The Raymer enterprise., 1920-02-26
M11ovID UMroaN INTERNATIONAL
SONDMS0lOOL
LESSON
(By REV. p. b. FITZWATER, D. D..
Teacher Of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute Of Chicago.)
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 20
PETER WRITES ABOUT CHRIS
TiAN LIVING.

LESSON TEXT Peter 2:1-l5, l1-3.
GOLDEN TExT-He that saith he abid.
eth In him ought himself also SO to walk
even as he walked.-I John 2:6
PRIMARY TOPIC-Doing as Jesus did
JUNIOR TOPIC-How to Treat Those
Who Wrong Us.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
The Nobility of Patience.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Ideals for Christian Living.
The purpose Of Peter was to estab-
llsh all who were passing through
suffering and testing. See for exam
pie ii, S:14. 4:12. 5:10-12.
!. Christian Growth wv. 1-5).
The Christian obtains his life
through the new birth. and the agent
Of Its accomplishment is the Word
Of God Il :23). The same vitaliz-
Ing and energizing power which makes
the believer a child of God is essen
tial to growth and development. In
order to have spiritual growth there
must be both remuneration and appro-
priation.
l. Remuneration ". y. Certain
things Injurious to spiritual life must
be put away (1) malice-all wicked
ness. that is, the will to do injury to
others without cause; ~ guIle-de-
celt Of all kinds; (3) hypocrisies-
feigning to be what one is notAassum-
Ing a false appearance; (4) envies-
hatred Of others because they possess
excellencies which we do not; (5)
evil speaking-all kind Of slanderous
speaking against others.
2. Appropriation wv. 2, 81. ~
Spiritual food must be taken ". p.
The principle of the new life was con.
veyed through the Word u:23). and
the Word Is the means by which that
life is to be strengthened and de.
veloped. Just as a new born babe
loves milk. 80 men who are born again
love the Bible. (2) Spiritual food
must be assimilated (v. 81. The Word
Of God must be received and assim.
Hated by meditation.
3. The grand objective (vv. 4, 81.
1t is coming to Christie grow up
and become part Of the glorious
church, the spiritual house, which is
designed to show forth the glory Of
God.
II. seerly Behavior Of Christians
wv. 11-25).
/. As pilgrims and sojourners wv.
II, 12). Christians are merely So
journers on the earth; they are jour-
neyIng through 1t on their way to the
eternal home In the heavens. Our
heavenly citizenship (Phil. 800
should constrain us to ~ abstain
from feshly lusts ". 1D. The term
"lusts" includes the entire army Of
unclean forces springing from our
carnal natures; they are enumerated
in Galatians 5:l9-2l. These war
against the soul. (2) Behavior hon.
est before the heather ". 12). Chris
tians should so live that 1t will be
impossible for the world to speak
against them as evlldoers.
2. As citizens wv. 13-17). While
the Christians true citizenship Is In
heaven, he has responsibility as a
citizen on the earth. A Christian man
recognizes the necessity Of social Or
der, and will not only graclously SUBJ
NIT to the authority Of rulers regard
less Of the form Of government, but
will faithfully perform his oblIga-
tlons as a citizen. This he will not
do through cringing fear. but as the
Lords free man. BY this free SUBJ
mission as a servant of God he puts
to silence the ignorance Of foolish
men (vv. Is. 16). ~ Honor all men
". ~. He will see In every man
the image Of God and therefore give
honor to him. (2) Love the brother
hood ". 17). The Christian has a
peculiar love for those who are Of the
same household. (3) Fear God ".
~. (4) Honor the king ". ~.
This has peculiar significance, for In
all probability the wicked Nero was
the king then reignlng.
3. As servants (vv. 1925. While
doubtless slaves were meant here, the
principle applies to all who have re-
lation to employers. The Christian
will be in subjection to his master.
He will not only do this when his
employer is gentle and reasonable, but
even when 1t means wrongful suffer
ing. It means not only submission.
but loyalty. 1t Is the duty Of a Chris
tian to consider and further the in
terests of his employer Many times
to do so means hardship and suffer
ing. The grand example Of suffering
wrongfully is Jesus Christ. While his
suffering is an example to us. 1t was
much more, because he suffered In
order to break forever the power Of
sin SO as to do away forever with
oppression.