Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 330
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PAUL'S LAST LETTER . 323 teachers,havingitchingears; andtheyshallturn away theirearsfrom the truth, and shallbe turned unto fables ." The apostledoes nothere referto the openly irreligious,but toprofessedChristianswho have indulgedinclinationuntiltheyareenslavedby theirown ungovernedpassions,- " ledaway with divers lusts." Such desire to hear doctrines that willnot interferewith theirsinfulcourse,or condemn theirpleasure-lovingpropensities. Hence theyareoffendedby theplainwordsofthefaithfulservantsof Christ, and choose those teachers who willpraiseand flatterthem insteadof rebuking theirsins. These teachers "they heap to themselves" as specialfavorites. Even among the professedministersof Christ,therearemany who do not preachtheword,but theopinionsof men . They have turned away theirearsfrom truth. The Lord has spoken tothem in hisword ; but they do not careto hear his voice,because it condemns theirpractices. In histen holyprecepts,God has givena rule forman'slife,a law which Christdeclaresisnot toabateone jotof itsclaimsupon men through alltheirgenerations,to thecloseof time. That law isstillthe believer'sruleof life,the sinner's condemnation. That law Christ came to magnifyand make honorable. He showed thatitis basedupon the broadfoundationof lovetoGod and men ,and thatobediencetoitspreceptscom-prisesthe wholeduty of man . In hisown life he gave men a perfectexampleof obediencetothe law of God . In his sermon on the mount he showed how itsrequirementsextend beyond the outward acts, and take cognizanceof the thoughtsand intentsof theheart. That law,