September, 1937
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
338
I N T E R N A T I O N A L L E S S O N Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Children’s Division Golden Text Illustration Object Lesson B y B. B. S utcliffe B y G retchen S ibley B y H elen G ailey B y A lan S. P earce B y E lmer L. W ilder Points and Problems B y A lva J. M c C lain
Points and Problems 1. "The sons of God” (1 John 3:1). It should be pointed out at the very beginning of this lesson that the word "sons” repre sents a mistranslation throughout this pas sage. It should be rendered “ children.” The Greek word for “ sons” is another term entirely. It is true that in English we quite often use the two terms synonymously, but in the New Testament they are never thus employed. We become “children” of God by regeneration. But we become “ sons’' of God by adoption. The word “ child” denotes a life relationship, while the word1, “son” denotes a legal relationship. The Greek term translated “children” in verse 18 is exactly the same word which is translated “son” in verses 1 and 2, except in the diminutive form. It is highly unfortu nate that the Lesson Committee should have missed this important point by giving the lesson the misleading title of “ Christian Sonship.” 2. "What manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us” (v. 1). It is one of the clearest revelations of the Bible that God loves the whole world of sinners with an unspeakable love. “ God so loved the world.” But it is also true that God loves His own children with a love of a special and unique quality. In speaking of this special love, John resorts to a term which is used also in Matthew 8 :27 where, after our Lord’s stupendous miracle of calming the raging storm, the disciples cried out: “ What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” The Greek word means something unique and remarkable. Thus we may say that just as our Lord was completely unique among men in the exercise of His mighty power, even so the love of God for His own children is also something wholly unique. 3. "And such vie are” (v. 1, R. V .). Those who consult the American Revised Version will notice that these words, which do not appear at all in the Authorized Version, are supplied by the Revisers im mediately following the phrase “ sons [R.V. ‘children’] of God.” The best Greek manu scripts contain these words. The thought of the writer evidently was that not only are we who are saved to be "called” the children of God, but that "such vie are” in fact. That is to say, the Christian not only bears the name of a child of God, but he also has the nature of a child. A touching incident occurred in connec tion with the arrival of Lord Chelmsford, the State Governor, at Brisbane. The swearing-in ceremony took place at Gov ernment House, his Excellency wearing the Windsor uniform. . . . His Excellency was returning thanks for the kindly welcome he Golden Text Illustration J ohn i:12
OCTOBER 3, 1937 CHRISTIAN SONSHIP
tude betokens sinfulness. A person’s only relief from this condition is found in his abiding in Christ who, while a Man on earth, readily acknowledged that His en tire dependency was on God. Sin denies the fact of the sonship of the Christian. We read: “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not” (v. 6). The word “sinneth” is in the present tense and im plies a habitual practice, a settled trend in life, a continuous activity—not an occa- sionaT lapse, but a purposed and practiced manner of living. As Christ is the One in whom is no sin, it follows that one who is “ in him” also does no sin; that is, he does not prac tice sin. Outside of Christ, one can have no true righteousness whatever. III. T he S ervice of C hristian S onship (18-24) Love, according to the Apostle, is no mere sentiment, but a principle of life. It is exemplified in the willingness of the Lord Jesus Christ to sacrifice. Christian love in the heart is a practical thing, giving not merely what it has but what it is. Christ Himself is the measure of this love. Assurance accompanies true love (vs. 19-21). Therefore—“we know . . .” (v. 19). It is the confidence possessed by the chil dren of God in His presence. There never could be any such confidence manifested in God’s presence while there was an accus ing conscience, because God is light and He is righteous. The light reveals all that is contrary to God, and the righteousness condemns it. It is by means of the blood of Christ that righteousness is imputed to the believer—a righteousness which allows him to stand, unaccused, in the presence of the Holy God. The power of love is also clearly stated (vs. 22-24). Because of agreement be tween the believer and the Lord, there will be such understanding that requests will be made in line with His will, and thus will come the assurance of the perfect an swer. This union with Christ presents a new law of life, separated from natural laws. On a new plane, the believer walks with God, understands God, plans with God, and serves for God. BLACKBOARD LESSON bUT os mony os receiued wim. to theeti ÛBUE FiE POWER. TO bECOPTlE TOE SCTO OTGOD' ■&EHOLD.UHIOTmOmMOf LOUETHEFATHERUOTH' 6ESTOU1E.OUPOnUST jik » i 8°«/)or SOUS °°0 I? «C ppo - \ o 'PA&taKEüs OFTHE „ ---- tauinEnBTW jtPET.T**- -WE«* CHRIST” oom8 .17 1 « Ü WËm 'SEALEDU1ITHTHAT HOL4 SPIRIT' OF PROfFllSE'cwui3
1 J ohn , C hapter 3 Lesson Text: 1 John 3:1-6, 18-24. Golden Text: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). Outline and Exposition I. T he S ource of C hristian S onship (1,2) G od ’ s love finds expression in His making the believer His son. In verse 1, the Revised Version adds ". . . the children of G od ; and such we are.” 'God changes the very nature of the one who comes to Him for cleansing from sin, so that novo, in the present, Christians are the children of God and possessed of God’s nature, as surely as the nature of human parents is imparted by natural gen eration. The development and manifesta tion of this new nature are matters of daily importance to the child of God, who must live “ in the midst of a . . . perverse generation” (Phil 2:15, R. V.). Children of the world have a different nature from that of the believer, and they cannot appreciate, nor understand in the slightest degree, the radical change which takes place when one becomes a child of God. “ The world knoweth us not” (v. 1). From another viewpoint, alas, it is little wonder that the world cannot know the child of God—for because of incomplete surrender, very little of the divine image is seen in God’s children on earth. But Christians are children of God. When our Lord at last shall appear, all Christians will appear with Him and be like Him (cf. Cor. 15; Rom. 8:29; 1 John 3:2). II. T he S ign of C hristian S onship (3-6) The manifestation of progressive sanctifi cation is a sign of one’s having become a child of God. He who has received the new nature “ purifieth himself” (v. 3). “Puri- fieth” here means “to make clean,” or “to sanctify” ; it implies a continuous process, a steady growing into the image of Him who “is pure.” Growing out of this desire for practical holiness will be the renunciation of sinful ness (vs. 4-6). Sin is lawlessless, which in turn is independence. There is within the human heart the determination to be independent, that is, to be one’s own mas ter, to rule in one’s own life. This atti- [ These lessons are developed from out lines prepared by the Committee on Im proved Uniform Lessons of the Interna tional Council. The outlines are copy righted by the International Council of Religious Education and used by permis sion .—E ditor .]
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker