The Brinkley argus., 1918-08-30

] of the Lord Jesus, how he said. it is more 1iessed to give than to receive.-Aets 20: ] DEVOTIONAL READ1NG-u corin- thians 9;G-15.
 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR TEACHERS-Luke 16:9; Romans 12:S; II Corinthians 9:6-15; Hebrews 13:16; Ezra l. 2-45 l Chronicles 29:1-5.
 The principles of ethics which shall prevail in the earth when Jesus Christ shall be king are entirely different from those of the world The worldly spirit always inquires as to what gain will accrue from an action or service. Its policy is doing good for the sake of getting good. Those who have been made partakers of the divine nature, who are really subjects of the king dom, do good because they have the nature and spirit of God, not because they expect something in return.
 l. Give to Every Man That Asketh of Thee (v. 30).
 This does not mean that any request that may be made by the idle, greedy and selfish should be granted. Only evil would result from such indiscrimi- nate and unregulated giving. Such benevolence would foster idleness and seJfshness. Oftentimes the worst thing you can do for a man is to give him money. The drunkard will only spend it for more drink; the gambler will continue his dissipation. The meaning then is, give to the one ask ing the thing which he needs. The man in poverty needs to be given a way to earn his living, rather than to be given money without the necessity of labor. There is that in the human heart which refuses charity, and cries out for a means to honestly gain a livelihood.
 II. Of Him That Taketh Away Thy Goods, Ask Them Not Again (v. 30).
 "Aska here means demand. It doubt less forbids the forcible demanding of the return of that which has been taken from one.
 III. Do to Other Men as You Would That They Should Do Unto You (vv. 31-34).
 This ethic puts life's activities on the highest possible ground. He does not say, refrain from doing that which you would not like to be done to you, as even Confucius taught; but to pos
 tively make the rule of your life the doing to others as you would wish them to do unto you. Loving those who love us, doing good to those who do good to us, and lending to those from whom we hope to receive, is just what all the sinners of the world are doing. The child of the kingdom of Christ is to be different.
 ". Love Your Enemies (v. 35).
 That which is natural to the human heart is to hate the enemy. To love fin the real sense means to sincerely desire the good of even ones enemy and willingness to do anything pos sible to bring that good. Such action is only possible to those who have been born again. Christ loved those who hated him. He was willing even to die for his enemies.
 v. Lend, Hoping for Nothing Again 1 (v. 35).
 This is what the Heavenly Father is constantly doing. He is kind and gra- cious unto the unthankfui and the wicked. He sends his rain and sun shine upon the unjust and sinners. He makes fruitful the toll of those who 1 blaspheme his name. He thus does be cause it is his nature to so do.
 VI. Be Mercful (v. 36). ] The example for the imitation of the disciple is the Heavenly Father. I VII. Judge Not (v. 37).
 To judge does not mean the placing l of just estimates upon mems actions l and lives, for, By their fruits ye shall ! know them" The tree is judged by ] the fruit it bears. The thorn tree does not bear figs, nor the apple tree bear grapes. Our only way of discerning fine character of men and women is their actions. That which is con 1 demned is eensOriOus judgment-the l impugning of motives.
 l VIII. Condemn Not tv. 3T.
 This means that we should not pass sentence upon men for their acts, for 1 to their own master they stand or fall | (Rom. 14:4). The real reason why such action is not warranted is that the bias of our hearts and the limita- tion of our judgments render it im- possible to righteously and intelli- gently pass judgment.
 lx Forgive (v. 37)
 Those who forgive shall be forgiven. The one who has realized the forgiv- ing mercy of God will be gracious and forgiving toward others.
 xI. Liberaiify Determined by What Is Left Ouke 21 :1-4).
 The rich cast into the treasury much, but it was from their abundance. The poor widow cast in all that she had; there was nothing left. God estimates a gift by what one has left, not by She size of the gift. To give the wid- ows mite is to give all. For the mil lionaire to give the widows mite would mean for him to give his millions.