Democratic messenger., 1902-05-24
hem that believe on his name" John

i: II.
There is a very insidious kind of heresy
making its way through the world to-day,
which declares there Is such thing as the
universal fatherhood OF God and the uni.
versal brotherhood OF man; that God is the
father of all His creatures, and that every
man is my brother. This is certainly con.
trary to the Scriptures. We become sons
OF God. not by the lives we live, nor by
doing good, nor by reading the Bible. nor
by praying without ceasing, but we become
Gods sons by regeneration. This is the
work of the Holy Ghost, and is wrought
in Us the very moment we by faith accept
Jesus Christ as a Saviour. 1t Is not posi-
bic for us in any other way to come into
this world than to be born into it; it is
not possible for us ever to enter the king
dom of God except bv the new birth.
This constitutes us children OF God.
Ill Our having peace depends upon
what we do with Jesus Christ. There
fore be;-y justified By fnith. we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"
Romans V: l.
When we remember that peace is the op
posite of confusion, OF strife, OF unrest, we
are able to see how great is the Blessing
which comes to us by the acceptance Of
Gods Som We do not think of peace as
Simply an emotion. 1t is not an experience.
but il is that which comes to us with the
presence of Christ. He is our peace, and
whatever may be a mans position in tbs
world. if he has rejected Christ, or I'm
,ther Words ii he has failed 10 accept HIM,
he must go forever throughout the world
can be no peace.
" Our having joy depends upon what
we do with Christ Whom having not
seen. We love; in whom, though now We see
Him not, yet believing. ye rejoice with
JOY unspeakabie and full of glory" ]
Peter i: s. We also remember the words
OF Jesus when He said: THESE words have
full"
Joy is better than happiness. People oil
the world may have happiness, but only
Gods children possess joy. Happiness j:
that which happens to come to us, and
those who lay hold upon it are dependent
upon their circumstances and surroundings
Joy has nothing TO do with circumstance
or surroundings. but comes to us because
OF our faith in Him who ever lives to pour
out upon His people His own presence anc
blessing.
V. Our having eternal life depends upcu
what we do with Jesus. ''He that befev
eth on the Son hath everlasting life; and
he that believeth not the Son shall not see
lie; but the wrath of God abideth or
him" John iii: 50.
BY nature we have the flesh with us, and
we shall always have i: with us until ouI
redemption bodies are bestowed upsn us
1t is natural therefore that there should
be n constant warning between the life o
God which comes in regeneration and the
old nature which is at enmity with God
and always must be, but it is a great joy te
know that we may every one of us so sur
render ourselves to Him who is our life
that the old nature shall be put down AMI
held in subjection, and we ourselves '.be
more than conquerors."
Finally. let me say that there are three
sentences which ought to be written plain
ly before every one who is to make this de
cision or who fails to make it.
First. We must either accept Him or re
ject Him.
Second. We must either let Him cone
into our hearts, or we must shut the door
ard keep Him out.
Third. We must either confess Him OF
deny Him. "Whosoever. shall confess Me
before men, him will / confess before Ms
Father which is in heaven; but whosoevei
shall denv Me before men, him will deny
before My Father which is in heaven"
Matt. X: 81, SO.
There is no middle ground. God pity us
if TO-DAY we turn awav from Him, for
IT MAY BE THE LAST TINE!