Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-20

Our lesson has been selected from
the epistle that has been called Paul's
autobiography. In it he answers the
unjust charges and calumnies and in
situations that had been made against
him by his enemies, in an impaSSion-
ed defense of his spiritual life and
services. Although Paul detested ego
tiSm, he was compelled" to cite his
own courage, manliness, self-Sacriflcing
zeal, and his sincerity, as an all-suffi-
Gent vindication of himself and to
demonstrate the disinterestednes of his
motives and ministry. When we review
his experiences, that he ;larrateS in this
epistle, written to crush the dangers
that he saw existing in the Corinthian
church, we marvel at his heroic self
devotion to duty in manner that ap-
pears to have been almost superhuman.
Paul had been charged with being dis
loyal to his nation and hostile to the
mother church in Jerusalem. His in
tense interest in promoting a collection
for the relief of the destitute members
of the Jerusalem church was a practical
answer to that false accusation. In the
former letter the apostle had tried to
place the need of the poor in Jerusalem
upon their hearts and sought from the
Corinthian church generous offering
to help assist the relief work OF the
Jerusalem brethren. Early in the his
tory of the mother church they had
adopted a common treasury, that has
been the inspiration of every Christian
socialistic movement, yet it did not
appear to be practice that commenced
itself to the other churches. Possibly
it may have been due to their common
fund, that provided for the poor, that
caused a state of poverty in the
jerusalem church. 1t may be that its
position and the prosecutions through
which it had passed may have caused
the need of an offering that Paul
stressed among all the churches, that
he established among the Gentiles. as
a token of their Christian fellowship.
When he fought for religious liberty for
the Gentiles at the council in Jerusalem,
the apostle had promised the brethren
in the Jerusalem church that he would
take I'D a collection among the Gentle
converts to assist the mother church
in its relief work among the poor.
Grace Of Giving.
Grace in the New Testament Is Gods
unmerited favor" He showed us his
grace in the gift of our Lord and
Savior diving upon the cross. We have
an evidence of His abiding grace IN the
presence of the Holy Spirit, who came
with power at Pentecost and the result
of His working in the development OF
Christian character, life and frultage
bv His revelations Of the grace and
glory of the Lord Jesus. The oVercom-
ing of the natural love of the human
heart for money is due to the work OF
Gods grace. There is much giving that
is of a selfish character, but the giving
to those in need and out of love for the
Lord Jesus, without hope of return, IS
a product of the grace Of God working
in the lives of Christians.
Paul used tact in presenting to the
wealthy Corinthians the generous CIV
ing of the poor members OF the three
Macedonian churches. He did not MAKE
any demands upon them to give on the
basis, of his authority, by his citing OF
how the members of the churches IN
Thessalonica, Berea and Phillippi gave
generously, far beyond their financial
resources. Their spontaneous sharing
out of their poverty he cited as an en-
couragement for the Corinthians, VINO
were more able to make generous gifts
for the Jerusalem poor. Riches breeo
INDULGENCE. and self-indulgence has
tendency to develop selfishness. The
gifts of the Macedonian Christians were
so generous that Paul heSitated ABOUT
taking them.
He found the source of their generous
giving to be due to their consecration
Of themselves first to the Lord Jesus.
They recognized that If Jesus had died
for them and they had given tnem-
selves to the Master, then all that they
had belonged to Him. We withhold our
hearts and our lives from the Lord,
when He longs to bestow the richest
blessings of life upon us. Paul cited the
example of the Savior, who, though He
was rich, yet for your sakes He became
poor, that We through His poverty might
be rich" Love that springs from our
love to the Master is the source OF our
missionary work. 1t moves us to give
to the relief of Porto Rican Christians
today, just as it influenced the Corin-
thians to give to the relief fund Tor the
Jerusalem church.
Stewardship's Spirit and Standards.
Paul placed the privilege Of giving
upon the members of the Corinthian
Church upon the basis of their love for
Christ. This he knew would prompt
them to share with all other Christians
in their hour of need. The condition
of the poverty-stricken believers OF
Jerusalem placed moral obligation on
the Corinthians for assistance. Paul
did not doubt that they would recog-
nize that duty, but evidently he feared
that one result of the contentious and
divisions within the church would be
a decline in the amount that they
would give. While Paul does not refer
to quota, apportionment or 1.-THE in this
letter, he pressed home the obligation
to give as the spirit of Gods grace
moved them. There is a danger in
making the 1.-THE, apportionment or
quota the standard that the real spirit
of stewardship may be weakened.
These should be the minimum that an
individual or a church should give. A
friend in making a generous offer to
pastor of another denomination than
his own was told that his gift indicated
that he was tither. He answered,
81 am, but that does not come from
any 1.-THE. Long ago learned that I
did not commence to give until had
paid my 1.-THE. That is gift" A year
previous the Corinthians had indicated
their willingness to give and Paul was
seeking to promote the spirit OF stew
ardship by speaking of the example of
the Macedonian Christians and the
Lord Jesus. He urged that the gift
should be individual and from the
heart, saying, Let each man do ac-
cording as he purposed in his heart;
not grudgingly or of necessity. For
God loveth cheerful giver."
He called upon them to show the
proof Of their love. Our giving is an
indication of our love, loyalty and life
in Christ. The Corinthians evidently