The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-06-09
LESSON FOR JUNE II
SOWING AND REAPiNG CTEMPER.
ANcE -essoN.)


second temperance lesson for the
year. Paul's letter to the churches
OF Galatia strongly contrasts law and
grace. It's key verse IL CHI. ZIG, n
its most prominent word is law
many claim verse one OF Chapter b
as It's golden verse, This final CHAP"
ter Is a most practical one and rich In
suggestion regard ing u social rela'
tons. Let each member come pre-.
pared to give a temperance applica'
ton or to ask a temperance question.
|. "eear 70 Ono Another's Rurdens'
iyv. 1.6). II a man trespass, be sur
prise& In a sin. be caught In the very
act, or surprised into committing a
sin. "ye which are spiritual uiteral'
ly, guided and governed by the spirit;
oh. 6;l6-25l are to restore such a
one. This Is to be done. not by cut"
ting of or casting aside the erring
one. but az a d~isloCated limb Ia re"
stored to its place, so we are to re
store that one t. HIS place as . be-
lever; each believer being a member
of the body OF Christ q Cor. l2:l2.
ii, 27); ons who falls into sin Is a dis
located limb or member, and tho
stronger ones are to restore him to
his proper place. This must be done,
however. not with any sense or our
own infallibility, but in meekness.
gentleness and with great tenderness.
(See II Tim. 2:24.2G). pauls reason
for this, lest thou also be tempted
should lay low the pride any OF us
who have not fallen might feel ". /;
Math. 7:2-5; Jas. abb. Instead OF
exclaiming, "T could never have done
any such act" we ought rather to
say, But for the grace Of God might
have done ever worse than that" Il
Cor. 1919. The burdens ". % or
weights which W. are to bear are not
the unnecassar details OF the Mosaic
law (Math. 1914; Acts Is: 10Y but rath-
er they are the temptations. weak
nesses and failures OF others. The
master came no. to be ministered
unto but to minister" and was tempt
cd in all points" touched with a feel.
ing Of our infrmIties" and in our thus
sharing with each other we but follow
In his steps (Ch. ga: John 1884.
1919; Romans 1879. This Ia the law
OF Christ" no: onerous. not q g~rieyoua
burden, not necessarily an obligation,
but a Flaw" because he, our "fle lead
err" fully and perfectly exempliHes ],
(Phil. 1850. 1t Ia chiefly s~elf-conceii
and spiritual pride ". 81 which stands
in the way OF gentle forbearance in
dealing with our erring brothers. Such
pride does not usually deceive others
(Jas. 1920 and he who Ia so con
trolled. "deceiveth himself" We are
to put our accomplishments. not be
cause Of our brothers failure. but In
the work Of others. Few OF us can
glory much In ourselves. and all arc
to glory In that which Is the death
to self, the cross Of Christ ". 14),
Paul's reason for this s%elf.testing ia
that every man rust bear the load
". 5 r. W Of his own responsibility,
and Is not held responsible for the
failure OF any but himself. from,
1919. The word burden" ". 81
Is not the same az that in verse two
We are to help our brother bear his
burden" of temptation. but must each
bear the load" OF his own respon'
sibility to God. Each must answer for
his own work.
II. whatsoever a Man Soweth'
w. 6.8. While each must so bear his
burden. yet those who are taught are
to help those who teach to bear their
burdens by contributing "in all good
things" from. 1921; | Cor. 9:1l.1D,
Paul sounds a solemn warning &c
those who refuse thus to help forward
the work OF righteousness. those who
fail to support otaers and think thai
their s~elfshness will accrue to theI'
advantage ". y. The natural world
has many illustrations of this immut
able law. Men may mock (sneer att
this law. but find eventually that there
is no escape from It's operation. This
law has many applications. The one
in the context Ia. first, a physical one
". 81, a most familiar one TO US all
The same ID true spiritually. and has
been repeatedly illustrated throughout
the history OF the Christian church
I'll Cor. $3.50: Prov. 11:24). In all
OF our actions. physical. mental. moral
social and spiritual. We reap what W.
SOW; like In kind, sown sparingly VI
reap sparingly; sbundantly. and VIC
reap in abundance.
III. I'VE Shall Reap. II We Fain'
Not" w. 9-18. Paul now proceeds Il
make the practical application. II W,
act under the leadership of the Spirit
(see Oh. 5:1s-25) we avoid carna
mindedness. and we are sowing to tht
Spirit and Of the Spirit twho Is lif'
John 6:63: II Cor. $500. we shall real
"life eternal" l.. t.. life which Is end
less In duration AID divine in It's es
sence. There mus: be, however, per
sistence. We must not withhold thu
good seed nor refrain from sowini
II II we are to rep the reward sug
gested in verses r,Ie and ten. II ".
do so withhold. or should we sov
ought but the good seed" we viii
sureIv raap the awful haryeat sup