Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-26
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON MAY %
Acts I5:1-35.
Golden Text;-"For freedom did Christ
set us free Gal. 5:1a.


DR.. Marion MICH, Hull
Everything was prospecting in the Antioch
church until some men came from jerusalem
without any authority. purporting to lave been
sent there by the mother church. They said:
This is a very fine work you have here.
and it looks very good. but these Greeks can
not be saved except they be circumcised and
become members OF the Jewish church first. .
Paul took exception TO this and there was no
snail contention for awhile The Jerusalem
members had this much in their favor. The
Jewish nation had been especially selected by
Coo as the ones to whom He might reveal Him
self' the law had been given to them; even
Jesus Christ was L member of that nation; and
II was natural in them to suppose that unless
one bccofe n member OF that nation in the
blessing of salvation which God was offering
through Christ.
The real issue though was not whether a
man should submit to a certain ritual, but
whether salvation was by faith or by works:
whether the law was the end only a means
towards salvation.
Paul very positive in his position. He
was Just as intense a Jew as had ever lived,
come amongst them, and he cOntended with
great ability that even il a dill keep the
law perfectly he could rot he saved by it. Tn
doubtedly later when he wrote the letters
TO the Romans and to the Gslst he had a
clearer conception Of this position. In these
letters he states his case very clearly. The
man know that he a sinner, and second.
to point him to Jesus. who alone had kept tho
whole law end who alone could kecr it, that
the sinner might accept what Jesus had done
for him and be freed from the bondage OF sin
which the law revealed.
In other words Faul's conception of the law
was that 1t was like spirit level. In COM
pairing building with the level can tell
Whether 1t is perpendicular or horizontal OF
parison. This the law does The law has
done its best. when it has pointed US to Him
whose life measures perfectly with the stand
ard and whose power is sufficient to enable
us to live up to that standard.
This issue is Just as alive today as 1t was
thcn. All the other religions Of the world
Zoroasterism. the so-called New Theology and
Christian Science are characterized by one word
do but Christianity is characterized by an
other word. dome All of these require ev.
cry follower TO do something. Christianity re,
quires only that we accept what has been done
for us,
The tendency OF every ritual Is the same
The observance OF ceremonies tends to make
one emphasize too strongly that which they
arc doing themselves as a means Of salvation
rather than that which has been done for them
by Jesus Christ. OF course, the real purpose OF
them is a means of expression, but the ten
dencv is 70 put our services in place Of His
self"
NOW AND CATER THIS"
The lines we're so sharply drawn that the
matter referred to the church at Je
rusalem. and so the first convention was
called. Paul and Barnabas went as the rep
resentatives of the Antioch church. Wher
they reached Jerusalem, Paul showed his won
derful tact and skill. lie tells us Of It IN
his letter to the Galatians. He was not will
ing 10 trust important matter to the
mood Of the crowd, so he laid the matter
briefly before the leaders first. to see
whether he was right not land he tells
that they added nothing to what he had
TO say); and second. that he might win then
before they came into the public meeting
The wisdom OF this was demonstrated, fol
shortly after he and Barnabas had made .
report. certain Of the Pharisees drew the IS
sue sharply and threw the matter into the
convention. After some talking. Peter linei
up boldly Paurs side, showing by his ex
perience with Cornelius that faith alone wa:
necessary for the salvation of the Gentiles
and the Jews. Then Paul and Barnabas re
cited what God had done through them show
ing how lives had been changed without the
necessity of circumcision.
Then James, the brother of Christ who
decision, stating that this was in accordance
with the prophets. who had declared that
God would Mt the first visit the Gentiles Il
take ont OF them a people for His name
, and 'after this he would restore again tht
Jewish nation to their place of prestige AMI
pcwer. and fulfill in -ham and to them al
the promises which He had made to them rs
IIis chosen people. James INTERPRETATION oil
the n Soz i "S1 nE ETpfGSnt
We can hardly appreciate the Importance
Of the decision which this convention reached
for the whole church agreed to the state
ment which its president made. 1t established
orce and for all the freedom Of she Gen
tile from the bondage Of the ceremonial law.
Had any other decision been made the work
very seriously impaired. Briefly. it was
this: You do not have 20 do anything to be
saved but to accent Iesus Christ; but be,
csuse you are saved: we ask Won not to do
these four things which are very listastefnl
to Christians who have been raised in Jew.
isl homes.