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48   THE CONVENTION TEACHER

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? As the apostle has laid so much stress on believing in order to gain salvation, and as this doctrine, without further explanation might e misunderstood, it was necessary to show how this faith was produced, and so he gives us the facts to confirm such. He says there can be no salvation without the gospel, a dispensation of mercy and grace from God alone. This must be preached, proclaimed in the world for the obedience of faith, none can effectually preach except they be sent. The matter must come from God and the person who delivers it must have both authority and unction from on high; the Divinely commissioned person must be heard. It is the duty of all to whom this message of salvation is sent to hear it with the deepest reverence and attention. What is heard must be credited for they who do not believe the gospel as the record which God gave His Son cannot be saved. "The enjoyment of peace and happiness will be the result of such calling, delivery, hearing, preaching, sending, and message sent, and thus the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith is guarded from abuse."

(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! We are told by some that this quotation which is taken from Isaiah 52:7 - That feet is variously used in the Scripture, and sometimes have respect to things internal and spiritual. For as the life of man and the practice of piety are compared to walking, so his feet my signify the principles with which he acts and the dispositions of his mind. "Keep thy feet when thou goest to the house of God," Agreeably to this, the feet of the messengers in Isaiah and of the apostle in this verse may signify the validity of their mission, the authority upon which they acted, and any character or qualification with which they were invested.

III. THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD REVEALED. (VV). (8-12) (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; It appears to be the design of the apostle to magnify the grace of Christ in the salvation of the world. He uses every precaution to prevent the eyes of the world from being turned to anything but Christ crucified; and although he was obliged to speak of himself as the particular agent which God had used to bring the Gentile world to the knowledge of the truth, yet he does it in such a manner as to show the excellency of the power was of God, and not of him; and that, highly as he and his fellow apostles were honored they had the heavenly treasures in earthen vessels. He is bound to use a new word to express the deep sense which he had of his own unworthiness and properly rendered less that the least. This he uses to mark his unparalleled humility and the amazing condescension of God, in favoring him to give him the knowledge and power and authority to preach this enormous scheme of human redemption successfully among the Gentiles. The unsearchable riches of Christ - this refers to the footsteps of Go, the plans He has formed, the dispensations which He had published, and the innumerable providences which he had combined to bring to full effect and view his gracious designs in the salvation of a ruined world by the incarnation, passion, death and resurrection of His Son. Yet he was to proclaim among the Gentiles these astonishing wonders and mysteries of grace; and as he goes to do it the Holy Spirit that dwelt in him opens to his mind more and more of these riches, never exhausting them but revealing the endless depths of wisdom and knowledge treasured up in him and the infinity of saving acts and saving power displayed by him.

(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: And to make all men see. Thus to illuminate all; t give information, both to Jews and Gentiles, to afford them a sufficiency of light so that they might be able distinctly to discern the great objects exhibited in the Gospel - What is the fellowship of the mystery. The word fellowship was used among the Greeks to signify their religious communities; here it may intimate the association of Jews and Gentiles in one church or body and their agreement in that glorious mystery which was now so fully opened relative to the salvation of both. It is claimed that instead of fellowship - dispensation or economy is far more congenial to its scope of the

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apostle's declamation in this place. He wished to show them the economy of that mystery of bringing Jews and Gentiles to salvation by faith in Christ Jesus which God from the beginning of the world has kept hidden in His own infinite mind, and did not think proper to reveal even when He projected the creation of the world, which had respect to the economy of human redemption.

(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, This verse sets forth the purpose of the preaching, giving of grace to Paul - Unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places. The apostle says that this was one thing among others which God had in His mind in revealing the mystery that the good angels who have a preeminence in governing the kingdom and principalities of the world, and who are indeed with great power to execute the will of God on this earth, may be informed, from what passes in the church, and is done in and by it, of the manifold wisdom of God, and of the great variety which God wisely dispenses things, or His wisdom manifested in the many methods He takes in ordering his church in its several ages and especially receiving the Gentiles into it. The holy angels who look into the mystery of our redemption by Christ could not but notice this branch of this mystery that among the Gentiles is preached the unsearchable riches of Christ. That is by the Christians and by the wonderful things done in the church, and by the apostles who were its pastors. The manifold wisdom of God - The multiplex and greatly diversified wisdom of God; laying great and infinite plans and accomplishing them by endless means through the whole lapse of ages; making any occurrence subservient to the purposes of His infinite mercy and goodness.

(11) According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: This seems to refer to the complete rounds of the Jewish system, and to that of the Gospel. God purposed that the Jewish dispensation should commence at such a time, and terminate at such a time; that the Gospel dispensation should commence when the Jewish ended and terminate only with life itself; and that the result of both should be endless. Which he purposed in Christ Jesus. Which he made or constituted in or for Christ Jesus. The manifestation of Christ and the glory which should follow, were the grand objects which God kept in view in all His dispensations.

(12) In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. By whom we Gentiles have this liberty of speech so that we may say anything by prayer and supplication and this introduction into the divine presence by faith in Christ. It is only in His name we can prey to God and it is only by Him that we can come to God. None can give us an introduction but Jesus Christ; and it is only for His sake that God will either hear or save us. Through Christ, we have the liberty to open up our minds freely to God, as to a Father, and well grounded persuasion of audience and of acceptance with Him, and this by means of the faith in Him as our great Mediator and Advocate. It is in Jesus Christ we have courage to prosecute God's orders with the complete confidence and assurance by the faith we have in our blessed Redeemer whereby we are able to be real and true conquerors.

THE CHURCH AROUND THE WORLD

When Paul knew that God wanted him to go to Macedonia to tell the people about Jesus he willingly went. He wanted men everywhere to know that Jesus loved them. Those who believed and were baptized became members of the early church. Today we have churches all over the world and each one is a part of the one great family. Our church is just one of the many telling the people of the wonderful love of Christ for us.

QUESTIONS ON THE LESSON

1. What was the mission command to Paul?
2. What help can boys and girls give to heathen boys and girls?
3. What is the need for missionary work?
4. What is the universal character of the Christian religion?
5. How wide is the commission?
6. What way can we spread the commission?