Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1927-01-13
improved Uniform International
Sil1GldaySchoel
' Lesson '
(By REV. r. b. FITZwATER. DID,. Dean
Of Day and Evening Schools Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago)
"a. 1927, Western Newspaper Union.)
Lesson for January 9
THE STANDARD OF CHRISTIAN
LIVING

GOLDEN TEAT-Be ye therefore
perfect. even as your Father which
is in heaven is perfect.
PRIMARY TOPIC-How Jesus Wants
Us to Live.
JUNIOR Notwithstanding Orders for
Christians.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-What Christ Requires of Us.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Christ's Life and Example for Us.
The context ". 26) clearly implies
what is elsewhere positively declared
John Is 1921 Luke 81 I'D that the
followers of Christ will be hated and
opposed. In this lesson Christ sets
forth the principles governing the life
of his followers.
|. "Love Your Enemies" ". Ply.
Love here is not natural affection.
To love friends is easy, but to love
enemies is only possible to those who
have been made partakers of the d.
vine nature-been born again.
~. "Do Good to Them Which Hate
You" ". Ply.
Love is positive in its nature. The
true Christian will not merely refrain
from doing injury to one who hates
him. but will be concerned with and
engaged in doing good to him. True
love acts according to it's own essen
tial nature.
III. "Bless Them That Curse You"
". 2s).
To bless means to speak well Otto
invoke a blessing upon. Injury by
words is hard to let go unchallenged.
The one who is child of God and al
lows the Spirit of his Maker and Re-
deemer to express itself through him
will return blessings for cursings.
W. "Pray for Them Which Despite
fully Use You" (v. 2S).
We should pray for those who
abuse u.s. The best commentary on
this precept is Christ's own example
duke % :34). "Father forgive them
for they know not what they do"
When Christ was reviled He reviled
not again. When He suffered. He
threatened not. but committed Him.
self to Him that judgeth righteously.
Il Pet. 2 :23).
v. Patiently Endure Wrong and In
Jury" ". 29).
The Christian is not to bristle N
defense of his rights but rather to suf-
fer insult, injury and even loss. This
expresses the law which should gov
ern the individuals actions. but
should not be pressed so far that evil,
Goers can go unchecked. Rightly con-
stituted government has been ordained
of God for the protection of the inno-
cent and the punishment Of eyildoers
| (Rom. 10 :1-S).
vi. Give to Every One That Ask
eth Of Thee ". 30).
God is the supreme, example. He
gives freely and generously but intel
ligently. This text does not author
lie indiscriminate giving. There is
| a giving which Injuries the one to
whom the gift is made. To give a man
money to buy whisky would be wrong.
VII. Do as You Wish to Be Done
BY ". 81.
| This is called the Golden Rule. 1t is
the sum total of Christian duty as it
pertains to human interrelations. HUI
man beings carry with them the con-
seriousness which is the tombstone
| which teaches them their duty to 9TH
/ ers. If men were to live up to this
rule the problem of capital and labor
would be solved and end would be put
to war. International relations would
be peaceably adjusted and all prof.
teering in business would end. rrac-
| ticing this precept proves that we are
| children of God Loving those who
love u.s. doing good to those who do
good to US, lending to those who lend
among sinners. No new birth. no Holy
Spirit needed to live this kind of life
VIII Be Merciful w. 36).
This means to be filled with pity
! and compassion. To enter into sym
! pathy with every need of others. The
supreme example as TO this is the
/ Heavenly Father.
TX. censorious Judgments Con-
demned ". 30.
! This means that we should not seek
out the evil or faults in others for
our satisfaction. We should not sit
In censorious judgment upon the ac-
tons of others. However, 1t does not
prohibit the just estimation of the
character of others by their deeds.
X. The compensations of Right Liv-
Ing ~ 3s).
The one who gives freely of money,
loves sincerely, makes the Golden Rule
the standard of his life. shows mercy
and kindness to others, and refrains
from impugning the motives of others
will be fully rewarded In kind God