The Republican

IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY
SCHOOL
lesson
By REV. P. B. FITZWATER, D. D.
Member of Faculty, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.
Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for April 28
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
LESSON TEXT—II Timothy 3:14-17;
Psalm 19:7-14.
GOLDEN TEXT—O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.—Psalm 119:97.
PRIMARY TOPIC—The Book God Gave Us.
JUNIOR TOPIC—The Book God Gave Us.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC—How to Use the Bible.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC—Inspiration and Authority of the Bible.
I. The Origin or Source (II Tim. 3:16).
They are inspired of God, which literally means "God-breathed." Peter says "Holy men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Ghost" (II Pet. 1:21). When Paul declares the Scriptures to be God-breathed, he means that the utterances resulted from God's breath in men's mouths. Because they are God-breathed they are the veritable words of God. The holy Scriptures not only contain the word of God, but they are in verity the message of God to men.
II. The Value of the Scriptures (II Tim. 3:14-17).
1. Able to make wise unto salvation (v. 15). Salvation is alone in Christ. It is obtained through faith in his finished work on the cross.
2. Disciplines the life (vv. 16, 17). It is profitable for doctrine, which is the divine standard of conduct. In the Holy Bible alone is to be found this standard of life. Not only is it the standard of life, but of all thought. Then, too, it reproves, that is, confutes error. The way to deal with error is not denunciation, but the positive presentation of the revealed truth. It also corrects, that is, sets straight many of the dislocations of personal and social conduct. The Word of God is the standard of measurement which sets straight the lives of moral beings. Further, it instructs in righteousness and thoroughly equips the minister for Christian service. The mastery of God's holy Word is the indispensable equipment for Christian service. One who lacks this knowledge of the holy Scriptures is utterly unfit for the Christian ministry, no matter how well trained he may be in other things.
III. The Nature and Effect of God's Law (Ps. 19:7-11).
1. It is perfect. It is without a flaw. It converts and restores the soul: it turns man back to God himself to lead a life of holiness. It not only converts sinners, but restores the saints to divine fellowship.
2. It is sure. It is absolutely dependable. Man's reasonings change, but God's Word endures forever. God cannot lie. It makes wise the simple. Common men and women as to natural gifts become wise even in the rightful things of the world, because of their mastery of the Word of God.
3. It is right. The precepts and judgments of the Lord are expressions of absolute righteousness because they proceed from the righteous God and are, therefore, inherently right.
4. It is pure. There is no admixture of error. There is no compromise with that which is untrue. Because of this, it enlightens the eyes. All that mars the spiritual vision is taken away. Conduct for the Christian is clearly defined.
5. It is clean. This is seen in the effects of the Word of God upon the life. The individual who is sanctified by it is clean within and without.
6. It is true and righteous. The decisions of God's Word are true without exception. The judgments of God's Word are unimpeachable. Because of these qualities, God's Word is more to be desired than the choicest of gold. Obedience thereto brings great reward.
IV. The Prayer of the Believer (Ps. 19:12-14).
The life brought face to face with God's Word is seen as sinful. The soul cries out for
1. Cleansing (v. 12). The perfect law reveals the imperfections of the life. The Word of God reveals sins of which the individual may be ignorant.
2. To be kept from presumptuous sins. Presumptuous sins are peculiarly dangerous. In the Mosaic economy no sacrifice was provided for such sins.
3. Freedom from the dominion of such sins (v. 13). How awful is the slavery of those who are in bondage to presumptuous sins.
4. That the words of the mouth and the meditations of the heart be kept in line with God's Word (v. 14). From many dangers the believer would be saved if the words and meditations of his heart were kept in line with the Scriptures!
MEDITATIONS
Does it strike you that the mischief of our life is really our constant fretfulness?
Christ would not be diverted from the main issues of life and destiny. He observed a strict economy in his resources.
That silence is one of the great arts of conversation is allowed by Cicero, who says, there is not only an art, but even an eloquence in it.—Hannah More.