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and lowiy Jesus, bu t you live like sel fish worldlings” (2 Tim. 3 :5 ): “ H a v in g a f o r m o f g o d li n e s s , b u t d e n y i n g t h e p o w e r t h e r e o f ; f r o m s u c h t u r n a w a y .” , . . . . The Christian is under th e sway of a new law. The centripetal force of his being is love fo r Christ, and the centrifugal force is love fo r h is fellow- man. We can only lavish our love on God through hum an channels. PRACTICAL POINTS. (1) The happiest people in th e world are those who are heaven-bound th rough faith in God’s Son. (2) Believers are chosen in Him be fore th e creation of th e world. (3 ) God is th e au tho r of and has or dained authority. (4) Every Christian is obligated to th e S tate and to his fellow saints. (5) It must be “ obedience to au tho r ity ,” or “ subject to anarchy.” ( 6 ) He who resists au tho rity is a rebel against God. (7) Jesus Christ obeyed th e laws of th e land. (8 ) God’s law is th e expression of His life. (9 ) The inner sp irit of law is love. (10) You can prove your love to God by pouring it out upon your fel- H ere is ano ther lesson w ith a very un fo rtun ate title. None of th e passages given have anything to do w ith “mak ing th e nation C hristian.” The prin cipal p a s s a g e COMMENTS FROM teaches th e con- MANY SOURCES duct of th e indi- K eith L. B rooks vidual believer tow ard th e civil au tho rities and is of g reat importance. — Torrey. v. 1. Be subject u n to h igh er powers. A precept made rem arkable by th e time in which it was w ritten. If any earth ly au th o rity command anything th a t is plainly con trary to th e will of God, th e apostles have ta u g h t us to say, “We ought to obey God ra th e r th a n m en.”— Wordsworth. A man does no t cease to be a citizen when he becomes a Chris tian. On th e contrary he should be a more faith fu l subject and should ac knowledge th e au tho rity of th e law. A
He paid H is taxes (Matt. 17:24, 2 7 ); H e subm itted to an un fair tria l (Matt. 2 6 :6 2 ); He rendered unto Caesar (Matt. 2 2 :2 1 ); H e subm itted to th e soldiers. (M att. 27:26, 27). (2 ) THE LAW FULFILLED BY LOVE, vs. 8-10. The image of God is reflected in th e m oral law. There is th e most wonder fully beau tifu l blending of law and love in th e character of God. God is law. He is th e au tho r of law. The moral law is th e image of His char acter. The law is holy and th e com m andm ent is holy and ju st and good. The law of God is th e expression of H is life. The exactions of th e law are righ t. The penalty for violation is se vere. This is logically necessary. God is also love, and th is love mani fests to us th e sweetness and streng th of H is law. Love makes th e law full and complete. The inner sp irit of law is love. Love w o rketh no ill. The n atu re of man is selfish; th e cen tral force is tow ard him self. All violations of th e decalogue arise from selfishness. Love of self leads to adultery, mur d er, false w itness and covetousness. So h ere th e Holy S pirit is strik ing a t th e very roo t of sin. Owe no man any th in g b u t love, and pay th a t as fa st as possible. (Rom. 1 :1 4 ). Debt is bond age. (Prov. 2 2 :7 ). The seed of pro longed sorrow is sown when a man goes into debt. I t means in most instances “ th e nose on th e grindstone.” Chris tian s should avoid debt, and if already entangled, should strive and pray for release. Debts are usually contracted th rough worldly pride,— a desire to live like th e world’s people. Love is a debt which every Christian owes to his fellow man, and on which he can pay a hundred cents on th e dol la r, if he will. The charge which the world brings against th e church is ‘‘You profess to be followers of th e meek
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