The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-12-09


ness. and peace. and Joy In the Holy
Ghost-Rom A;i1.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Mark
.26-32. Luke i3.lS-2
PRIMARY TOPIC sowing In Good
Ground
JUNIOR ToPIc-short stories That Je-
sus Told
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Christs JOY OF Finding the Lost
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Supreme Importance OF Christ's
Sacrifice for the Lost
:. The Parable Of the Hid Treasure
". AZ.
The common Interpretation Of this
parable that Christ is the hid treasure
for which the sinner must give up
everything In order TO buy salvation
Is false for the following reasons:
/. Christ Is not hidden In field.
but has been lifted up and made
spectacle 10 the world
2. Nobody has ever been obliged TO
buy the world In order TO get Christ
g. Salvation cannot he purchased,
for Il Is Gods free and gracious gift.
4. No warrant Is ever held out to
man TO conceal his religion after he
has obtained II.
In order to find ground that Is safe
and that We may appreciate It's beauty
and symmetry LEI vs. break up the par
able into It's component parts:
l. The field. This is the world ".
3S). AZ
:. The treasure. In Psalm 1876 a we
are told that Israel the chosen people.
i His treasure The same truth Is
set forth In different places and ways
Deut. 7;6s; 1879: 2G:1s; 81: s. %.
The kingdom Of heaven as to lis true
relation and bearing Is now hidden.
Christ was primarily sent 10 'he Jews;
II was for their sake. the hid treasure.
that lie bougb, the field.
2 The purchaser-the Son Of God
(John 800. 80,
4. The purchase price. This was
the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Gods beloved Son. which Is worth In
hnitely more than silver and gold and
the treasures Of earth q Pet. l ~. 10;
lisa. 5s).
". The Parable Of the Merchantmen
Seeking Pearls wv. ~. 46).
The view that this merchantman
represents the sinner seeking salvation
Is contrary 10 the whole teaching OF
Scripture. 1Nis would make the sin
ner 10 be seeking for Christ. while
Christ Is as Indifferent as n llfeiess
Ia Iss. -
IL that man. since the fall OF Adam
In the garden ~ Eden. has been hid
away from God. and that the Father.
Son and Holy Spirit are all actively
engaged In seeking for lost men.
i. The merchantmen. lie Is without
question Christ. He is actively en-
gagged In the search for pearls. In
this search he discovers one pearl OF
great price.
2. The purchase price. The mer-
chairman sold all-lmpoverished him
self In order 20 buy the pearl. Christ
impoverished Himself Ohm 1868 to
the one pearl of great price
by His own precious blood q Pet.
rs 10; Eph. $3.50. salvation IN
Without money and without price.
3 The pearl Of great price. This
Is the church. Christ. the merchant.
nan, will find other pearls Of great
value, nut the peerless gem set above
All others Will be the chruch which lie
has purchased with His own blood.
This truth Is In harmony with the gen
'ral teaching Of Scripture. which sets
orth the different bodies OF the re-
ieemed
~. The Parable OF the praonet
Wv. 47-5O).
This parable gives us picture OF
he contamination OF the kingdom.
Note the parts Of the parable:
!. The sea. This word when used
u nsurnuve sense denotes peoples
u multitudes dan. 7:3; Rev. I7:l5).
This means, then. that out OF this
world shall be gathered a multitude Of
'eOple, good and bad.
2 The dragnet. The word met" is
roperly translated dragnet. The drag
Jet cast into the ser, then. means the
reaching of the Gospel In this age.
3. The dragnet drawn 10 the shore
'hen full. This means that when
iods purpose il made full regarding
he preaching OF the Gospel In this age.
econnt will be taken OF the results.
=. Assortment made by the angels.
n the day OF this accounting the an
els Will be the agents which shall
eparate the saved from the unsayed.
.. The destiny OF the bad fish. The
ngels which are sent forth shall sew
the wicked from among the Just,
nd shall cast them into the furnace
{ fre, where there shall be wailing
nd gnashing of teeth.