BIBLE STUDIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3040, 19 June 1912, Page 85

BIBLE STUDIES.

1 (Conducted by Pastor Russell.) [All Rights Reserved.] THE LAW OF LOVE. The Lesson: Luke vl, 27-38; Rom. xiii, 8-10. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,—Romans xiii, 9. To-day's study i« from St. Luke's account of the Sermon on the Mount. It does not profess to be a regulation for the world, but merely applies to saints—to those who have consecrated their lives fully to follow in the footsteps of Jesus — to suffer with Him that they may abo reign with Him. Even these may not be able to live -up to every feature of the Master's instructions, because of weakness in their fallen flesh. We must take the Master's words here and elsewhere addressed to the faithful as representing the full, complete, perfect standard. It is for each disciple to recognise this supreme standard and to measure and gauge his thoughts, words, and doings thereby, to atain this standard as nearly as possible. We are to remember, however, that as no Jew could keep the Law perfectly, neither could any ot any other nationality keep it. We are to keep the Divine Law as nearly as we possibly can, and to accept by faith Godls arrangement- for us m Jesus —that "by His stripes we are healed," our shortcomings are made good. Thus, doing our very best, yet surely coming short, the Apostle's words apply to us : "The righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit." We walk after the spirit, and would walk up to it if we could, but, being unable to do so, "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all fin." This is the happy state of all who through faith and consecration become children of God during this Gospel Age. Their faith makes good their deficiencies. God does not speak to the world at all, except to tell them they are sinners, under sentence of death, but that He has made provision for their reconciliation through the blood of the Cross, and that whether they become disciples of Christ or not under the call to Brideship, neverthelesflj their words and conduct in the present life will all advantage or disadvantage them in the life to come. In this secondary way the world—all mankind aside fio.n the Church, the consecrated—may be measurably enlightened bv the Master's teachings in this lesson, even' while it is not addressed to them. THE PATH OF LOVE.

The two tables of the Law given to Israel represented the requirements of Justice, but-Jesus and His followers take a still higher plane, and, waiving their own rights, they become sacrificers of their own comforts, preferences, desires, to the doing of the Divine will in serving the brethren and mankind generally. Justice never requites sacrifice, but association with Jesus in the sufferings of this present time and in the glory that shall follow means something more than hierely rendering to every man his due, for no one has a right to render to another less than his due, nor to do injury to any. Jesus not only did no injury, but, additionally, sacrificed his own rights on behalf of mankind, and set His disciples an example that they should walk in His steps—.l Peter ii, 21. The path of love is therefore as Jesus describes it, under present conditions, a "narrow way." Only the saintly few will be willing to walk therein, and only these will gain the great prize, "the pearl of great price," joint heirship in Messiah"s Kingdom. Hearken! Do not merely observe the Golden Rule toward your enemies, but love them, and "do good to them that , hate you," and ''bless: them that cui'iva you, and pray for them that despitefully UE« you." very evidently in this lesson our Lord was setting up His teachings in contrast with the maxims of the Pharisees, the holiness people of that day. He wished His disciples to see His teachings in their ultra light. To love another because He loved us, or to give to another in the hope that He would equally befriend tie, or to do any good act with a hope to have as good or better in return, would have nothing specially creditable in it, because done from a selfish motive.

Jesus' disciples, on the contrary, are to* do good from principle, and for goodness' sake —to be in full accord with fclie Heavenly Father, to have. His smile and approval. Love works no kind of injury to its neighbour; love, therefore, is the fulfilling of that feature of the Divine Law which applies to our duty toward our neighbour, to love him as ourself. _ But love can do more than this, and in the case of Jesus it did more, for in love he surrendered his rights, privileges, etc., and died, the just tor the unjust, that he might bring us to God, and is the example of all who would be his disciples, followers, and prospectively his joint-heirs in Kingdom glory. They are to take Him ns their Example, and to reniembd' that in proportion as they are G'odhTo thev show forth the spirit of sonship. As. therefore, God is kind to the unthankful and to evil-doers, no should we be who have His spirit, and who are seeking to walk in His way, in the footsteps of Jesus. The Heavenly Father is the Example, and although we cannot Come up to that example we can show our loyalty, our faithfulness, by copying Hitm to the extent of our ability. LOVE MORE THAN JUSTICE.

Although not under the Law of the Ten Commandments, the Christian is under the Law of the New Commandment, the Law of Love, which is so much higher that it includes every other law that could be given. Love may go beyond the Law and do more than Justice'could require—in selfsacrifice. —but it cannot do less. He who lovwe his neighbour will tee fulfilling the Law toward him to the best of his ability. Hence, ae the Apostle explains, to those

who are in Christ all the commandments are embraced in their covenant of love. They would not injure their neighbours interests, either by stealing from him, or by bearing false witness against him, or by coveting his things or interests, desiring to take possession of them, or by murder, or adultery; nor in any other manner would he,encroach upon his neighrights and interests. The world during Messiah's Kingdom will be under instruction and lessons, which will include mercy, with assurance to the willing and obedient of perfection by the close of the Kingdom rule. But the' Church class nowcalled out will not have such a long period for their character-development, and since they will not attain that perfection here, but will require Divine mercy, through the imputation of Christ's merit to cover their blemishes, therefore the Lord has arranged that these must expect mercy only in proportion as they* will show mercy to others. In other words, all the followers of Jesus have many imperfections to be covered by Divine me<ecy, or else to be atoned for by stripes, punishments, before they die.

In order to develop his saints in generosity, forgiveness, mercy, the Lord has agreed that He will be merciful to them in proportion as. they are merciful to others. What a. wonderful reward, and what a wondrous incentive! Our Lord's prayer is in agreement with this : " Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." This does not relate to the Adamic guilt of the saints, but to their daily shortcomings, their share in original sin and condemnation was cancelled through the .merit of Jesus before they were accepted~as his disciples or became followers in His steps as sons of God. What an incentive to God's people to be generous, forgiving, largehearted, thus cultivating the .Heavenly Father's spirit and character, and to be in that condition of heart- where they can receive richly of Divine bounty and mercy at the Throne of Grace!