THE KING’S. : BUSINESS
536
—setting up fallen man on his feet—¡restor ing him. 1. Discovering the only true foundation (Luke 6 :48), 2. Building character and conduct with fight material. 3. Out o f ruins constructing a temple o f God. IV. Instruction. Instruction in righteousness. This is teaching, like the first, but it belongs, not to the initial, but to the advanced stage. It is the teaching that fully equips for duty and service., 1. It is knowledge o f the mysteries of God. 2. It is the knowledge o f the secrets o f spiritual power. | 3. It is the full furnishing for service. — A. T. Pierson. Man naturally, is the embodiment o f sin, hence he cannot please God (Romans 8:8 ), therefore all he does while in the state o f nature is sin’ in the sight o f God. Man may not believe this o f himself, but it is none the less true, although not known. Job thought, he was fairly good till he came into the clear shining o f the Lord’s presence, then he saw himself, and turned with loathing from the sight (Job 45:5, 6). R. Marsh. Things Which We Obtain By Faith 1. Salvation. “ By grace are ye saved through faith” (Ephesians 2 :8 ). 2. Justification. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God” (Romans 5:1). 3. Introduction. “By whom also we have access by faith” (Romans 5:2). 4. Adoption. “ For ye are all the chil dren o f God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). 7. “ O f sin because they believe not on me” .(John 16:9). Unbelief is the mother o f all sin. Eve believed the devil’s lie, and thus disbelieved God, and fell in conse quence (Genesis 3H -6).
I. Doctrine. The word means teaching. It covers the same ground as wisdom in the preceding outline o f Christ’s work. As a- teacher He 1. Corrects our errors (cf. Matthew 5:21-48), 2. Confirms our right convictions. 3. Reveals new truths. II. Reproof. ^ This word seems to refer to the work on the conscience, as the preceding outline has to do with the understanding. 1. Compelling the consciousness o f sin and guilt. 2. Bringing us before the court o f con science (Romans 2:15)^ 3. Constraining to a new rectitude. III. Correction. This is not an easy word to render. It seems to carry the idea o f reconstruction Sin— Its Extent and Nature . Sin cannot be estimated by our conscious ness (Numbers 15:27-30). “ Though he wist it not, yet is he guilty” (Leviticus 5:17). What is sin ? The Holy Spirit has given us 5 . sevenfold' answer to the question. 1. “ Sin is lawlessness,” namely, self- will (1 John 3:4 R. V .). King Saul is an example (1 Samuel 15:23). 2. “All unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17). Unrighteousness is crookedness. Balaam is an illustration (Jude 2). 3. “Whatsoever is not o f faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Cain illustrates this (Hebrews T1:4, 6)'. 4 “ The thought” (device) “ o f foolish ness is sin” (Proverbs 14:9). Korah is an example (Numbers 16:1-3). ^ 5. “The plowing o f the wicked is sin (Proverbs 21:4). Sin sums up the whole life o f the godless man. 6. “T o him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Failure to do right is as much sin as doing wrong. Eli (1 Samuel 3:13).
Bible Readings
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs