The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-01-22
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDNSGIOOL
LESSON
CBy f. o. SELLERS, Acting Director of
the Sunday School Course of the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
Copyright. 1915. Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR JANUARY 2;
H SPIRIT OF LIFE.

The connection of this lesson with
the others of the series is in the fact
that this chapter is a panegyric re-
garding the spirit-illed life, the com
ing of which we have so recently
studied. Read prayerfully in this con-
nection Gal. 5:22. 26. We somehow
feel hat we ought to study this entire
chapter rather than that portion as
signed. The key to the whole is found
in verse thirty-seven. I'VE are more
than conquerors." If conquerors, how
be more than ~conquerors? Very sim
pie. Some victories leave the victor
SO exhausted that he cannot possess
nor enjoy his victory; not so the spirit
filled Christian for he is more than
c%onqueror."
Previously in this epistle the spirit
is mentioned but once t5:5); in this
chapter he is mentioned nineteen
times. Over what is the spirit-illed
man conqueror?
l.. Over the Condemnation Of Sin,
v. 1. The spirit.filled Christian lives
in another realm than that of the flesh
". 81. The spirit remove us from
the realm to that of the spirit, quick
ening us q. e., making us alive who
were dead in sins) to condemn sin in
the flesh and enabling us to walk
not after the flesh, but after the
spirit"
u. c]onquerors over the Power and
Dominion of Sin, w. "a. While we
still have the body yet it is our priv
ilege, through the spirits power at
work within us, to put to death its
deeds every day and each minute
(Gal. SIG, %, 23). To live otherwise
is to displease God ". 81. Those who
surrender their lives to the control of
the indwelling spirit are sons of God"
and therefore free from the law of
sin and death" ". p, for the same
spirit that raised from the dead"
". ID not alone makes us son but
gives US the same power.
AS long as we are under laws and
ordinances we are children (Gal. ALB
r. W, but when we live the life of
liberty in Christ Jesus we are led, not
by these outward laws, but by a living
spirit as sons (Gal. 5:1S).
llI SO1QuCTOTS SNCT rear W ID
The righteousness of the law is full
filed in US who walk not after the
flesh but after the spirit" ". ~ and
having received the spirit of adop-
ton" q. e., being placed as sons) we
cringe not before God in terror, nor
call him a tyrant, or ever ruler, but
exclaim Abba, my father" AS sons
we are spiritually minded and have
life and peace" ". 6, Gal. 4:6).
~. conquerors over Suffering, v.
10. We are joint heirs with Jesus III
so be we suffer with him" Our posi-
ton and heirship in Christ involves
our participation in his sufferings
(Gal. 6:17, II Tim. 2:11, IL, Acts
14:22). What we often call Affections
are only discomforts and frequently
the results of our own foolish care
lessness. Blu as contrasted with his
glory there is no comparison. Only
eternity will enable us to comprehend
what it means to be made perfect
through suffering (Phil. $40, II Tim
2:12, Heb. 5:S). If we are heirs Of
all God has and all that God is, we
are likewise an heir Just as Christ is
and to the extent that Christ is ar
heir and hence to his sufferings 1--WE
suffer with HIM though we are ever
there more thar %conquerors for like
him we too shall rise triumphant
over all things"
v. C]onquerors over Vanity, v. 20
This glory is contrasted with the crea
ton now subject to vanity, but which
is in degradation by comparison. Tht
creature ". 21) q. e., creation) wa:
made subject not willingly but by rea
son of him who subjected it in hop,
that the creation should yet be de
livered from the bondage to the prin
ciples of death and decay into tn,
glorious liberty, or the liberty of tn,
glory, of the children of God.
vi. ~conquerors over Infirmities, Y
&c. The believers all-sufficiency AM
perfect security in the Lord Jesus. w,
may not have all we want yet we hav'
all we need (Phil. AID. This suffici
ency is in the privilege we possess II
praying according to the will of God
we know not how to pray as W
ought but the spirit maketh interces
sion for us ". 26); so also Christ
who is at the right hand of God,
intercedes for us ". 34). The spiri
knows the mind of God the father
teaches US how to pray and at time
places a yearning in our hearts to
deep for our comprehension.
Even God must search the heart t
know the mind of the spirit ". q
and in this God does "exceedin
abundantly above all that We ask G
think" (Eph. 3:20).
At other times he enables us I
pray with the spirit and the unde
standing as well Il Cor. 14:15l. If tn
spirit leads us in our prayers OF
petitions will be according to the wi
of God" and therefore granted Il job
5:14, 15).
In thus praying and being guided b
the spirit we will overcome our ii
firmities.
VII. conquerors over All Things,
%. The GROWING privilege the spiri
filed life has, is in knowing that a
things work together for good ar
hence we are free from all possib
anxiety of heart under any and all CT