The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-03-25

worthy Of repen lance" Repentance
Is not "godly sorrow for SIM as Is
usually said. but ia the result Of god.
ly sorrow, (Cor. 7:10).
!. The fourth step in coming to
Christ was their baptism "ior the re.
mission Of aims" For In answer to
their inquiry. "What shall We do?"
they were told to "Repent We, aud be
baptized every one Of you in the name
of Jesus Christ unto the remission o.
your sins: and We shall receive the
gift Of the Holy Spirit" (Acts o::S77,
3S). This Is not q popular answer
now; but those wio do not like 1t and
who do not give 1t ito lnqulrIng souls,
will have the intermlnable and impos-
sible task Of proving that Jesus has
given them authority to alter 1t or set
It aside altogether. The popular doc
trine Is, Repent We, every one Of You
in the name Of Jesus Christ unto the
remission Of your sins, and then you
mag il you wish be Baptized because
your sins are already forgiven" But,
this was not the answer given the
5000 in tails greatest OF all meetings.
This baptism was al act tnat buried"
the candidate while he aud the preach.
er were down in the wafer" See
Acts 5000 and Rom. G:3. 4; Col.
2:ta,13.
&. After repentance and baptism,
and upon the condition Of their re.
pentance and baptism, he offered them
forgiveness OF sins. At the moment
Of their "burial with Christ In hap.
TAM" they came to the "blood Of
Christ which cleanseth from all sins"
For 1t was in His death that his blood
was shed.
6. Gift Of the Holy Spirit. This is
descriptive Of the condition into which
the obedience ndIne,l brings one. Ev-
cry one has spirit while he Nves
which is either holy or unnoly. Tie
design OF requiring men to obey the
Lord is to purify their spirits until
they are the Holy Spirit. This is not
a promise OF "the baptism in the Holy
Spirit" for that carried with 1t the
power to speak in tongues and per-
form miracles. There Is something
quite simple and natural about the pro.
cess required by the Apostle. With IT,
before us Vt seems impossible that such
confusion as now Is found among re-
ligionlsts concerning the matter Of how
men and women are to be conducted
to Christ. should have ever occurred.
The Introduction OF human wisdom Is
responsible for the confusion. The
order In this great meeting where "the
straight gospel" was preached for
sure. Is: !. Hearing the word: ..
Believing the word. 3. Conviction Of
sin. 4. Repentance. S. Baptism for
the remission Of sins G. Holy Spirit.
But men have changed this TO-: !.
Baptism {of lnfants>. .. Hearing the
word. 3. Holy Spirit. 4. Conviction.
S. Remission Of sins. c. Repentance.
Or TO this: /. Holy Spirit (operat.
Ing Independent nj or aside from the
werd Of the Lords 2. Conviction. Q.
Repentance. 4. Faith. 5. Remission
Of sins. 6. Baptism.
These are not all the changes that
might be noted, changes that are
brought about by substitutions, add.
tions and snbtractions that nave been
made In the divine order. The order
observed on the day Of this great
meeting was under the immediate d..
rection Of Christs heaven.sent mes.
seNgers, the Apostles. It hns the au.
thorlty and sanction Of Christ and the
Father. What evidence has any one
that ne will accept any other? or that
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