Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

another."contrast."praise."others?"us."Lesson Helps for the Week of November 28, 1954C.Y.P.U. TOPICNovember 28, 1954THE NINTH COMMANDMENTExodus 20:16Scripture: Eph. 4:17-32Alvin W. Smith, D.D., Orlando, Fla.Psalms:5:1-3, page 815:1-3, page 2635:1-4, page 87101:1-4, page 239References: Ex. 23:21; Deut. 19:16-20;Prov. 12:17; 19:5, 9, 28; 25:18; Jer. 7:9; Prov. 6:16-19; Ps. 15:2; 51:6; Zech.8:16; Matt. 5:37; Ps. 101:7; Phil. 4:8; 1 Pet. 2:12; Rom. 12:9; Josh. 24:14;Psa. 119:104, 128; Lev. 6:3; 19:12.Ephesians 4:25, A Good Starting Point"Wherefore putting away lying, speakevery man truth with his neighbor; forwe are members one ofPersonal relationships are emphasized. Weare members one of another. Lying isevil, not alone because it is againstGod, but also because it harms one'sneighbor. The kind of lying denounced inthe Ninth Commandment is false-witness against a neighbor. This brings tomind such words as slander, libel, malicious gossip and most of all the wordperjury, false-hood under oath.False Witness a ViolationThou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. This has a positive side. The NinthCommandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between manand man and of our own and our neighbor's good name, especially in witnessbearing. Likewise it is negative. Theninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth or injurious toour own and our neighbor's good name.Owe no man anything but to love oneanother: for he that loveth another hathfulfilled the law. For this, Thou shaltnot kill, thou shalt not steal,thou shaltnot bear false witness. Love worketh noill to his neighbor: therefore love is thefulfilling of the law."The Ninth Commandment is almostuniversally broken and is probably moreoften broken than anyother with theexception of the Tenth. Thousands ofhighly respectable persons, who wouldnever dream of committingmurder oradultery or robbery, engage in tale-bearing and detraction every day of theirlives. It is so easy and so pleasant to sitwith one's friends and discuss a thirdparty, especially if the conversation ismildly derogatory. It is such a pleasantform of sin, since it is not one for which298anyone can be sent to jail, and yet itgives a bit of excitement along with thesense of relative virtue in one's self. Justto talk of the shortcomings of anothermakes the conversationalist feel virtuousby (Trueblood)."It is precisely because we care aboutreputation so much that we can harmone another so easily. Nearly all blackmail gets its power from the desire forgood standing in the opinion of others.Thoroughgoing blackmail is, however,comparatively, rare. What is common,instead, is the equally dishonest but perhaps more cowardly effort to advanceour own standing by sly insinuations concerning our competitors for place andpower .... The most successful form ofthis attack is faintHow Do You Rate?Quakers asked a question at intervals:"Do you avoid tale bearing and detraction and are you careful concerning thereputations.ofAnother question might be added, "Are you as careful in being honest about persons as youare about things?" In the field of science,progress depends absolutely upon exacttruth both in the conducting of experiments and in the announcement of theirresults. Suppose there were cheating under those considerations. Yet it seems tobe a fact today that we are more carefulin what we say about atoms than weare in what we say about men.Persons, in the sight of God are sacredand of much more importance thanthings. "Falsification is wrong becauseit means takingson who trustsadvantage of the perGod holds accountable."An Honest Man's the NoblestWork of God"Coming back to Eph. 4:25 let us takethis counsel to heart which is containedin verses 20-32. It is all directed to Christians ... to converts from the world.The old man with its conversation is tobe put away with all of its corruptions:lyingangerstealingcorrupt communications.In its place we are to put on the newman with qualities of righteousness andholiness. The matter oftruth-telling andof being trustworthy heads the list ofChristian virtues.Let us seek grace to put into practicethis Ninth Commandment in the variouscircles in which we live, our home, ourchurch, our office, factory or whateverit may be. Let us seek to promote truthin maintaining our own and our neighbor's good name in honesty, generosityand kindness.Questions1. What effect does the takingof anoath bywitnesses in court have on thetruth or falsity of their testimony?2. What can we learn from David'seulogy over Saul? 2 Sam. 1:17-27.3. What is character assassination and,how can it be cured? .,^l*^4. What is the best way to spike a rumor?5. How should we act when spokenagainst falsely?MemoryJUNIOR TOPICNovember 28, 1954by Mrs. Wilbur J. KeysJOSEPH, THE GOVERNORScripture: Genesis 42, 43, 44Verse: "And we know that allthings work together for good to themthat love God, to them who are calledpurpose."according to hisRomans8:28Devotional Reading: Psalm 26:1-7Psalms to sing:Psalm 118:17-20, page 285Psalm 33:7, 9, 10, page 78Psalm 136:1, 2, 12, 13, page 334(sing from memory)Psalm 46: 1, 3, 5, page 119For the references, answer these questions:1. How does Judah's behavior herecompare with the work of our Saviour?I Peter 2:20-252. What apostle made an offer to takeresponsibility for another, similar toJudah's? Philemon 1:183. What great principle of Scripture isemphasized here? Gal. 6:74. Did Joseph's brothers have a guiltyconscience all these years? Gen. 42:21and Gen. 44:165. How did Reuben try to save Benjamin? Gen. 42:376. What part of his past life did Joseph recall when his brothers came toEgypt for food? Gen. 37:7, 107. What is the first object in self-sacrifice? Rom. 6:6In last week's lesson we just began torealize the full interpretation of Pharaoh's dream. The crops had been goodfor seven years and were harvested andstored. Now the famine was in all lands.Even Jacob who is still in Hebron istouched by the famine. When Jacobheard there was corn in Egypt, he calledhis sons to him and said, "Why do youstand here and look at one another? Godown to Egypt and buy corn that we dienot."So Joseph's ten brothers went toCOVENANTER WITNESS