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Homer A, Kent, Th.D. Allison Arrowood (children) Lesson material is based upon outlines of the International Sunday School lessons copyrighted by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the .United States of America. *“ #
hand, he is to exemplify the attitude of love toward all men. This is God’s atti tude (John 3:16). It ought to be that of His followers. The Second Table of the law is mentioned because it deals with man’s treatment of his neighbor and ev ery commandment of it is summed up in the positive word, “ Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (v. 9). The Christian's Duty to God Acts 5:25-29 A great principle is involved in the incident related in this passage. It is to the effect that God should he first in the believer’s life no matter what the cost. The government and the Sanhedrin both were against the apostles’ preaching the gospel. But God wanted it done, therefore, these faithful men preached the gospel (v. 29). Helps For the Children Living By God's Laws Acts 5:17-29 Memory Verse: "We ought to obey God rather than .men'* (Acts 5:29b). The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, had died upon the cross for your sins and mine; He had finished the work for which God had sent Him into this world. Forty days after the Saviour’s resurrection He returned to His Father in heaven. The followers that He had left were eager to tell others about their Saviour and Lord. Many became Christians when they heard the gospel story and saw the power that God had given to His children. Not every one glady received the news of salvation. The religious leaders of the Jews became angry that the disciples were telling oth ers that Jesus was the Son of God, the King of the Jews. Soon the apostles who had been healing the sick and preaching to the multitudes were put in prison. The angel of the Lord opened the prison doors at night and said to the apostles: “ Go, stand and speak in the temple to the peo ple all the words of this life.” W e might think that after having been in prison the apostles would no longer he willing to preach. God’s Word tells us that they obeyed the command of the angel of the Lord early in the morning. How sur prised the leaders of the Jews were when they sent to the prison to have the apos tles brought to them and found the prison empty! Those who were sent returned and said that the prison doors were locked and the guards were standing outside, but the apostles had disappeared. Soon some one came with the message, “ Behold the men whom ye piit in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.” Quickly the apostles were brought before the Jews. When God’s servants were asked why they had preached even though they had been commanded to he quiet, the apostles answered: “W e ought to obey God rather than men.” Has there been a time when someone has made fun of you for talking about
We wish to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Kent on completing 11 years of writing the Sunday School Lesson Helps for King's Business. Dr. Kent is a graduate of Biola ('18) and for a number of years has been con nected with Grace Theological Seminary (Brethren) at Winona Lake, Ind. — Ed. Dec. 6, 1953 Government' Under God Rom. 13:1-10; Acts 5:25-29 Pointers on the Lesson The passages selected for this week’s study have to do with the relation of God’s people to the government. The Ro mans passage deals with the Christian’s obligations as a citizen, while the Acts passage enjoins the duty of obeying God rather than man whenever the state dis re g a rd s Christian standards and ideals. The believer needs to remember that he is a citizen as well as a church member, and, as such, his duties must he carefully performed in order to give the proper sort of a testimony before the world. The Christian's Duty to the State Rom. 13:1-7 It should he noted that these verses come from the practical section of Ro mans. One of the practical duties of the Christian is that of civil obedience (v. 1). — “ Let every soul he subject to the higher powers.” No Christian is exempt from obedience to his country. (See 1 Pet. 2:13- 17.) W e may not like many things about our g o v e rnm e n t, but remember Paul wrote these words when a Nero was the ruler of the state of which he was a citi zen! Still he advocated subjection. He gives a reason for such subjection in the words, “ For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (v. 1). The principle of government has God for its origin. Resistance to the power of the State is condemned as equal to resistance to God Himself (v. 2). The only limitation here is that we are not to obey the State in doing that which is morally wrong. This is suggested in the Acts passage of our lesson. Further reasons than that of verse 1 are given for civil obedience in verses 3 and 4. An example is next given as to what is included in civil obedience, namely, payment of taxes (v. 6 ). It takes money to run the government and the Christian should hear his share. Verse 7 is sort of a summary of the believer’s duty to the government under which he lives. The Christian's Duty to the Citizens
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of the State Rom. 13:8-10
The Christian’s duty to the citizens of the State is both negative and positive. He is not to obligate himself to others- beyond his ability to pay. On the other
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