The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-02-18
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 20
CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD.

GOLDEN TEXT-Love one another from
the heart ~fervsntly.-I Pet. 1:22 r. v.
The Sanhedrin had tried threaten
Ing upon the disciples and this is gen
orally pretty weak business. Blu,
their threat meant danger and the dis
ciples were not unduly pulled up ovel
their deliverance. With all their be
heving friends they prayed and in re
Spouse the Holy Spirit came upon
them in still further measure
(4:23-3I).
!. The Spirit-Fiiied Believers, 1882
81. The two sections Of this lesson
are really one and are designed to
bring u sharply the contrast be
tween the Holy Spirit-flled church
and an evil spirit-filled man. The
communism OF the early church was
(a) Christian communion (see 2:44):
and 1t was (b) for a special occasion;
(c) 1t was benevolent-each had &C.
cording to his needs" CASA, $50; I'D
1t was voluntary go. and (e) it rec.
ognized h right to private property
(see ga, 81. He. the Holy Spirit. does
bring that unity. that altruism, those
active social relations and services of
which Pentecostal communism Is the
type. Unity and love are seen in gen.
line Christianity in all ages, but the
forms OF their expression may differ.
Inc power OF the Holy Spirit was
manifested, not merely in love and
unity which 1t produced. in the broth
erhood thus evidenced. but also in the
testimony given for the Lord Jesus
Christ. with great power gave the
apostles witness to the resurrection
OF the Lord Jesus" There Is much
witness to the resurrection Of the
Lord Jesus Christ in our day, but not
always with great power" When we
are nlled with the Holy 0Dirk 1t is OF
Jesus. and especially a his resur-
rection. that we will bear witness.
another result Of being filled with the
holy Spirit was that grace was upon
all. Grace" means favor. We are
not told whether it was Gods favor
or mans favor that was upon them.
1t seems to imply both (see Luke
2:52). Nc man looked upon his own
interests. but every man on the
things of Others" Distribution was
made according as each had need, not
according to his ability. not according
to his notable service. The pre-emi.
nent illustration Of Christian love in
the brotherhood at Jerusalem wa,
Barnabas. II we had more of such
today we would have less Of union
labor troubles and missionary deficits.
We do we'll to consider carefully the
SIX distinguishing features OF thtu
early church: (1) A praying church
(4:24-3O). (2) q Spirit-flled church
(S1), 90 q united church 1927. ca q
witnessing church (33), 90 a minis
terfng church ga. s5), CO. a multiply
Ing church (36. 37).
u. The OeviI-Possessed Unbeifever.
5, 1-16. Barnabas had received great
praise for what he had done at the Inn
pulse of he Holy Spirit in his life. Ie
Is an exceedingly fair picture. but the
OF the early church had been
from o without, nov 1t faces he
greater peril OF foes within. And when
his great question. regarding the de-
fty and personality OF the Holy Spirit.
Is hrst brought to light. God, through
bis church, dealt with it in a stern
manner. The devil is always present.
Ing his limitations Of everything good
and holy. Ananias and Sapphira were
not willing to make a like sacrifice.
They, too, sold a possession" but
they secreted q part OF the price ana
brought the rest with the intent to de-
the church. The Holy Spirit
quickly informed the church Of this
hypocrisy and. Spirit guided. they
not deceived. For Ananias to
lie in the atmosphere Of love and con-
secratfon engendered by the Hoix
Spirit made his crime the more unpar-
1onable. The same words are used I'm
describing his actions as those used
n describing the actions Of Barnabas
Up to a certain point. But what a diff
we see subsequently. In the
case Of Barnabas his act was a deed
self-forgetting<love: in the case OF
Ananias it was n Of calculating n.y.
'ocrisy. We thus see that the early
was not as perfect as some
would have us imagine it to be-. To
to a full conservation which
le did not possess is thus revealed,
md for US to pretend to a c~onsecra-
ion We do not possess is to lie to the
Holy Ghost. In the case Of Ananias
md Sapphire it brought swift and "
ul judgment. Peters question seems
o imply that the plan had originated
With Satan, but Ananies was none the
ess responsible, for he had given
lace to Satan and permitted him to
NIL his heart" The fact is his ain
with Satan. but that did not
rather aggravated-hts
'uilt. for he had entered into partner
hip with the devil. and this is what
liar il doing (John S:44, I John
:22). The heart that is open to the
ioly Spirit he will fill: the heart that
open to Satan he will I'LL. The one
vho pretends to an entire
ion. which does MOI exist, is tempt.
ng the spirit of the Lord" ". 81, and
is q dangerous thing to do. It may
OF bring physical death, for God gives
8 other examples Of his dealings
owards sin, but there will be the ultf-
,ate judgment that comes upon ALI
ars and d~eceivers.
The second section Of this para
raph wv. 12-16) Is a record of what
ne results of this vindication of he
Ioly Spirit were. First the Spirit