Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

sin."saved."sinned."glory"sins"Lesson Helps for the Week of October 31, 1954Psalms:C.Y.P.U. TOPICfor October 31, 1954MY LORDA JUST GODRom: 2:12; 2 Cor. 5:107:10, 11, 14-16, page 119:6-10, page 1635:20-24, page 8536:5-8, page 9089:18-23, page 218.References: Deut. 32:4; 32:35, 36; Gen.18:25; 2 Chron. 19:7; Job 8:3; Psalms19:7-9; 119:121-124; 119:137, 138; 145:7-9; Jer. 9: 23, 24; 32:17-19; Dan. 9:11-14; 9:15-19; Rom. 12:19; James2:1; 2:12, 13; Rev. 15:8; 21:3-8.Comments by Remo I. RobbLast Sabbath morning in the Men'sClass, attention was called to a road-sidesign which read "By grace are yeThe speaker felt that it would leave awrong impression in the minds of the unconverted, who is apt to reason "Fine!By God's grace I am saved. It doesn'tdepend on what I do. That's great. I don'thave to do good. I can live on just as Inow live. God's grace savesme."Thepoint was made that "By grace are yesaved"is only part of a verse, and part ofthe story, and that it omits the doctrineof man's accountability to God.A young man came to myoffice notlong ago, saying "I'm finding out that theevangelism I've been learning has beenleavingHe had found people wantingout repentance and sorrow forto accept Christ but wanting not to have tochange their lives.In our anxiety to spread the good newsof salvation, we tend to forget why menneed it, and that God's plan issues notonly from His love for lost men, but fromHis justice, which must be satisfied.1. Justice as God's Nature.Justice, as we think of it, refers toevery person getting exactly what he deserves. The imaginary figure of Justice isthat of a person holdinga balance, tipped neither too far one way or the other.If a person does some great good forhis fellowmen, justice declares he shouldhave honor and thanks and more. If aperson harms his fellowman, justice declares he should be punished.In our world, a thousand injustices arenever balanced. Men serve their lives outand get no reward. Others defraud, kill,hurt their fellowmen at every turn, yetdie rich or at ease. Are these matters never to be balanced?Yes, for God is Just.Deut. 32:4 "He is the Rock, his workis perfect; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without in234iquity, just and right is he."Acts 10:34, 35"Then Peter opened hismouth and said, Of a truth I perceivethat God is no respecter of .persons:but in every nation he that fearethhim, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."2 Cor. 5:10 "For we must all appearbefore the judgment seat ofChrist;that every one may receive the thingsdone in his body, according to that hebad."hath done, whether it be good or2. Man in the sight of a Just, Living God.Not so much man's inhumanity toman, but man's sin in God's sight is thegreat concern. Every sin of man is aninjustice toward God, and it must be balanced or punished.Every man is a sinner. Rom. 3:23.Every sin must be punished by death.Rom. 6:23.That was the law of the just and holyGod from eternity. "In the day" of disobedience "thou shalt verily die." "Thereis none that doeth good,no not So"death passed upon all men because allhaveJustice for the Almighty One, who hasbeen sinned against His Name defamed,His Power threatened, His Word doubted,His Law broken Justice decrees deathfor every sinner.3. Justice Satisfied.Love provided the way. John 3:16Grace made it effective to those whobelieve. Heb. 2:9, 10.The just command is "Repent,and bebaptized every one of you in the name ofJesus Christ, for the remission of(Acts 2:38). And considering the priceGod paid for your salvation, it is a graverinjustice than ever to the Father and theSon to expect salvation without repentance, or to turn from it altogether.Rather "there is no God else beside me ;a just God and a Saviour; there is nonebeside me. Look unto me,and be yesaved, all the ends of the earth; for I amGod, and there is none else. I have swornby myself, the word is gone out of mymouth in righteousness,and shall notreturn, That unto me every knee shallbow, every tongue shall swear. Surely,shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength;men come;even to him shalland all that are incensedagainst him shall be ashamed. In theLord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall(Isa. 45:21-25).The injustices of the world? It seems tome that Divine Justice which providessalvation for the repentant can be depended on to balance justly all the affairsof mankind. Don't you think so?A FEW QUESTIONS1. How do you answer the statement thatGod loves mankind too much to punish him?2. How does God visit His Justice to thenations?3. Do you believe it is an act of injusticetoward God to reject Jesus Christ?4. How does mercy season justice?JUNIOR TOPICJACOB MEETS ESAUOctober 31, 1954Mrs. M. K. CarsonScripture: Genesis chapters 32 and 33Memory Verse: Genesis 32:26b.Psalms:Sing from memory Psalm 46:1, 6,psalm of the month.Sing from memory other Psalms wehave used in this series.References: Find answers to the followingquestions.1. Who met Jacob on the way? Genesis32:1b2. When had he seen angels before? Genesis 28:123. What is the purpose of angels? Hebrews 1:144. Whom was Jacob afraid to meet? Genesis 32 :6, 75. How long had it been since Jacob hadseen Esau? Genesis 31 :41Last week we learned of Jacob's leavingLaban and starting on the long roadhome with his familyhad been afraid that Laban would harmand possessions. Hehim and try to keep him from leaving,but God had told Laban not to harmJacob in any way, so that danger waspast. But now a new danger lies aheadhis brother Esau. Twenty years had goneby since Jacob had stolen the blessingand left home. Was Esau still angry, hewondered. Would he stilltry to kill himwhentheymet? Now Jacob was afraidnot only for himself but for his lovedones and his many flocks, so he sentmessengers to the land of Esau to findout what Esau would likely do. Soonthese messengers came back to say thatEsau was on his way to meet his brother,but with four hundred men. Jacob wasreally afraid when he heard that. On yourmap find Haran, the brook Jabbok, theriver Jordan and the land of Edom(Esau).It was a long journey, and Jacobmust have gone down the east side of theJordan river to where he crossed the Jordan river so many years before. He hadonly his staff in his hand that long agotime, but now with God's blessing he hadbecome two bands. Still he was afraid. HeCOVENANTER WITNESS