The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-21
LESSON FOR JULY 70
PAUL AT coalnr4.

HIN 56oSSA asANA&
GOLDEN TExT-Be aot afraid. bu,
speak. and hold not thy pesce.-Acts 1s.s
I. Paui's Companions. wv. 1-e,)
Paul's coming to this city after his
experiences in Athens Is significant
when we read I Cor. 2:1, 2. He
found q home as usual at first among
bis Jewish countrymen. Aquils and
Priscilla were not only fellow Chris.
bans but fellow craftsmen Il. 81. Paul
supported himself, as Jesus did for
30 years, as a carpenter. This gave
opportunity to reach the people natu.
rally as y of them. At the same
time he set them the example of do
ing good Il Cor. 10 :31; l Cor. 1872;
u Thess. 2!e). Paul did not think 1t
, lack Of faith to do manual labor or
secular work for his own support be-
cause God had called him to preach.
IN the midst OF his labors ". 81 Silas
Ind Timothy came to him from
Philippi and Berea. The Philippians
bad sent him aid and brought news Of
The abundant harvest OF faith and
love In that church. Paul was weak
hnd sick and detected In spirit III Cor.
e:8), probably bodily sickness. He
was also in want IN Cor. 11:9). As
be meditated on the word, II had 50
not hold on him that he could no,
keep still. 1t overpowered him With
the thought that Jesus was the Christ
pnd that he must tell It out, but the
Jews were not willing to receive
bis testimony. "They opposed them
Selyes and blasphemed," ". 81. The
good news these helpers brought en-.
eouraged him in his conflict ". 81.
u. Paui's c%ompulsion. wv. 7.11).
Fhe opposition of the Jews did not
prove his testimony to be untrue or
that 1t had been unwisely presented,
but rather 1t revealed the iniquity Of
The hearts Of the men who were the
religious leaders. To their faces Paul
could exclaim, II am Clean" ". 81. 1t
8 a great thing for any man to be
able to say this, and It is the priv.
lege Of every believer (Acts 2o:2e).
Then We can say with Paul: ~ shrank
bot from declaring unto you the whole
counsel Of God" Or W II we do no,
~ieclare unto men the way Of life, then
their blood is upon us Ezekiel 1914, 8,
.P), but are we indeed clean Of the
blood Of all In our own homes, In
pur churches, In our Sunday school
classes, in u communities and In the
lands beyond the sea? This compul.
sion disconnected Paul from the false
.teligionists Of his day. From hence
forth I will 90 unto the Gentiles." The
advantage Of the house Of. Justus was
Ia that the owner was a proselyte
pot a born Jew. To- The place was
elose to the synagogue so that bis
preaching would be a standing invita-
Hon to the Jews, and tc) Justus was
evidently a Roman citizen. and Paul
would gain access through him to
.he more educated people Of the city.
Moreover he would have greater ad.
knntage Of the Romans than Of the
Jews for protection OF the Christian
converts. We do not infer that he
left his lodgings in the home Of Aqulla
hnd Priscilla nor ceased his work Of
lent making.
Paul's testimony after Athens was
based only on the cross Il Cor. 2:1, p
Ind It was that which turned impure,
tnful souls into pure brides whom he
conducted to Christ" tsee I Cor. e:e.
~. This vision kept Paul in the city
where he founded one Of his strongest
classes Wv. II. 1s).
lEl1i. Paui's Contest, wv. 12.l7).
Gallo, the brother Of Seneca, listened
10 the charges, but threw the ACCUSE.
lions out Of court wv. IA, 15). Sir
William Ramsey calls this decision the
rcharter Of Christian freedom" Free.
dom Of religious speech was granted
over the entire Roman empire so far
rs Roman authorities were concerned,
md the door was open for Paul to
make his way throughout the civilized
world. Thus we have further evidence
that all Of Corinth was no match for
Christ. The Lord had people there
who must be called by the spoken
word, and Paul was the one to speak
the. word. The Lord only allows u.
DO be hurt when both we and the
work can be helped thereby. BE
never really allows US to be hurt
CRom. s:13; Isaiah SAID. Christian
workers in this land are confronting
the same Corinthian evils In every
great city; intemperance, crime. graft.
dishonesty, white slavery, oppression
bf the poor and other works Of the
eesh.
It is the business Of every preacher
Ind Christian to pray and teach and
work and live to save men from these
evils and to convert them to right.
eousness.
There are also Corlnthian evils In
the heart, and In order to overcome
them We must put on the whole ar
NOR Of God, and be filed with the
Spirit Of Christ.
Summary: At Corinth Paul worked
htshis trade, converted his fellow work.
men, preached to Jews and Gendles
Wounded a strong church, wrote let.
ters to the Thessalonians, had two
helpers, Silas and Timothy, accepted
MD from the Philippians, received a
~