The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-02-20
sunday SCHOOL.
Lesson WlI.-Fjrst Quarter, For
Feb. q, 1914
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

the FhariseeS as not only having q
mere outward religion, but also Of be-
ing one with their ancestors In perse-
cutting and killing the prophets, and
He had accused the lawyers Of not
only refusing the truth themselves, but
of keeping 1t from others. Now He
says TO His disciples, Beware ye of
the leaven Of the Pharisees, which is
hypocrisy" AS matters were consum-
mating and the crisis approaching, He
speaking more pointedly concern
ing some things.
All the wrong will be manifest in
due time. and the right will prevail, so
that it is wise to live always in the
sight of the Lord and seek I'm all things
His approval Il Cor. ~, 3; II Tim. ii,
15). He had said on a previous occa-
sion. Beware of tho leaven Of the
Pharisees and Of the SadduceeS and OF
Herods" but they were so dull that
they thought that he referred TO literal
bread and not TO false doctrine (Matt.
XVI, eli; Mark wifi, 15).
There Ia more need than ever to be-
ware Of false teachers and teaching,
for Journalism and rationalism and
worldliness are ever increasing. The
Phar1see was all for form and outward
show, even though processing to be-
lieve some things. The Sadducee had
no use for anything supernatural
while Herod, though somewhat re-
ligious, preferred the sinful pleasures OF
this world (Acts xiii, s; Mark vi, 20).
There is NO place in the Bible where
leaven ever signifies anything good.
In Lev. vii. 10; xiii, IT. where leaven
was commanded to be offered. it rep
resented sin In us and in our service,
as is explained I'm Amos ", 5, margin.
In the parable In Matt. xiii, SO, 1t re-
fers to the corruption Of the food CIV
en- In the churches in this age Of "the
mysteries Of the kingdom" which Is
set forth In the parallels of tho sower,
the tarea, the mustard tree and the
leaven. We are rapidly approaching
the time Of the over and the burning.
IL we receive the word Of God SIM
ply and heartily we shall know some"
thing OF the hatred of the religious
world John xvii, IA. eve unto perse-
cut1on and death (Rev. 1. 8; II, 10; xii,
~. but our Lord teaches Us that the
death OF the body is not q serious mat
ter If we are truly His, for 1t will
mean for the believer real gain and
something very far better than remain
ing here (Pbfl.. /, Fl, 23). Therefore we
are not to fear it oversees 4, z; Matt. K,
29. He who cares. for. Sparrows Will
surely care for His own redeemed
ones, SO that we may be as brave as
Daniels friends IL we have faith in
God. The unsRved have every reason
to fear death, for to them 1t will mean
the torment OF Luke, xvi. 20, and final
" the lake Of FIRE Grey. XXI, II. 80.
A true child Of God is one who, see
ing himself to be a sinner, has pleaded
guilty and cast himself upon the mer-
cy Of God in Christ, receiving Jesus
Christ as his. 0wn personal, Saviour,
putting all his trust In the precious
blood shed for him on Calvary. Thus
one is able to say, Being justified by
faith. I have peace with God" (Rom.
| v, y. None others are children Of God,
according to the Scriptures.
Now, while God needs no evidence
| OF cur sincerity in this apart from our
| faith, Cor He reads the heart, it L. nee
essary that men should see some evil
| dence Of our faith. for they can only
| see faith 40 il 10 manifest in the lives
and the works Of believers, according
to Eph. Ii. 10; Tit. Ill, s; hence that
other saying. about confessing with
the mouth the Lord Jesus and show
ing faith by works (Rom. x, O., 10; Jas.
II, 24). There are those who walk In
the outward life as Christians. but
who mind earthly things and are the
enemies OF the cross OF Christ. They
profess that they know God, but in
works they. deny Him (Phil. LII, 10, 10;
Tit. 1, 49,,
Tt is not for us to judge them or to
say that they are Or are not thus and
so. He will see to that. But we may
Judge ourselves and consider well IL
our faith i'm Christ Ia real and IA Life
corresponding I'm any measure thereto,
That there is a possibility ct being
saved and yet unrewarded To- plainly
1, taught in. / Cor. Ill, lib.
i The last verse of orr lesson, is a
great comfort TO those who r willing
to confess with their mouth. as well as
10 such 40 may suddenly be placed In
a diGacElE position. Nothing can take
the place Of reliance upon the Holy
Spirit both no our teacher and our ut
teranee. I have in my mind along
with verse 12 the comfort Of Elk. Nv.
IL; Jer. 4, 70; Prov. xii. Is, and have
proved the reality OF this comfort
tnaas without number.
AZ TO the sin against the Holy Spirit
which hath no forgiveness. I under.
stand 1T to be the persistent rejection
Of the voice OF the Spirit until the
heart becomes 30 hardened and the
!. ears 10 dull Of hearing that His voice
fs heard no more. Those who fear
that they have committed this sin axe
J the very ones who have no cauge to
= fear nc, for the very fact OF their feaH
shows that the Spirit is stili dealing
with them.
Those who have committed this BIN
. ars So hardened and rsbelliOuB thai
they cannot BIG approached ON tho mat
ter OF their souls welfare. They wfl
mot listen To ".