The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-10-01

LESSON TEAT-MattneW o.1'zVs AU.A0'
20: John $780, 40.
GOLDEN TExT-Think not that I am
come to destroy the law. or the prophets:
am not come to destroy. but to fulhn.-
Matthew SIT.
With this lesson we begin a series
of studies which should be Of unusual
value, a consideration of the Ten
Commandments in the light Of the
teachings of Jesus, and other relat-
ed New Testament passages.
It is appropriate to point out that,
far from being outmoded, the Ten
Commandments are really the basis
of all moral law. They need dill
gent restudy and re-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 commandments
should be brought home to every
boy and girl, man ard woman in
our Bible schools.
We learn here that our Lord did not
come to set aside or destroy the law,
but to fulfill it in the most complete
way. But the gospel takes us a step
beyond the law, and it is a great
step, for we follow the One who is
greater than the law.
I. Built ON the Law (Matt. SLY
2O).
The law of God is eternal, never
to be abrogated, never set aside.
Christ Himself, although we might
properly say that He was in reality
the Lawgiver and thus had power
and authority over the law, indicat-
ed His purpose in coming to be that
of giving the law its full meaning,
not of destroying it. One could wish
that those who profess to be His
servants might have the same meas
ure of regard for Gods law. If they
did, they obviously would not be so
ready to ignore it, so quick to change
it or explain it away, and far more
ready to accept with their Master
every ''jot and TITLE" that is, even
the minutest detail of His Word.
Recognizing Christ as the fulfill
ment of the law should prepare one
to manifest obedience to every NOR
al precept through His grace.
ii. More Than the Law (Matt.
19:16-22).
Obedience to the commandments
brings man up to the very en-
trance upon life, but to enter in, he
must have more than the "things"
of the law; he must have the Per-
son who is s'the Door" to eternal
life.
The young man who came to
Christ was rich. His mind was OBJ
sessed with things. He had made it
his business to observe the law, and
had done well ". 20), but his soul
was not satisfied. He thought one
more ching to do would accom-
plish his purpose.
The general attitude of the man
was commendable. He sensed his
lack of the vital something which
would remake his life. He came to
the right one-the Lord Jesus-with
his question.
His failure to 60 beyond the things
of the law to faith in Christ, how
ever, showed that he loved his pos
sessions more than he desired to
follow the Lord.
Those in our day who are trying
to please God and gain eternal bless
edness by works, by doing things and
keeping commandments, need to
recognize that in Christianity we
have the One who is more than the
law. They need to look away from
things to be done, to the great thing
that was done once and for all on
Calvary.
iii. Greater Than the Law John
$3.50, 40).
The Scriptures are great because
they bear witness to the Christ who
can give life. But obviously the One
to whom they bear witness is great
er than they are.
Paul speaks of the law as a
"schoolmaster to bring us to Christ"
(Gal. 3:24). The picture is liter-
ally of a servant charged with bring.
ing the child to school where he may
learn the truth. So the law con-
victs mali of sin, makes him con-
scious of his own utter inability to
meet Gods requirements, and
makes him ready to turn to Christ
in faith and repentance from. 1920.
These men of our Lords time
were very religious. They spent
much of their time searching the
Scriptures that they might find eter-
nal life. But most of them failed to
understand that the life they sought
was in the One who stood before
them-Jesus Of Nazareth-and not
in the letter Of the law.
This has a vital bearing on the
proper study of the lessons Of this
quarter. ''The time has passed
when men might seek life in the
Scriptures apart from Jesus. Now
that Jesus has come, life can be
found only if the Scriptures lead one
to Jesus.
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