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46 THE CONVENTION TEACHER Lesson IX. February 29, 1948 THE WORLD MISSION OF THE CHURCH SENIOR TOPIC: THE WORLD MISSION OF THE CHURCH Romans 10:8-15; Ephesians 3:8-12 [[line]] AUTHORIZED VERSION 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. [[line]] REVISED VERSION 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach: 9 because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: 10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: 13 for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and howshall they hear without a preacher? 15 and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things! 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things: 10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God. 11 according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. [[line]] MOTTO TEXT--How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace...that publisheth Salvation. Isaiah 52:7. [[line]] LESSON SETTING Time: A. D. 60: 64. Places: Corinth, Rome LESSON OUTLINE 1. God's Way of Salvation. (VV. 8-11.) II. God's Way of Salvation for all Mankind. (VV. 12-15.) III. The Eternal Purpose of God Revealed. (VV. 8-12.) DAILY HOME READING Feb. 23-Feb. 29. M. The Hundredth Sheep. Luke 15:1-7. T. Go, Preach. Matthew 10:5-16. W. Come and Help. Acts 16:4-12. T. Rejected, Received. Acts 13:44-52. F. "To Make All Men See." Ephesians 3:8-12. S. Making Missionary Plans. Romans 15:24-33. S. Sending the Word. Romans 10:8-15. INTRODUCTION The wide open doors to the proclamation of the Gospel in many lands present the church with one of its greatest opportunities in the history of the missionary movement. Along with this challenge, however, the church is faced with a dearth of real zealous workers for the mission fields. What we need today are more Pauls who have ears open to the calls and eyes pointing towards those places where human beings are in need of salvation. Unquestionably, the most urgent appeal of our world-wide mission work has been and is now, for new missionaries; and the dearth of available young people with the necessary qualifications has been a source of great concern. [[end of page]] [[start page]] 47 THE CONVENTION TEACHER EXPOSITION I. GOD'S WAY OF SALVATION (VV. 8-11.) (8) But what saith it? 'The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; The word of reconciliation is nigh. The way of salvation is now both plain and easy. The law is magnified and made honorable by the death of Christ; and the doctrine of faith in His death and resurrection is fully proclaimed, and amply proved to be effectual to the purpose for which it was revealed. In the mouth--easy to understand and to be professed; and in thy heart. If thou art upright before God sincerely desiring to be saved on His own terms, not striving to establish thy own method of justification by the law, which was forever ineffectual, but submitting to the method of justification which God has devised. (9) That if thou halt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. In other words: if a man confessed faith in Jesus Christ as the Lord and Saviour of lost men and realy believed in his heart that God has raised Him from the dead in attestation of having accepted His atonement, he should certainly be saved through faith. That faith by which a sinner is made whole. "The righteousness of God in Christ has its seat in the heart of a humble penitent and produces cordial desires after Him and love to Him and the bold confession of His name and truth among enemies, and in the face of danger, evidences a man's faith to be genuine and gives a hope of clear salvation." (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The great purpose of the apostle is to show the simplicity of the Gospel scheme of salvation, and at the same time its great efficacy .it is simple and very unlike the law which was full of rites, ordinances, ceremonies, each of which requried to be perfectly fulfilled; and yet, after all those who had the utmost zeal for God, and, as conscientiously as possible, observed all the precepts of the law had not attained to whence both Jews and Gentiles who had believed on the Lord Jesus according to the simple declaration of the gospel; and they had the witness in themselves that they were passed from death to life. (11) For the Scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. No matter how the Jews may despise this gospel because it comes not unto them with pomp and ceremony, it puts those who receive it into possession of every heavenly blessing; and this is according to the positive declarations of the prophets. For it is written, Isaiah 28:16; 49:23. Whosoever that believeth on him shall not be ashamed. He shall neither be disappointed of his hope, nor ashamed of his confidence; because he has that faith which is the evidence of things not seen, the subsistence of things hoped for. This shows that the apostle was discussing genuine sincerity of him who made the profession. II. GOD'S WAY OF SALVATION FOR ALL MANKIND. (VV. 12-15.) (12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. All are equally welcome to this salvation. Hence the Jew has no exclusive privileges, and from this the Greek is not rejected. One simple way of being saved is proposed to all. He is the same Lord who has made all and governs all and is rich in mercy to all that call upon him. No difference between Jews and Gentiles for as none of them could be justified by their works, or saved in unbelief; so the infinite Creator and Governor of the world being rich and glorious in mercy toward all who humbly call on Him for salvation, would never exclude from justification any who believed in His Son. The oneness of the Lord is a proof that there is no distinction; but only those who are recipients of it that call upon Him, thus providing their faith by their invocation of Him which is a confession of Him. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. "Believing on Christ, or God, in verse 11 and calling upon God in verses 12, 13, and 14 are in effect the same thing as calling upon God necessarily connects and suppose faith in Him; and He who duly believes in Christ has such a sense of His dependence upon Divine grace, that he looks unto God and trusts in His power and goodness alone for happiness which is the true religion of the Gospel." (14) How then shall they call on him
