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X.
Christian Liberty
Chapter 103
:
The Author of Liberty
1. HOW is the bondage
of Israel in Egypt described?
"And the children of Israel sighed
by reason of the bondage, and they cried,
and their cry came up unto God by reason of the
bondage." Ex. 2:23. Compare with James 5:1-4.
2. Who heard their
groaning?
"God heard their groaning, and
God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with
Isaac, and with Jacob." Verse 24.
3. What did God say to
Moses?
"Now therefore, behold, the cry of
the children of Israel is come unto Me: and I
have also seen the oppression wherewith the
Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and
I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest
bring forth My people the children of Israel out
of Egypt." Ex. 3:9,10.
4. In giving Israel His
law, how did God describe Himself?
"I am the Lord thy God, which have
brought thee out of
the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."
Ex. 20:2.
5. What provision did
God make against slavery and oppression in
Israel?
"And if thy brother, an Hebrew man,
or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve
thee six years; then in the seventh year thou
shalt let him go free from thee. And when
thou sendest him out free from thee, thou
shalt not let him go away empty: thou shalt
furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out
of thy floor, and out of thy wine-press: of that
wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee
thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt
remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of
Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee:
therefore I command thee this thing today."
Deut. 15:12-15. "Thou shalt neither vex a
stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were
strangers in the land of Egypt." Ex. 22:21. See
2 Cor. 1:3,4.
6. What was one reason
assigned why Israel should keep the Sabbath?
"And remember that thou wast a
servant in the land of Egypt, and that the
Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a
mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm:
therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to
keep the Sabbath day." Deut. 5:15.
NOTE.-This would suggest the idea that in
their servitude and oppression in Egypt they
had had difficulty regarding the observance
of the Sabbath, which is a fact. From the
accusation brought against Moses and Aaron
by Pharaoh, as recorded in Ex. 5:5,- "Ye
make them rest [Heb., Shabbath]
from their burdens,"- it is plain that the
Sabbath had been denied them, that they had
been required to work on the Sabbath, and
that Moses and Aaron were teaching them to
keep it. Where individual rights and
religious liberty are recognized, Sabbath
observance is neither denied nor required by
civil law.
7. What proclamation
was to be made throughout the land of Israel
every fifty years?
"And ye shall hallow the fiftieth
year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the
land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it
shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return
every man unto his possession, and ye shall
return every man unto his family." Lev. 25:10.
8. Because Israel
failed to do this, became oppressive, and
disregarded and misused the Sabbath, what did
God do?
"Therefore thus saith the Lord; Ye
have not harkened unto Me, in proclaiming
liberty, every one to his brother, and every man
to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim a liberty
for you, saith the Lord, to the sword, to
the pestilence, and to the famine;
and I will make you to be removed into all
the kingdoms of the earth." Jer. 34:17. See
also Jer. 17:24-27; 2 Chron. 36:19-21.
9. What fault did God
find with the way in which Israel came to
celebrate her fasts and seasons of worship?
"Behold, in the day of your fast ye
find pleasure, and exact all your
labors. Behold, ye fast for strife
and debate, and to smite with the fist
of wickedness." Isa. 58:3,4.
10. What does God set
forth as the acceptable fast to Him?
"Is not this the fast that I have
chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to
undo the heavy burdens, and to let the
oppressed go free, and that ye break
every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread
to the hungry, and that thou bring the
poor that are cast out to thy house? when
thou seest the naked, that thou cover him;
and that thou hide not thyself from thine own
flesh?" Verses 6, 7.
NOTE.-All this shows that God loves liberty,
and hates bondage and oppression.
11. What was Christ's
mission to this world?
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel
to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the
broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to
the captives, and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty them that are
bruised." Luke 4:18.
NOTE.-The Gospels show that a large part of
Christ's time even on the Sabbath was
devoted to relieving the oppressed and
distressed.
12. In what condition
are those who commit sin? "Whosoever
committeth sin is the servant of sin."
John
8:34.
13. Why was Christ's
name to be called Jesus?
"And thou shalt call His name Jesus:
for He shall save His people from their
sins." Matt. 1:21.
14. What lies at the
root of all sin?
"When lust hath conceived, it
bringeth forth sin." James 1:15. " I had not
known lust, except the law had said, Thou
shalt not covet." Rom. 7:7.
NOTE.-Lust, covetousness, and unlawful
desire are only different names for
selfishness. Selfishness lies at the root of
all sin; and selfishness is simply the love
of self to the disregard of the equal rights
of others.
15. By what scripture
is the equality of rights clearly shown?
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself." Lev. 19:18.
16. What rule of
conduct has Christ laid down in harmony with
this command?
"Whatsoever ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them." Matt. 7:12.
NOTE.-Selfishness, then, must be uprooted
from men's hearts before they will recognize
the equal rights of their fellow men.
17. Who alone can
cleanse men's hearts from selfishness?
"Neither is there salvation in any
other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts
4:12. See also 1 John 1:9.
18. Who alone, then,
can give men real freedom?
"If the Son therefore shall
make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
John 8:36.
19. What was Christ's
attitude toward unbelievers?
"If any man hear My words, and
believe not, I judge him
not: for I came not to judge the
world, but to save the world." John
12:47.
20. What spirit did
Christ say should control His disciples?
"But Jesus called them to Him, and
saith unto them, Ye
know that they which are accounted to rule over
the Gentiles exercise lordship over them;
and their great ones exercise authority upon
them. But so shall it not be among you:
but whosoever will be great among you, shall be
your minister: and whosoever of you will
be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
For even the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give
His life a ransom for many." Mark 10:42-45.
21. What is present
where the Spirit of the Lord is?
"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty." 2 Cor. 3:17.
22. What kind of
worship only is acceptable to God?
"But the hour cometh, and now is,
when the true worshipers shall worship the
Father in spirit and in truth: for the
Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a
Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship
Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:23,24.
FREEDOM and reason make brave men;
Take these away, what are they then?-
Mere groveling brutes, and just as well
The beasts may think of heaven or hell.
Know, then, that every soul is free
To choose his life, and what he'll be;
For this eternal truth is given:
That God will force no man to heaven.
He'll call, persuade direct him right,
Bless him with wisdom, love, and light,
In nameless ways be good and kind,
But never force the human mind. |
