Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-01-19
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON F0R.JAN. %
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Text Of the Lesson. Rom. VIII, 1890.
Memory Verses, Is, T-GOlden
Text, R0r.. VIII, 14-C0mmentary
Prepared by Rev. ID. M. Stearns.


Romans viii seems to be an appropri-
ate study. for In II the Spirit is men
toned nineteen times In connection
with conversion. the daily life OF the
believer and the redemption OF our
bodies at the resurrection Of the just
The epistle begins with a statement
by the apostle. as "a servant OF Jesus
Christ. that he was separated into the
gospel OF God concerning His Son. Je-
sus Christ our Lord. who was with
power declared 10 be the Son OF God
by His resurrection from the dead Il.
Ii He said that this gospel was the
power OF God unto salvation 10 every
one that beleveth. that il made him
debtor IL NJ vino had not heard IL.
that he was ready 10 give u TO all and
that he WIS not ashamed OF IL Il. IA
16l. In tie following chapters he de-
clares plainly thar all. without excep
ton. are guilty before God and cannot
be saved by trying to be good or do
good. bur may he justified freely by
grace through the redemption that Is
In Christ Jesus Oil. 9-24; Nv. II, 1925;
v. Ill: vi. 23). Then In our lesson
chapter beginning with mo con
demnation' and ending with mo sep
aration" because OF the love OF God
which is In Christ Jesus our Lord. be
sets forth more fully the benefits of
this great redemption 10 every believer
and TO the whole creation. The whole
chapter should be studied omiting
none of It,
The phrase lin Christ Jesus" verses
/, 2, 39) seems to me TO be the key
to the whole chapter. Nothing more
Is necessary. nothing less will suffice.
for salvation or for the daily life of
those who are saved (Gal v. g; vi.
Is: Eph. II. 10. 13; I'll. 49,. The carnal
mind. the flesh. the natural man., can
never be improved so as TO be at for
the presence OF God. and. although IL
remains In us after we become lin
Christ" we are under no obligation TO
II and should have no confidence In
II, but continually. prayerfully and per
sistently reckon IL dead I'm the power
Of the Holy Spirit chapter vi. IL; VII
"a, %; wifi. LA; Cor. TX. 81: III Cor
Nv. 10. IL: Phil. iii. -. BY the Spirit
and the Word we are born again just
as ia the beginning OF the Bible record
the light shone In the darkness (Gen-
4, 2, 3; III Cor. Nv. O.. and only by the
same Spirit and Word can we live
the life Of child OF God John vi. SO;
xvii, 10. The Spirit always works by
the Word and thus bears witness to
the believer. The witness Of the Spirit
is not feeling. an emotion. an expert
ence, but is simply resting unwaver-
ingly on what the Spirit says to us In
His word. Compare lesson verse 10
and John 4. IL, and see my tract on
THE Witness of the Spirit"
Having received the Lord Jesus II
is our privilege TO know, on the author
ity of the infallible word OF God, that
we have become children of God, heirs
Of God and joint heirs with Jesus
Christ, have now eternal life and can
never perish verses 10. IL; John K.
2S). While this assurance Is not es-
sential TO salvation. II is necessary In
order to live the life OF victory that
will glorify God. As the redeemed of
the Lord we have become soldiers OF
Jesus Christ and are ever I'm great
conflict with the world. the flesh and
the devil. so there will be much to en-
dure I'm the way OF trial as well as much
to do In the way Of service, but the
way is all prepared for us and also the
works we are to do. Oh Tim. II. 3. A;
Eph. vi, 1918; II, 10; Rev. ii, 10; Phil.
ha Grafrff
are all for US verses &c. 81, 34). All
things are working together for our
good, to make us more like Him whose
witnesses we are, and we are assured
that all we can possibly need is freely
given to us in Christ verses %. 20. 32)
We shall not be the overcomers that
we should be In the process OF being |
killed all the day long verse SO; Ps.
Xiv, 22) unless we lay TO heart our
lesson verses IS to 25. There Is real
suffering with Christ. not for our sal
walton, but In service and fellowship. |
for every believer, and we will not
triumph I'm the conflict nor endure |
patiently unless we have ever before |
us the glory Of His kingdom, which
we are TO share with Him. The whole |
creation is grooming, and never be-
fore so severely as now MAY, 1919, |
and there will be no permanent deliv- |
erance until the time OF the nantes
tation OF the sons OF God-that Is, the !
time Of our coming with Christ In His
glory to set up on earth His kingdom
Of righteousness and peace II is true
that II we are lin Christ" we are now
children Of God. but not until we meet |
Him I'm the air shall we know the full |
meaning OF adoption. the redemption |
Of our body Verse % and John Iii, 1,
2: see also Col. III, A.: Rev. iii. 81; v. 8.
10). We groan while we wait for the |
redeemed body at His coming to the |
air for us. The whole creation groans
while 1t waits for His coming with us
to deliver II from its long bondage Of
sin and suffering verses 1929.
All things are not working for our
comfort. but for our present and eter-
nal good In His sight. and all Is be- |
cause Of His love from which moth
Inc cou copo pa IN ne (varuoo No 2Ol ~ |