18:21-35 that God has forgiven us con stantly. W e should be as w illing to for give others as God is w illing to forgive us. Sometimes Christian boys and girls say, I forgive you, but their hearts are still filled with hatred and sin. Sometimes they say, Well, I’ll forgive you, but I won’t forget it! This is not true forgive ness such as God delights to give to His children when they confess their sins to H im . Even those who are not Christians are usually w illing to forgive those who forgive them and to love those who love them. Christians are to do more than those who do not know the Saviour. God says, “ If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar” (1 John 4:20a). Our love for God is shown by our love toward others, especially for our love toward those who are unkind to us, who lie about us, and who hate us. Our human love cannot include our enemies; only the love of the Lord Jesus in our hearts is great enough for this. Perhaps you do not love some of the things that others do and say, but you can love their souls and pray that they w ill find the joy of knowing the Lord Jesus as their Saviour as you do. Sept. 26, 1954 The title of this last lesson is in keep ing with the series of studies of the past quarter. The matter of spiritual growth has been our subject. The Christian ought to grow in the things of God in order that he may be a better witness for Christ in the world. The latter thought is the subject for today’s study. God wants us to be living witnesses. The Believer's Responsibility Illustrated Matt. 5:13-16 Tw o metaphors are used b y our Lord to set forth the Christian’s responsibility and privilege. Christians are salt and they are light. Salt prevents corruption. It stops decay. Light shines. It gives direc tion and reveals the objects it reaches. Thus Christians are in the world as an influence to arrest spiritual decay. They are also expected to shine for God reveal ing to men the direction of life and heaven and everything truly worth-while. But as salt may lose its savour and be come useless so Christians may lose their testimony by failing to live close to Christ. And as it is possible to cover a lighted candle with a bushel basket, so it is possible by the encumbrances of this world to keep the light of the world, even the Lord Jesus Christ, from shining out of our lives. A re we living testimonies for Christ today? The Believer's Responsibility Exemplified Acts 8:4-6 It seems that in the New Testament church every believer took seriously the business of witnessing for Christ. In verse 4 of this passage we are told that those that were scattered abroad b y persecution “ went everywhere preaching the word.” Looking at verse 1 of the same chapter we learn that it was not the apostles but the laymen who were scattered and they were faithful in witnessing. Verses 5 and Living Witnesses Matt. 5:13-16; Acts 8:4-6; 2 Cor. 5:14-20 Pointers on the Lesson
S U N D A Y S C H O O L continued growth. Today’s lesson emphasizes the fact that the climax of Christian growth is in the area of love. Jesus taught that Christians ought to love even their ene mies. Love proves one’s sonship to the Father. Surely He loved His enemies. Nothing is ‘more needed in the world to day than the manifestation of divine love which it is the privilege of every Chris tian to demonstrate. Love in its Perfection Mott. 5:43-48 Jesus wants his followers to love men in such a way that the world shall recog nize the fam ily relationship. God is the pattern for them to imitate (v. 48). In setting forth such an ideal we find God working in harmony with His holy and perfect nature. He could not be expected to present anything short of a perfect ideal. Thus born-again folks have the highest possible standard put before them as their goal. One day it shall be fully realized. But even now they should come as near to its attainment as is possible. H ow near they come depends upon the measure of the growth in grace that is manifested. W e have the exhortation of this passage set before us in Pauline fash ion in Ephesians 5:1, 2. It all adds up to this, w e ought to be more like Jesus in this matter of love towards others. Love in its Outreach 1 John 4:11-19 “ If God so loved us” ’rn» these words carry us back to verses 9 and 10. God so loved as to give His Son to be the pro pitiation for our sins. John’s argument here is that if God loved us in such man ner, His followers ought to love one an other. The word ought suggests a divine obligation that rests upon us. It is not possible for men to see God with the naked eye. They never have, only mani festations or theophanies of Him. God is a spirit unable to be seen by physical eyes. But men can know what God is like through His followers who manifest His attitude of love. W e are expected to be like Christ in this respect — “ as he is, so are we in the world” (v. 17). Surely wondrous privilege and responsibility are wrapped up in these words. And really, as verse 19 indicates, it is all because of His love for us that this privilege and responsibility comes to us. It is all of divine grace. “ W e love, because He first loved us” (A R V ). Think it over, just how much of Christ’s love are you letting radiate from your life from day to day? This is one of the most vital questions you can consider. Helps For the Children Loving and Forgiving Matt. 5:43-48; 18:21-35; 1 John 4:16-21 Memory Verse: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God" (1 John 4:7a). Last week we read some verses in God’s W ord about'the way in which we should treat others. Today w e want to talk some more about some of God’s rules for Christian living. One day Peter asked the Lord Jesus how often he should forgive someone who had wronged him. Peter asked if seven times would be enough. The Saviour re minded Peter by a story in Matthew
teacher in Ethiopia
Home for a year's study, Harry At kins, says: As a Westmont graduate I found immediate opportunity for missionary work and teaching in the Ethiopian school system. Backed by Westmont’s outstanding Social Science training I caught the African picture in a nutshell. There's a tremendous need for evangelical work in Africa. I shall be return ing soon ... to do my part." Christian Leadership Demands Christian Training! Write for catalog to Dept. KB-8 W E S TM O N T C O L L E G E A Christian College of Arts and Sciences L A P A Z R D • SANTA BARBARA, CAL ROGER J. VOSKUYL, Ph.D., P resid en t PAS-CAL FOOD SUPPLEMENT M U L T I - V I T A M I N S Each day's supply of three tablets (one with each meal) furnishes: Vitamin A (palmitate) ............25500 U.S.P. Vitamin D (Irr. Ergosteral) ------ 1200 U.S.P. Vitamin B-l ................... ..... 18 mg Vitamin B-2 .......... 12 mg Niacin _____________ 15 mg Niacinamide ........................ 15 mg Vitamin B-6 ......................... 6 mg Vitamin B -l2 ............... ..... ... 2 meg Vitamin C ________....---------- ... 150 mg Vitamin E (Vegetable Oils) — 3 I.U. Vitamin K ........................ 1 mg Calcium Pantothenate ............ 9 mg Choline (Cholinecitrate) ---------- 9 mg Folic Acid ---------- 1.5 mg Inositol ............ .—.— .—.......... 9 m z Para-Amino BenzoicAcid ........ 30 my Biotin .... 0.003 mg Yeast (dietary) .................... 4 gr Liver (Whole dried) ______ ____ 4 gr Chlorophyll --- -------------- ------- 3 mg Alfalfa Juice Concentrate ....... 1 gr Rutin .....................— ... 1 mg PLUS 10 MINERALS UNIT OF THREE BOTTLES One of Multi-Vitamins J 270 $ / 8 5 Two of Multi-Minerals | Tablets w IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA ADD 3 % TAX PAS-CAL CO M PA N Y BOX 203 KB ALTADENA, CALIF. CEYLON and INDIA GENERAL MISSION Our ministry in India includes— DISTRIBUTION OF LITERATURE AND SCRIPTURES As the Lord provides, we lengthen our cords and strengthen our stakes. Address the Secretary-Treasurer 542 South Dearborn St., Chicago 5, Illinois
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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