CHAPTER II.

The Practical Teachings of the Apostles.

ALTHOUGH it will be seen from the foregoing extracts that the practical teachings of Christ are very important, we shall discover from our next branch of New Testament Christianity that the Apostles also wrote and uttered much. sound advice of a practical nature.

Obey Christ's Commandments.

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep
his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and
keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth
is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him
verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we
that we are in him."
(1 John 2:3).

"And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him,
and he in him."
(1 John 3: 24.)
"And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal
salvation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5:9.)

Live as Christ Lived.

"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

"Always bearing about in the body the

Jesus, that the life also of Jesus
manifest in our body."

(1 John 2: 6.) dying of the Lord might be made (2 Cor. 4: 10.)

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so

walk ye in him."

(Colos. 2: 6.)

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

Love One Another.

(Gal. 5 25.)

This great commandment is repeated so often by the Apostles, that to quote every passage would be quite needless.

"If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors."

"Speak not evil one of another."

(James 2: 9.) (James 4: 11.)

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

(Gal. 5: 14.)

(Rom. 13: 8.)

"Love one another: for he that loveth another hath ful-
filled the law."
"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
(1 John 4: 8.)
"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a
liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath
seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from him, That he
who loveth God love his brother also."

(1 John 4: 21.) See also 2 John 5 and 6; Rom. 14:9; and 1 John 3.

Avoid Strife and Division.

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and
that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the
same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me
of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house
of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
Now, this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of
Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of
Christ. Is Christ divided?" (1 Cor. 1: 10-13.)
Now, therefore, there is utterly a fault among you, be-
cause ye go to law one with another.*
rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer your-
selves to be defrauded?"
(1 Cor. 6: 7.)

66

Why do ye not

"For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, (1 Cor. 3: 3.)

and walk as men ?"

The same injunction is repeated in Philippians 2:2; also

* How far the litigation which distinguishes the current history of the Church of England applies to this text the reader may judge for himself.

in 2 Tim. 2: 14; Rom. 16: 17; 2 Cor. 13: 11; and James 3: 14.

Love Not the World.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world the love of the Father
is not in him."
(1 John 2: 15.)

66 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now
tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of
the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose
God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame,
who mind earthly things." (Phil. 3: 18, 19.)

66 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the
earth."
(Colos. 3: 2.)
"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the
friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever
therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of
God."
(James 4: 4.)
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of
the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things
of the Spirit."
(Rom. 8: 5.)

Chastity.

General Precepts.

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication."

Fraud.

(1 Thess. 4: 3; also Eph. 5; and Heb. 13.)

"That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any
matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all
such, as we also have forewarned you and testified."
(1 Thess. 4: 6.)

Peaceful Labour.

"And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own
business, and to work with your own hands, as we
commanded you."
(1 Thess. 4: 11.)

Mourn not for the Dead.

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, con-
cerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not,
even as others which have no hope.
For if we

believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them
also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”
(1 Thess. 4:13.)

Civil Speech.

"Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every
man."
(Colos. 4: 6.)

Foolish Talk.

"Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which
are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks."
(Ephes. 5: 4.)

Advice to Children.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise)."

Advice to Parents.

(Ephes.; and Col. 3 : 20.)

"And ye parents, provoke not your children to wrath:
but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of
the Lord."
(Ephes.; and Col. 3: 21.)

Advice to Servants.

"Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." (Titus; also Ephes. 6; 1 Tim. 6; Col. 3: 22; 1 Peter 2: 18.)

Meekness and Forbearance.

"With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love."

(Ephes. 4: 2; and Col. 3.)

"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour."

Truthfulness.

Anger.

(Ephes. 4: 25.)

"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon

your wrath let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice."

(Eph.; Col. 3:8; and Jas. 1: 19.)

Honest Labour v. Theft.

"Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him

labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." (Ephes. 4: 28.)

Bad Language.

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

I

(Ephes. 4: 29; also 1 Pet. 2: 10; Col. 3:8; and Jas. 1: 26.)

Kindness and Forgiveness.

"And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

(Ephes. 4: 32; Rom. 13: 10; and Col. 3.)

Disorderly Behaviour and Idleness.

"For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us; for we
behaved not ourselves disorderly among you. Neither
did we eat any man's bread for nought, but wrought
with labour and travail night and day, that we might
not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have
not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you
to follow us. For even when we were with you, this
we commanded you, that if any would not work,
neither should he eat. For we hear that there are
some which walk among you disorderly working not
at all, but are busybodies. Now, them that are such
we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ,
that with quietness they work, and eat their own
bread."
(2 Thess. 3: 7-12.)

Advice to Wives.

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation