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66 THE CONVENTION TEACHER Lesson XIII. March 28, 1948 ETERNAL LIFE (EASTER LESSON) SENIOR TOPIC: THE CERTAINTY OF ETERNAL LIFE Colossians 3:1-4, 12-17; I John 5:11-12 [[line]] AUTHORIZED VERSION 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the son of God hath not life. [[line]] REVISED VERSION 1 If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. 3 For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. 12 Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; 13 forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: 14 and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God. 17 And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 11 And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his son. 12 He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. [[line]] MOTTO TEXT--This is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. John 17:3. [[line]] LESSON SETTING Time: A. D. 62; 68. Place: Rome; Ephesus. LESSON OUTLINE 1. The Christian, Heavenly Minded. (VV. 1-4.) II. The Christian Divinely Directed. (VV. 12-17.) III. The Christian's Eternal Life. (VV. 11-12.) DAILY HOME READING Mar. 22-Mar. 28. M. "I Am the Resurrection." John 11:19-27. T. The Resurrection Fact. I Corinthians 15:1-11. W. Keystone of our Faith. 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 T. The Resurrection Body. 1 Corinthians 15:35-44. F. The Great Transformation. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. S. "This is Eternal Life." John 16:27-17:3. S. The Resurrection Promise. I Peter 3:8-13. INTRODUCTION A dark period had come to those who witnessed the crucifixion and burial of Christ. It was also the talk of every one. Some wondered whether His words were true that He would rise again. According to His word He rose and was visible to many eye witnesses. Two friends left Jerusalem after the passover and were retiring to their home in the nearby town of Emmaus. It was natural that the topic of their conversation was the amazing series of events that had recently taken place in Jerusalem. They were renewing the facts as they knew them and asking questions about the meaning of them; and wondering what would happen next. They were interested and perplexed. As they walked along, Jesus Himself drew near and began to walk along with them. They did not recognize Him at that time, but finally they did and He vanished out of their sight. Thus the risen Christ was a fact. The risen Christ appeared and [[end page]] [[start page]] THE CONVENTION TEACHER 67 showed himself talking, eating, and going into Heaven. From these facts and many others, certain conclusions are drawn. Jesus was truly raised from the dead. Jesus joined in their conversation and the disciples reviewed the facts, and added their hopes that He should redeem Israel. EXPOSITION I. THE CHRISTIAN HEAVENLY MINDED. (VV.1-4.) (1) [[bold]]If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.[[/bold]] Seeing then that [[bold]]ye are risen with Christ.[[/bold]] This refers to Col. 2:12. "Buried with him in baptism ye are risen, with Him." Since ye have most cordially secured the doctrine of Christ; and profess to be partakers of this Spiritual religion, that promise spiritual and eternal things. Seek those things and look to be prepared to enjoy them. If this is true of the Colossian Christian, then it behooved them to show it more and more, and to press forward in the divine life by seeking those things which are above. Perfect knowledge, holiness and felicity, in the immediate presence of god. The assured hope and the happy earnestness and first fruits of those, they ought to seek with the most decided preference to all worldly interests or pleasures, and in the diligent use of all appointed means. Then they should follow Christ their forerunner. (2) [[bold]]Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.[[/bold]] Love heavenly things. Study them, let your hearts be entirely engrossed by them. Now that ye are counted to God, act in reference to heavenly things as ye did formerly in reference to those of earth. (3) [[bold]]For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.[[/bold]] As Christians, ye Colossians, are dead to all hopes of happiness in the present world; and according to your profession, should feel no more appetite for the things of this life, than he does whose soul is departed into the invincible state. Now since your state is changed and you are dead to sin and alive to God; in conformity to His death and resurrection, so you might be conformed to Him in His ascension into heaven, where, as their surety He was exalted on His mediatorial throne, at the right hand of the Father, to appear in His presence and prepare a place for them - [[bold]]Your life is hid with Christ in God[[/bold]] - Christ is your treasure and where your treasure is there is your heart. Christ lives in the bosom of the Father as your heart is in Him, yea also, sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. Christ is the life of your souls; and so He is hidden in the bosom of the Father so are ye who live through and in Him. (4) [[bold]]When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.[[/bold]] When therefore Christ, who is their life shall appear, to raise the dead and judge the world, then would every one of them, who thus lived by Him, appear with Him in glory being completely like him within body and soul, that they might all be glorified together with Him and their comforts on earth and the previous felicity of their departed spirit would be anticipation of their perfect and eternal glory reserved for them. II. THE CHRISTIAN DIVINELY DIRECTED. ((VV. 12-19.) (12) [[bold]]Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;[[/bold]] God had [[bold]]chosen[[/bold]] the Gentiles, and called them to the same privileges as the Jews and intended to make them as truly His people as the Jews ever were. He calls them [[bold]]the elect[[/bold]] or chosen of God; and as the Jews, who were formerly the elect, were still beloved and called to be holy. So he calls the Colossians beloved, and shows them that they are called with the same holy calling. As the elect put on [[bold]]bowels of mercies.[[/bold]] Be merciful, not in act merely, but in Spirit and affection. In all cases of this kind let your heart dictate to your hand - Let your tenderest feeling come in contact with the miseries of the distressed as soon as they ever present themselves. Though it is known that to put on and to be clothed with, are figurative expressions, and mean to assume such and such characters and qualities; yet there may be a higher meaning here. The apostle would have them to feel the slightest touch of another's misery; and, as their clothes are put over the body, so their tenderest feeling should be always within the reach of the miserable. (13) [[bold]]Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.[[/bold]] As the elect of God, who had been beloved and chosen in Christ and "called to be
