JANUARY 4, 1948 BELIEFS THAT MATTER J ohn 2 0 :3 0 ,3 1 ; A cts 16:11-15; 1 T im . 4 :1 6 ; 1 J ohn 5 :1 -5
B elief in the O vercoming L ife (1 J ohn 5 : 4 , 5 ) The Christian needs to be clear on this, namely, that he is called to be an over comer. There is the first sense in which every believer has already overcome the world once and for all through Jesus Christ, who said on our behalf “ I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Once and for all, the believer has been saved and separated from the world, and made a citizen of a better country than this. But there is another sense in which the Christian should keep on conquering the world with all its evil tendencies. The words overcometh the world are in the present indicative and mean a continuous victory in a con tinuous struggle. Are you a daily over comer? Helps for the Children How to S how W hat W e B elieve (A cts 16:11-15) “ I f ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17). Would you not be surprised to see a princess playing in a mud hole in an al ley? That is not one o f the places where you would expect to find a princess! People who watch Christian boys and girls expect certain things of them. They expect them to show what they believe by what they are and by what they do. One Sabbath day, Paul went out of the city he was visiting, and found a group o f women holding a prayer meeting by the riverside. The great missionary sat down and talked with the women about the Lord Jesus. In the group was a wealthy woman named Lydia, who was also visiting in Philippi that day. She worshiped God, but she had never received the Lord Jesus as her Saviour. As Paul preached, the Lord spoke to Lydia’s heart. She and her family were baptized to show others that they had become new creatures in in Christ. Paul was invited to stay at their home while he was in Philippi. Lydia received the Lord Jesus when she heard the Gospel message and then wanted to do something for Him at once. She showed by her actions what she be lieved. Our Lord tells us in His Word to love one another, to do good to our enemies, and to do all things for His sake. “ I f ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them.” Boys and girls who call them selves Christians and yet who refuse to help in their homes, do not take part in their Sunday school and their young peo ple’s meetings, and are grouchy and un kind, do not prove to others that their words are true. “ Christian” means “ little Christ” or a duplicate o f Christ, which proves that we should be like our Lord. Are you called a Christian because your parents are Christians, because you attend Sun day school and own a Bible, or because, when others watch you and hear you speak, they are reminded of your Saviour and Lord? THE K I N G ’ S B U S I NE S S M e m o r y V e r s e :
Pointers on the Lesson The series of lessons beginning today have to do with Christian doctrine. Some o f the outstanding t e a c h i n g s of the Christian faith, such as those relating to God, man, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church, will be discussed.' These truths are foundational. These lessons are con structive. We should know what God’s Word has to say with respect to the greatest matters in the world. Today’s lesson leads us into four separate pas sages of Scripture, each one having a vital bearing on the subject, “ Beliefs That Matter.” Apparently a very careful selection from the multitude of wonderful things which Jesus did during His earthly min istry was made, and included in John’s Gospel. The purpose o f their being in corporated in this account was that men might believe that Jesus Christ was the Son o f God and thus have life through His name. . John, the inspired writer, is not inter ested in giving a complete biography of our Lord’s life, which although inspiring, is not essential because that had already been covered by Matthew, Mark and Luke. Only that is given which leads to faith in Him. Not too many details are given lest minds become confused. But enough evidence is presented so that there is no difficulty in believing if one has the right attitude. Belief in the writ ten Word will lead inevitably to belief in the living Ward. A continued considera tion of the written Word will enable one to keep on believing in the salvation and keeping power o f Christ. This is the meaning of the opening part o f verse 31. This portion o f Scripture describes a jreat open-air meeting, the, first Gospel meeting in Europe and the forerunner of a great number of outdoor services since :hat time which have been blessed of the Lord in a remarkable way. Think o f the meetings conducted by John Wesley and Seorge Whitefield in the open fields! In :his instance, a woman gave willing at- ention to the preached Word. The result was amazing: she and those of “her lousehold” who believed on that occa sion became the foundation o f the church n Europe which reached to the Far West where we live. People must not )nly hear the Word to be saved; they nust receive it. Miracles always follow. ‘age Twenty-four B elief in the P reached W ord (A cts 16:11-15) B elief in the W ritten W ord (J ohn 2 0 :3 0 ,3 1 )
B elief in a C onsistent C hristian W itness (1 T im . 4 :1 6 R .V .) The translation in the American Standard Version is clearer: “ Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things.” Effective teaching must be backed up by consistent living. Every Christian needs to keep on paying atten tion to himself in order that what he states in his testimony may carry weight in his personal contacts. He must stick to these things.
Pointers on the Lesson H omer A. K ent , D.D. Helps fo r the Children A llison A rrowood
Lesson material is based upon outlines o f the International Sunday School Les sons, copyrighted by the International Council of Religious Education; used by permission. B elief in J esus as T he C hrist (1 J ohn 5 :1 -3 ) In John’s day, the Gnostics were deny ing the identity o f Jesus and Christ. To them there was a marked distinction be tween the earthly Jesus and the heavenly Christ. But the Scripture makes their identity clear. John shows that only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will suffice for salvation. A proper belief in Christ will be manifested in the things referred to in verses two and three.
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