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LESSON VI.—SABBATH, JUNE 30, 1900

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Jun 20, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 25.

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LESSON VI.—SABBATH, JUNE 30, 1900.

CHARACTER TEST AND DIVINE ASSURANCE.

Lesson Scripture, Matt. 7: 15-29, R.V.
15 "BEWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's 16 clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs 17 of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good 18 fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good 19 tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree 20 bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth 21 good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not 23 prophesy by Thy name, and by Thy name cast out devils, and by Thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that 24 work iniquity. Every one therefore which heareth these 25 words of Mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, which built his house upon the rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon the 26 rock. And every one that heareth these words of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which 27 built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that 28 house; and it fell; and great was the fall thereof. "And it came to pass, when Jesus ended these words, the 29 multitudes were astonished at His teaching; for He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes."
[The best help on this lesson is "Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing."]

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

NOTE.—The texts inclosed in marks of parentheses, while not essential to the lesson study, will be found to throw much light upon the lesson, and are suggested for those who wish to study further.
  1. Of what is the child of God to beware? Verse 15, first clause.
  2. How do false prophets appear? What is their real value? Same verse. Note 1. (2 Peter 2: 1-3.)
  3. How may we know them? What illuminating question does He ask? Verse 16.
  4. What kind of fruit does a tree bring forth? Verse 17.
  5. Are there any exceptions to this law? Verse 18.
  6. What eventually is done with the tree bearing evil fruit? Verse 19. (John 15: 2, 6.)
  7. To what inevitable conclusion are we brought, as regards false prophets? Verse 20.
  8. By what words does Jesus show that more than profession is necessary? What word answers to "Lord"? What would it imply to call one "Lord"? Verse 21, first part. Note 2. (Luke 6: 46; 1 Cor. 12: 3.)
  9. Who alone shall enter the kingdom of heaven? Verse 21. (Matt. 5: 3.)
  10. What will many declare "in that day"? Verse 22.
  11. What will be said to them? Why? Verse 23. Note 3.
  12. To whom did Jesus liken the obedient hearer of His sayings? Verse 24. (1 Cor. 3: 11; Isa. 28: 16.)
  13. What came upon his house? How was it affected? What was the reason? Verse 25.
  14. To whom did Jesus liken the disobedient hearer? V. 26.
  15. How did the storms affect his house? Verse 27. (Isa. 28: 17, 18; Eze. 13: 10-16.)
  16. How did the words of Jesus affect the people? Vs. 28, 29. Note 4.

NOTES.

1. SHEEP'S clothing, peaceable professions, have always been characteristic of false prophets. Their mission is either to lull the church to sleep in sin or to lead it away into error. For the former purpose they cry, "Peace, peace" (Jer. 6: 13, 14; Eze. 13: 9-11), and for the latter, "Lo, here is Christ, or there" (Matt. 24: 23-26). We may know them by their fruits, those fruits measured by "the law and the testimony." Isa. 8: 20.
2. TO CALL Jesus "Lord" is to say that we are His servants, doing His service, obeying Him. The real test is, therefore, obedience. "Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6: 46.
3. "INIQUITY" is lawlessness, breaking of law. Let it be noted that the real test of discipleship is obedience to the will of God. Verse 21. It matters not what has been prophesied in Christ's name, what demons cast out, what miracles wrought, if those who do these things are against God's law, they must be banished forever from Him. This is a complement to Matt. 5: 17. If God knows us, we have His Spirit and do His law.
4. THE words of Christ were not uncertain, equivocal, or hypothetical. He was filled with the Word of God; God's law was in His heart; He spoke authoritatively, from His own fulness. He would have His children so full of that same Word, He would have that law so inwrought into their very lives, that when they speak it would be "as the oracles of God." 1 Peter 4: 11. His words only will carry weight.