The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 4, 1897

The Sunday School

International Series.

LESSON XII.—SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 1897.

CHRISTIAN SELF-RESTRAINT.

NOTE.—The beginning of the early Christian church, its growth, and development having been considered in previous lessons, we come now to a consideration of some of the underlying principles of true Christianity—a few of the fundamental stones of character-building. The lesson may be used as a temperance lesson. We see that the same temptations to excess had to be fought against in those days that oppose the Christian's advance to-day; and the same power which overcame them in those days will overcome them to-day. That power is not our own, but is given us by Him who has overcome all things and is sitting now where we may sit if we use the power he has for us. The epistle was written from Ephesus about A.D. 57, and was in the Greek language. The church at Corinth was now about five years old.

Lesson Scripture, 1 Cor. 9:19-27, R. V.

19 “For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. And I do all things for the Gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof. 24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run, that ye may attain. 25 And every man that striveth in the games is temperate in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: 27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage; lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.”

Golden Text.—“Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.” 1 Cor. 9:25.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) What was Paul's condition among his fellow-men? Verse 19, first clause. Note 1. (2) Notwithstanding this what condition was he willing to assume? Ib., second clause. (3) For what purpose? Ib., last clause. (4) What relation did he assume to the Jews, and why? Verse 20, first part. Note 2. Toward those who were under the law, and why? Ib., last part. (5) How did he deport himself toward those who were without law, and why? Verse 21. Note 3. (6) What was his attitude toward the weak, and why? Verse 22, first part. (7) What was Paul's whole object in life? Ib., last clause. Note 4. (8) In what work was his interest absorbed? Verse 23, first clause. (9) What was his object in this? Ib., last clause. Note 5. (10) How many in the Olympic races received the prize? Verse 24, first part. (11) What exhortation does he therefore give? Ib., last clause. Note 6. (12) What was considered necessary on the part of those who wished to excel? Verse 25, first clause. (13) What comparison does Paul draw between the reward of the Christian and that of those who would excel in earthly things? Ib., last part. (14) How did Paul run? Verse 26, first part. Note 7. (15) What was his manner of fighting for the truth? Ib., last part. (16) What did he consider necessary to his success? Verse 27, first part. (17) Without this what would be the result? Ib., last part.

NOTES

1. Free from all men.—Paul was a free man, a citizen of Rome, and could not be enslaved against his will. None could require of him that he should give his life to serving them; but of his own free will he became the servant of all. In serving men in this way he served Christ.

2. Became as a Jew.—He complied with their rites and prejudices as far as he could do so without violating God's commands or his own conscience. He did not seek to antagonize them needlessly. By this it is not to be understood that he did not teach them the truth, nor did he shrink from showing them the error of their way. He became to them what he did in order that he might save them from what they were.

3. That are without law.—That is, the heathen, those who had not known the law of God. He plunged into the sea of heathen sophistries that he might lead out the honest, struggling souls therein. He went over onto their ground that he might lead back from the enchanted land those who were willing to accept of salvation from sin. He reasoned with them from their own standpoint, and brought God and salvation to them in that way.

4. Made all things to all men.—If Paul became a servant of man, it was that he might induce man to become a servant of Christ; if he became to the Jews a Jew, it was that they might become Jews indeed, in the spirit and not in the letter; if he became without law to those who were without law, it was that he might bring them to the knowledge of the law of love in Christ; if he became weak to the weak, it was that he might teach them the value of the strength of Christ in overcoming the temptations of the world. To save men was the object of his warfare.

5. Partaker thereof with you.—Paul had a sincere sympathy with those whom he desired to save from sin. If they suffered, he suffered with them. This sympathy is Christlike; for we read, “In all their afflictions He was afflicted.” It was that he might the more perfectly sympathize with man that Christ lived the life of man on earth; “that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest.” Paul was certainly a “partaker” in the afflictions that beset the Christian's journey. Witness his record: “In labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” 2 Cor. 11:23-27, R. V.

6. So run.—Those who entered the Olympic games made other things subservient to that contest and the preparation for it; but all could not be victorious. Only one could win in each of the several games. It is not so in the Christian race. “Come unto me, all ye ends of the earth.” All will not heed the invitation; all will not throw life and soul, mind and body, into this race; but all may come, and all may win if they comply with the conditions. They must “throw aside every weight [earthly entanglements] and the sin that doth so easily beset” them, “and run with patience.” As the runner left nothing undone that would assist him to win, so must the Christian.

7. Not as uncertainly.—Paul knew the course to be run, he had seen the Judge of the race, he knew the goal, and the reward there awaiting him. He knew that a faithful performance of duty, with implicit trust in Him who was his strength and righteousness, would make him victor in that race; and not to him only would this reward and honor come, “but to all them also which love His appearing,” doing that which is commanded in His Word.