Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1921-06-03
nPRovrb'uMrORM INTERNATIONAL
SilIldaySchI.o|oI|l
Lesson y !:
By REV .PseB. FITDwATEH. ID. ID,
Teacher Of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute OF Chicagoj s4tkA4
% 1871, Western. Newspaper UniopJ---.-
LESSON FOR JUNE 5
MAKING TIE NATION 'cARlsrlAs.

LESSON TExT-Psalm 1872; Prov. Il:
"a: Rom. 13:1-10.
GOLDEN DETERMINATIONS exalt-
eth a nation; but sin Is a reproach to
any people.-Prov. 1874
REFERENCE MATERIALS-Deut ss6-
( PRIMARY ToPIc-Jesus' Love for His
Country.
JUNIOR ToPIC--Loving and Helping
Our Country. a.l sisies j ..-. MONA.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Loyalty TO Our Country ASst - r
4 YOUNG PEOPLE AND. ADULT. TOPIC &
Christian Principles In Law and Cove
eminent. ,ssif-' ..-s SFi~~ - - =
& Not Making the Nation Christian"
II tile lesson committee please. Neither
of the passages chosen. for tpday's
lesson has any bearing on the title
chosen by the committee. However.
they do set forth some important
teachings regarding the nation, and
the teacher should carefully bring out
their vital meaning. The New Tesla
ment nowhere teaches that any ma
tion will be made Christian. in this
dispensation but; rather that. Christ
Is gathering out from among the ma
tons the people who shall constitute
His church, showing that Gods pur-
pose is the salvation of. individuals.
I. BLESSED ls the Nation Whose
God ls the Lord" (Psa. 3Y:12).
This verse shows 1sraefs peculiar
distinction. Israel Is the only nation
of which, In name even, 1t could be
said that Jehovah was its God. He
called this nation into being for Pc
culiar purpose. IT was not a Case
where nation chose God, but where
God chose nation for His own ip-
heritance. 1t would be blessed. to have
an inheritance IN God, but how In
finitely more blessed to- be sGod's in
heritancel No nation can have.
Israel's unique place. but the nation
which today gives God His rightful
place in its affairs shall be singular
ly blessed. America has been signally
blessed In the times when she ac-
knowledged God. In the recent awful
war when the national congress set
aside day of prayer, God heard the
cry of His people and victory was
given to the allies.
II. A Nations Glory prov. 1870.
The only fame for which a nation
may justly be proud is righteousness,
the rendering to all their dues. 1t Is
this that makes a nation strong and
influential. A nation that sins
counts its sacred covenants as SCRAPS
Of paper" becomes an outcast among
the nations and eventually goes down
to ignominious defeat. The nation
that has no righteousness as its stand.
ard has no right to exist.
III. Christian Citizenship (Rom.
10 :1-10).
| The believer in Christ is citizen
| as well as church member. Intelli-
gent Christians viii show loyalty to
the state as well as to the church.
/. The Christians obligation to the
state (vv. 10. This obligation IL
upon all Christians. The reason this
obligation is universal Is that civil
government is ordained Of God, and
the rulers are His representatives. So
ciety could not exist without govern
ment. 1t is Gods purpose that man
should live under authority. To re-
/ fuse obedience to civil authority Is to
resist God.
/ e, The spirit Of such obedience
". 81. 1t Is to be conscientious, that
is, it is to be regarded not merely a.
serving a good purpose, but morally
right. 2 ~ ~ ~
(3) The nature Of this obedience
wv. 6, y. (a) Payment of personal,
and property taxes. The citizens who
| enjoy the benefits of government are
morally bound to support 1t. tb) Pay
ment of duty upon merchandise and
license fees. The business exchange
between nations must be regulated.
For such regulations expense is In
Cured, for which benefits the citizens
should pay. (c) veneration Of mag
istrates. Fear to whom fear" Those
who fear God should venerate his rep
resentatiyes, that is, civil rulers. (d)
Honor to whom honor" that Is, honor
of civil servants because Of the minis
try they perform.
| 2. The Christians obligation to his
fellow citizens wv. 8-10). This In
summed up In the word "love." Love
10 a perpetual obligation. The only
debt that Ia right to owe is that Of
love. This love forblds defrauding In
matters Of property; It forbids going
into debt where there IL no reason
able certainty Of being able to meet
me obligation; It forbids defrauding
IN matters Of moral purity. Where
there IL love, adultery cannot be coEa-
mitted: 1t forbids murder; It for
bids stealing; it forbids coveting. for
ceveting means a desire Tor that
which belongs to another; 1t forbids
Z the working Of any III to ones neigh
Dor.