many rules that God does not make. They are telling others that giving money, do ing good works, joining a church, saying many prayers each day, or working hard in the church are necessary if they are to be saved. God is greatly displeased with ■such teaching, for it makes men’s works more important than that which the Lord Jesus did upon the cross of Calvary. God says, “ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Anyone who adds more than this to the plan of salvation is displeasing to God. The Lord Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” W e are not loving with His love if we make it more difficult for people to be saved than He made it! This is the great epistle emphasizing the liberties of the gospel. Godet said that this epistle was Luther’s “ pebble from the brook with which, like another David, he went forth to meet the papal giant and smote him in the forehead” . With it he showed how the liberty of the gospel per tains to the daily living of the believer as well as to his standing with God. He lives no longer under the dominion of the law but under the direction of the Holy Spirit. He labors not to attain merit for the forgiveness of sins but for rewards at the bema seat of Christ. Jesus said, “ If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” . Galatians stresses this freedom. It is from the guilt, power and even the presence of sin by and by when the Lord comes. Liberty not License 5:13-18 The fact that believers are free from the law through the gospel, does not give license to sin. This could not possibly be since they are now under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The true believer will only want to do those things which are in harmony with His holiness. Christian liberty therefore does not give “ occasion to the flesh” (v. 13). They are expected to “Walk in the Spirit” (v. 16). Walking in the Spirit is diametrically opposed to fulfilling the lust of the flesh. Verse 18 presents a great truth, namely, that they who are “ led of the Spirit’ are “not under the law”“. The law reveals men’s sin to them but it is only the Holy Spirit who can lead them into holy living. Believers need to remember that even though they are partakers of liberty in the gospel yet they still possess a fleshly nature which wars against the new nature which was given to them at the time of the new birth. Thus the believer has two natures which are violently opposed to one another. He needs to nourish the new nature and allow the Spirit of God to direct it. Christianity in Expression 5:22-26 The ideal Christian life is that in which the Holy Spirit is allowed to express Hrm- CONTINUED ► June 21, 1953 The Practice of Christian Liberty Gal. 5:13-18; 5:22-6:5 Pointers on the Lesson
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An Enjoyable Pastime for the Home. A Popular Method of Imparting Bible Knowledge to Groups of All Ages Three to Fifteen May Play — Simple Rules Prevail
One hundred and twenty small cards have the ques tions. Fifteen large cards, divided into spaces the size of the small cards, offer the answers. The Leader reads the questions. Participants identify the answer. The first person to fill his cards wins the game. Goodenough & Woglom Co.
T H E G A M E O F ^ BIBLE LOTTO S^FORTHREE TO FIFTEEN PLAYERS/ BIBLE INCIDENTS. W -* « -] CHARACTERS. 1FACTS 6 PLACES 1 Are called fbr in the-- orainSiton?1 1 progress o f this JtSanatQK. interesting game U S
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