Mexico Missouri message., 1916-11-09


The early Christian church had two
outstanding problems, the question OF
the Sabbath days 1.-TWO of them) and
the question of eating meat offered to
idols. This lesson suggests the solu-
ton of the latter. Our modern prob
lem of Intoxicating liquors is very
much the same as this ancient one Of
the early Gentle Christians.
!. "Let us not therefore Judge one
another" wv. 1870. There are GER
tain acts which are universally conced-
ed to be right and within the Christian
law of liberty. There are also other
acts which are as plainly prohibited.
There are large number of acts which
lie in the region between these two,
and men ought to be careful how they
condemn one another for these latter
things. Where good and true men DIFF
fer, their acts, on the matter of the
Sabbath (See Col. 2:16), or on temper
nnce, must be determined as being
unto the Lord, sincerely, conscientious
ly. 1t Is not for us to judge ". 13),
literally, to pronounce judgment. They
have right to their opinion and to
their liberty of thought and action, but
wv. ID, %, 23) as for Paul or the
Christian, he must have a clear con-
science. He must have faith, and be
assured that he is right; otherwise he
is condemned by God and by his own
conscience, and Is not a sincere Chris
tian disciple. The word therefore" in
verse ID points back to verse IL, which
ought to be carefully pondered. AS we
have each to render our accounts to
God, we should stop judging one an
other. Food is a very proper thing,
and laws are also proper, yet love is
the ruling principle Of the Christian
life.
We ought to have our liberty cur
tailed rather than have our souls lost.
If we magnify our liberty to the sacri-
fee Of our brothers soul we walk no
longer in love-" The demands Of
Christian love are more to the true
followers Of Christ than the permits
sions of Christian liberty. The privi-
lege of eating and drinking while it
yourself, is not to be tolerated.
The word "stumbleth" here used
| ". 21) implies movable trap or snare,
literally any impeachment placed In the
| way so as to cause another to fall. We
must never forget that even a weak
brother is "a brother for whom Christ
died."
II. "Let not your good be evil spoken
Of" wv. 1928. The kingdom of God
/ is not meat and drink, but 1t is q life
of righteousness, peace and Joy in the
Holy Ghost Our liberty is to be so
used that it shall not be evil spoken
OF, The real proof that we are in the
kingdom of God and that the kingdom
of God is in us is not found In our
scrupulousness or lack of 1t, in our eat
ing and drinking, but in the manifesta-
tons of righteousness in our lives, and
of having peace in our hearts (15 :13).
This peace must be manifested toward
our fellow men ". 10; Oh. Is :18) and
being filed with "joy In the Holy
Ghost" The object of our pursuit is
to be the things which make for peace,
the things whereby we may fill one
another up, not the exploitation of
some pet hobby, for the kingdom of
God does not consist of riding hobbies.
In this matter Of temperance reform
we all recognize that alcohol has many
uses besides that for drinking pur-
poses, and that there are various opin-
Ions about drinking certain forms OF
1t, and various ways of advancing the
temperance cause, all of which are
honestly held by many good men, but
Christian patriotism demands that ev.
cry true-hearted man or woman, every.
one who is loyal to his country, to hu.
mainly and to his God, should take
Pauls position, ~ That he will moi
be stumbling block in the way Of the
weak and of the young. (2) That he
will not do anything to destroy his
brother for whom Christ died. (3) Thai
he will deny himself anything for theii
sake. (4) That his attitude will be
that Of love and not of selfishness
This places temperance on high mora
plane, but the world is also beginning
to recognize that the temperance ques
ton is also an economic one.
1t is well to have faith, but 1t ii
also well to have the love that doei
not injure others by the exercise o.
that faith. The question is, "Are YOU
perfectly sure this thing is right?'
When in doubt as to whether any &C
ton will please God, doubt your doubts
and avoid that act.
VI. awe then that are strong" (15
1-3). This section is in reality con
tinuation of Chapter IA. Paul is con
| tinuing his thought that we are no
to please ourselves, but rather to liv
, such lives as viii edify or build up on
} neighbor. Our strength is not give
to us that we may glory or lord |
over our weaker brethren, but rathe
that we may serve them.
/ Toplease my neighbor does not meal
l that "when In Rome do as the Roman
/, do" but rather to live such a life tina
. my action will be for the good and ed