anything whereby thy brother stun
bleth or is offended" This does moi
alone apply to the Great American
Juggernaut, the commercialized liquor
traffic, which. according to the United
States Supreme court, has no Legal
ground upon which to stand. When
the members of the church OF God
in this land of liberty shall each
be governed by this principle it viii
not be long before the liquor problem
any many other questions that are
troubling us will be settled. The rea
question viii not be is it wrong?'
but rather, How will it affect my
brother?" All me;s.s are clean, we
know that, Acts 1918, but we also
know that many cannot eat. cannor
participate In our acts, with clear
conscience because in SO taking par
there comes before the mind Of tht
weaker brother the evil associations
and practices which SO frequently ac
company such acts or such eating
N.,ys AL