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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
November, 1938
I N T E RN A T I ON A L L E S SON Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Children s Division Golden T ext 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
In this passage is found also the secret of man’s unwillingness to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 45, 47). The natural man does not believe the truth; he prefers a lie—and that because he has not been bom again and has not received a disposi tion to receive the things of God. If he were “of God,” he would believe His words. Thus it may be seen that all the protestations of modem unbelievers to the effect that they are seeking the truth are only lies prompted by the devil. IV. T he E xhortation (Eph. 4:25) The renewed man, who is possessed with the Spirit of truth, is told to put away lying. The very words indicate how deeply rooted in the nature is this sin of lying. And the only power by which that sin may be put away is the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. Points and Problems 1. "Out o f the heart” (Matt. 15:19). In the Bible, "heart” is perhaps the most com prehensive psychological term used to des ignate the whole of man’s personality. It is wrong to draw a contrast between "heart” and "head,” as it is the fashion to do. According to Biblical usage, the “heart” includes the intellectual part of man’s na ture. This fact is evident from the passage under consideration, where “evil thoughts“ are said to come out of the "heart.” Now since the “heart” has this comprehensive meaning in Scripture, and since the "heart" is said to be the source of all the terrible sins listed in verse 19, it should be clear that man in his present state is totally depraved in every part of his nature. Sometimes unbelieving men have accused Paul of inventing the doctrine of total de pravity, but here we have the same thing taught by the lips of the Son of God. And He knew what was in man. 2. "Proceed evil thoughts” (v. 19). It is no accident that "thoughts” are put first in this category of evil, for back of every outward act of sin there lies the "thought” which suggested and led inevitably to the act. It was the noted psychologist William James, as I recall, who said that once the thought of evil had entered the mind and the decision to commit the act had been made, the thing was as good as done, for the action only waited for an opportunity. This is the reason that our Lord Himself, interpreting the law of God, made the intent or purpose equivalent to the outward act of sin even when the act was never com pleted. 3. "Because I tell you the truth, y e b e lieve me not” (John 8:45). Here we have another evidence of the depravity of sinful men—they do not like the truth and there fore refuse to believe it, even when spoken by Him who is the Truth. But Satan who
DECEMBER 4, 1938 THE SIN OF LYING E xodus 20:16; 2 K ings 5:20-27; P roverbs 6:16-19; M atthew 15:19, 20; J ohn 8:42-47; E phesians 4:25; R evelation 22:14, 15 Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
meaning and also a “political” meaning. But we must remember that lying is a natural sin; it is natural for every fallen man to lie. II. T he A ssociations of L ying (Matt 15:19, 20) In answer to a question concerning the cause of personal defilement, our Lord pointed out that the character o f the heart determined the clean or unclean condition of the person. “Out of the heart” of men come innumerable and unmentionable evils, among them being the sin of "false witness.” Hence, a man must have received a new heart before he can be acceptable unto God. The fact that a man does not actually lie or steal or commit murder does not justify him before God. The man may be good and upright before his fellow men. But God, who reads and judges by the heart, knows the depth of wickedness therein. Therefore He has declared for all men: “Ye must be born again” (John 3 :7 ). No man is free from the evil things of which the Lord Jesus speaks; they are the natural traits of every man, even the best of men. Of all the many millions who have lived upon earth, only One, the Lord Jesus Christ, was free from every sin men tioned as being in the heart of man. But He Himself was “holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners” (Heb. 7:26); "he knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5 :21 ); "and in him is no sin” (1 John 3 :5 ). He was “. . . the truth” (John 14:6). III. T he O rigin of L ying (John 8:42-47) Our Lord traced the source of lying back to Satan, the devil, who was “a liar, and the father of it.” Jesus spoke of the people facing Him a? being related to Satan and partaking of his evil practices. The Re vised Version renders verse 44: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do.” This passage clearly belongs with the many others that reveal the absolute necessity of the New Birth, in order that another “will” may be received, the will to do God’s desires. BLACKBOARD LESSON "BEHOLD.THOU DESIR.EST THUTH in THE inUURÜD Ü Ü H "SERUfìnTS - of sin O&OF OBEDIEnCE /»ut. Y j / \P PERCE. •» \ T ( LO"0-4'’" " ) VM i y UrtTO DEATH-' urtro WGHT€ousn£S$*2^
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: ^for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Lesson Text: Ex. 20:16; Matt. 15:19, 20; John 8:42-47; Eph. 4:25. Golden Text: “Behold, thou deslrest truth in the Inward parts” (Psa. 51:6). Devotional Reading: Rev. 21:21-27. Outline and Exposition I. T he C ommand (E x . 20:16) T HOU shalt not bear false witness” is sometimes interpreted as pertain ing only to perjury in a court of law. But it extends much further and involves all the personal associations that men enter into with one another. The sin of lying is so prevalent that it must be guarded against by all sorts of regulations, and we are forced to demand signed statements because a man’s word is no longer taken for its face value. Some lies are referred to as being "white,” and because there is no particular harm intended in the telling of them, they are passed without misgiving by society; but the habitual use of white lies soon in volves “black” lies—the kind that ob viously injure others. There are also the lies of certain governmental officials, hidden under so-called diplomatic speech by the use of words that have a dictionary [T h ese lessons are developed from out lines prepared by the Committee on Im proved Uniform Lessons o[ the Interna tional Council. The outlines are copy righted by the International Council o f Religious Education and used by permis sion. The Scripture portions quoted are from the King James Version unless other wise seated.]
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