The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1938-09-29

Lord thy God with all thine heart and with
all thy soul, and with all thy might
Deuteronomy 6:5.
Today we begin a series of stud
les which should be of unusual val
ue, a consideration of the Ten Com
mandments in the light of the teach
ings Of Jesus and related New Tesla
ment passages. 1t is appropriate to
point out that, far from being out
NODDED, the Ten Commandments are
really the basis of all moral law.
They need diligent re-study and
Te-emphasis in our day of disregard
of moral standards. AS interpreted
by the Lord Jesus and applied to our
daily living, the truth of these COM
mandments should be brought home
to every boy and girl and man and
woman in our Bible schools.
The lessons begin at the right
point, for the first commandment
properly deals with our conception
of God. What man thinks about
God determines his entire outlook
on life. We begin right when we de-
clare that there is but one God.
l. The Truth Stated-There Is One
True God (Exod. 2O:2, 81.
Jehovah means 81 will be what 1
will be-" or 81 am that 1 am"
(EXod. 3:14). His very name de-
clares God to be the self-existent,
eternal one. How infinitely gracious
then is the use of the word "thy''
in verse 2! He-the great I AM-is
my God.
There are many things concern
ing which we do not speak dogmati-
cally. There are even Christian
doctrines about which spiritual and
earnest men may honestly differ,
but regarding God we say with alb
solute assurance and complete ex-
clusiveness-there is but one true
God. If He is what He claims to
be, if God is not to be declared to
be liar, then it is beyond the realm
of possibility that there could be any
other God. Hear it, we men and
women of America who in an en-
lightened land and age bow down in
heathenish worship before the god
of gold, the god of self, the god of
wine, the god of success, the god
of fame, the goddess of pleasure,
the god of RIGHTEOUSNESS" The one
true God says, 81 am Jehovah
thou shalt have no other gods be-
fore me-"
ii. The Truth Explained.
l. God is our Deliverer (Exod.
20:2). He who brought Israel out
of the bondage of Egypt is the one,
and the only one who can deliver
men from the bondage of sin. If
you think that a sinner is not in
bondage read Titus 3:3 and Romans
6:16 and then read the verses fol-
lowing in both passages, and not
only see but follow the way of de-
iverance.
2. God is our Saviour Elsa. 1929.
Again note that there is none else"
who can save. Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is
none other name under heaven Civ
en- among men, whereby we must
be saved" (Acts 4:12).
1t was this verse that led one of
the worlds greatest preachers,
Charles Haddon Sturgeon, to accept
Christ as his Saviour when he was
just humble lad. Perhaps some
boy or girl who reads these lines
may do likewise, and become a
great instrument in Gods hand.
Teacher, perhaps the Sturgeon of
the next generation will be in your
class today. Win him for Christ!
8. God is Love MARK 12:28-34). In
John 4:8 the truth is stated in all
its glorious simplicity. God is
love-" He not only loves us, and
calls on US to love Him, and enables
us to love both Him and our neigh
bors, but He sis love-" Love is of
the very essence of Gods nature.
He is the source of all true love.
He is love.
1t was for this reason that Jesus
replied to the question of the scribe
as He did, directing the whole life of
man into love toward God and his
fellow man.
1t is worthy of careful note and
emphasis in our teaching that the
recognition and appreciation of this
truth on the part of the scribe
brought him near to the Kingdom
of God, but not into it. He was
mot far FROM" but he was not in
it. 1t is terrifying to think how
close men may come to entering
without doing so. Reader, have you
entered into eternal life through
Jesus Christ?
A. God is our Father Il Cor. 8:4-6).
Paul is speaking of the eating OF
meat offered to idols, and points
out that such false gods are really
nothing. This is true not only of the
idols of wood and stone, but of SUI
pernatural beings, demons wor-
SHIPPED by primitive peoples. There
are such spirit beings, active even
in our day in such cults as spirit
ism, but they are not divine, not
true gods ". 81.
The true God is a Father, yes
''the Father" of whom are al.
things and we in Him ". g.. As
there is but one God, there is also
but one Lord, Jesus Christ through
whom the one God has wrought al
things, and through whom we also