The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-10-27
WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
The Christians Standard OF Life
By HIGHT e. MOORE

Sunday school lesson for Oc-
tober % international Temper
ance Sunday = Ephesians AIT
27: 5:15-21.
Golden text-And be not drunk
with wine, wherein is excess; but
be filled with the Spirit (Ephe-
slams 5:1S).
/ The city of Ephesus, an en-
porium of western Asia, a me-
tropolis of magic arts. and the
seat of Diana worship in her
world-famed temple, had much in
common with our twentieth CEN
tury city and civilization social
ed. In a peculiar way therefore
the message of Paul to the Ephe-
sian Christians is adapted to
conditions and needs in our mod
ern world. In the passage before
US there is the sharpest contrast
between the worldly and the
Christian standard of life, and
/ the most insistent urge that we
embrace the Christian ideal anc
way of living. 1t is a good lesson
flor International Temperance
Sunday.
THE WORLDLY STANDARD
iOF LIFE (Ephesians 4:17-19)
( Avoid the standard of the
world. The apostle is very much
in earnest. He starts to make
solemn declaration. In fact, hi
reaches the point where he in
sists on and implores. And the
thing he stresses is this: "You
must no longer live like the
heather" (Goodspeed). The kline
of life to be avoided has several
outstanding features: % 1t is
the life of the cipher mind. 1t is
the mind full of vanity and friv,
olity and futility. 1t is the mino
given to nothingness and so soor
occupied with perversion, as
worthless weeds soon fill va
cant lot. (2) 1t is the life of the
twilight understanding. He who
lives in darkness becomes accus
toned to it. AS Jesus said: HE
that walketh in darkness know
eth not where he goeth" (Johr
12:25). His moral vision be
comes impaired. His understand
ing becomes darkened.. At length
he is unable to grasp the truth
(3) 1t is the life of willful re
fusal. The alienation from the
life of God is deliberate. The
arrangement from God is no
one act of stumbling but habit
of life. GAS they refused to have
God in their knowledge, Goo
gave them up unto a reprobat'
mind (Romans :25). (4) 1t il
the life of determined ignorance
The light was shining all abou
them. 1t was and is light from
the Sun of Righteousness. Blu
the shutters of the soul are clos
ed and dense night settles dowr
upon the inner man. The deepes
ignorance is ignorance of God
! CO 1t is the life of blind obsti
macy. Their hearts are hardened
even as Pharaoh's heart wa
| hardened at nrSt Dy repeated aCC'
of his own will and then in pen
atty by a Just act of God. co. /
is the life of moral callousness
onscience at last becomes scared
and almost insensitive. The mora
nature becomes past feeling
There is little or no response tt
better things. GU It is the lif'
of abandoned will. There is nj
moral assertiveness. The will be
comes flabby. The inner struc
Iture collapses. Life is given ovel
to lasciviousness. 81 1t is thu
life of unrestrained appetite. Sell
gets if possible what self wants
Sensuality sways the scepter
Self-indulgence is the order da!
and night. There is no curb OF
check put upon selfish desire
| co. 1t is the life of insatiat'
greed. That greed is not confin
ed to lust for monetary gain. /
is greed for satisfaction of sell
in every way and all the time