The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-09
.SERMOE ON LIBERTY OF THE SONS OF GOD Faith Devoid of Trust In Self
 Is Dead DEATH IN SLAVERY OF SIN A Man May Believe Jesus Is the Son of God Intellectually and Yet
 Not Become His
 Disciple.


 morning at the regular Il o'clock service on "The Liberty of the Sons of God,p taking his text from the thirty-sixth verse of the eighth chapter of John: If, there- fore, the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" The pastor spoke in part as follows
 We have in the seventh and eighth chapters of this gospel a collection of controversies between Jesus and "lhe Jews" 'the Pharsees," the Jerusalem ites' and the multitudes," about His origin, mission and destiny. The feeling displayed in it is that of intense oppos- ton and hostility, and it shows Jesus as magnificent fighter and dsputant. ''The Jews" seem to be Judeans who were con sidered rulers and represented the peo- pie of Judea in their attitude toward Jesus. They sought to find Jesus and to take Him. The Pharisees were plotting with the chief priests. Leading Saddu- cees to arrest Jesus and bring Him to trial before the Sanhedrin. The Jerusalem- ites looked on Him as an imposter from despised Galilee. The multitudes disputed and quarreled about Him.
 The one great topic of public interest at this feast of the tabernacles was, who is Jesus and what about His claims IS the Messiah? He is challenged to show convincing evidence of His being the Son of God at every turn; and His answer In every case is that He speaks as God speaks, works as God works, seeks Gods glory and honor All the while God is with Him and He does all things to please Him. but never speaks of Himself, nor works for Himself nor seeks to glorify or honor or please Himself.
 This appeal to the-facts as represented in His life ought to prove that He did not come on His own mission, but was sent of God to do His will; that God rec ognized His life by bearing witness to His work and glorifying Him in it, and perfect reciprocity of fatherhood and sonship is manifested between them. As Son His life is one constant appeal to God as His Father; and as Father, God Is ever responsive to that appeal. Thus His life bears witness to His claims to be the Son of God.
 By their fruits ye shall know them,
 
 and if I do not the works of God believe me not" Jesus never once appealed to His virgin birth when challenged to give proof of His sonship with God, but always to His Messanic life. This, of course, cannot be an argument against the virgin birth, but it does argue against giving to that event the position of being necessary to a belief In His sonship to God.
 Arguments Convincing.
 These arguments proved convincing to some of the Jews many of whom be- lieved on Him." This language take 1t means only that they gave intellectual as- sent to His being the Messiah, the Son of God. But this sort of faith is not that which fruits in making one disciple. doubt not that the devil also believes and gives intellectual assent to this truth. John is clear in his distinction between such faith, and that which leads one to cntrust himself to Jesus as His own Mes siah from God and Lord of life. This sort of faith which makes one nearer but not doer of the Word, seems to have been characteristic of these Judeans; for year and half before this He tells us of these same Judeans. Many be- lieved on His name, beholding the signs which He did,
 But Jesus did not trust Himself to them, for that He knew all men, and be- cause He Himself knew what was in man. Faith which does not carry with 1t the entrusting of self is dead. So the task which now faced Jesus in His deal ines with these Jews was to lead this abortive faith to fruit in true disclpie- ship. So He said unto them, If ye abide in my word, ye are truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free"
 But what is this freedom of which He speaks? He has just told them that un- less they believe that He is what His ife shows Him to be they shall die in their sins: and, though seeking Him, they can not find Him nor follow Him whither lie eoes. A man may believe that Jesus IS the Son of God intellectually, and yet not become His disciple; but die in his sins and not share the Messiah's destiny, but continue in the slavery of sin.
 This implication of His words the Jews resent as a reflection on their Abra'hamic descent and prerogatives; and they reply, we are Abraham's seed, and have never vet been in bondage to any man; how sayest thou we shall be made free?" Jesus answers. ''Every one that committeth sin is a slave. And the slave abideth not in the house forever; the Son abideth for ever. If therefore, the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed. l know that ye are Abraham's seed; yet ye seek to kill Me, because My word hath no place in you. But if ye were Abrahan's sons ye would do the works of Abra- ham, But now ye seek to kill Me, man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. speak the things which I have seen with a Father; and ye do the things which ye heard from father"
 This rejoinder is to an English or Greek full Of awkward and rerplexing difficul- ties, owing to the fact that the original Aramaic had no term for expressing the making of a son, an adoption. But the current of thought is clear. He means to say that Jew who commits sin, is but a slave in the Abrahamic household, though of Abraham's seed that as slave he does not belong permanently to