The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1921-05-27

any people.-ProV. 1:34.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Deut $50
Il; Psalm 1851.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus Love for His
Country.
JUNIOR ToPIc-Loving and Helping
Our Country.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Loyalty to Our Country
n YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
christian Principles in Law and Gov
eminent
Not Making the Nation Christian"
If the lesson committee please. Neither
of the passages chosen for today'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 Testa-
ment nowhere teaches that any ma
ton will be made Christian in this
diSpensatiOn but rather that Christ
is gathering out from among the ma
lions the people who shall constitute
His church, showing that Gods pur-
pose is the salvation of individuals.
I. "Blessed Is the Nation Whose
God Is the Lord" (Psa. 80 :12).
This verse shows Israel's peculiar
distinction. Israel is the only nation
said that Jehovah was it's God. He
called this nation into being for a pc
culiar purpose. 1t was not a case
where a nation chose God, but where
God chose a nation for His own in
heritance. 1t would be blessed to have
an inheritance in God, but how In
finitely more blessed to be Gods in
heritance! No nation can have
Israel's unique place, but the nation
which today gives God His rightful
place in it's 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. IA :34).
The only fame for which a nation
may justly be proud is righteousness,
the rendering to all their dues. 1t is
this that makes nation strong and
influential. A nation that sins
counts it's 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 from.
13 :1-1O).
The believer in Christ is citizen
as well as a church member. Intelli-
gent Christians will show loyalty to
the state as we'll as to the church.
l. The Christians obligation to the |
state wv. 10. This obligation is
Upon all Christians. The reason this
is universal is that civil
government is ordained of God, and
he rulers are His representatives. So
'iety could not exist without govern
nent. 1t is Gods purpose that man
hould live under authority. To re-
use obedience to civil authority is to
esist God.
(2J The spirit of such obedience
v. 81. IL is to be conscientious, that
S. it is to be regarded not merely as
CRYING a good purpose, but morally
light.
(3) The nature of this obedience
Wv. 6, .. (a) Payment of personal
nd property taxes. The citizens who
njOy the benefits of government are
lorally bound to support it. (b) Pay
lent of duty upon merchandise and
cense fees. The business exchange
etween nations must be regulated.
or such regulations expense is in
1rred, for which benefits the citizens
Mould pay. (c) Veneration of mag
trates. Fear to whom fear" Those
no fear God should venerate his rep :
that is, civil rulers. (d)
Honor to whom honor" that is, honor (
civil servants because of the minis 1
y they perform. 2
2. The Christians obligation to his
,llow citizens wv. S-10). This is
lmmed up in the word ''love." Love
a perpetual obligation. The only n
,bt that is right to owe is that of t
We. This love forbIds defrauding in c
alters of property; it forbids going 2
to debt where there is no reason
lie certainty of being able to meet f
e obligation; it forbids defrauGng Il
matters of moral purity. Where
ere is love, adultery cannot be COM tt
tied: it forbids murder; it for g
1s stealing; it forbids coveting, for >
veting means q desire for that
itch belongs to another; it forbids 81
e working of any Ill to ones neigh G