The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-04-10

&&&%8 have eno
80 am persuaded that
He 10 able; to keep
that which I hars
committed untc
HIN against that
day" (Timothy 1:is). From John
5:18 we learn that God intends ta.s
all his children shall know whose
children they are. I John 81 teaelss
the same doctrine Of assurance: .eoo
hold. what manner Of love the Father
hath bestowed upon u, that We
Sbculd be called the chtldFsn OF God;
and such we are"
Il 10 not important tnat nne shp-iad
know when he became 9 Castgtaan.
but It is very important thst -
should know that he IL . Christian
Those who have been ,conTertsd3 I'm
childhood pften have NO recollection
OF the tiurs when they we're convert
ed but It ID otsneeeasnys that thsy
should. HIS necessary however.
that they SHOULD know that they are
converted. If they are to have any
10y Dr. .efscaency in Christian work
Theirs are three unmistakabls 11roofs
or the belIeyersescushlp.
!. The wttneas OF Gods word Re-
member that forgiveness Of sin 10
something which takes place IN the
mind Of God, and not In the emotion:
al nature Of the believer. Our first
and best evidence Of any such trans
action then, must be the testimony OF
God Himself. II He, names certain
conditions upon which He win for
give sin. and I comply With these CON;
ditions, ! know that my sins are Tor,
given because I have Gods WORD Tot:
II. If I accept Jesus Christ: q my.
personal Savior, I know that / have,
become a child Of God because Gods
word afirms II. It Is not a question.
Of how / feel. but Of what God says.
The feeling may be wholly lacking.
and yet the transaction may be none
the less real.
DR.. A. ]. Gordon was once dealing
with a lady who claimed to have &C,
cepted Christ, but who did not fee.
saved. All efforts to help her, were
unsuccessful. until finally he asked II
she owned the house in which she
lived. She said she did. DO you,
have a certain at home feeling IN,
this house which you do not have ip
any other?" Eyes" us, that why
you know the house Is yours!" Ger.
tainly not. I suppose ] might feel as
much at home IN a house, which was
not mine, II l lived in 1t long enough"
How then do you know that this
house is yours?" Because I have the
deed which conveys the property to
me. and have read It with. my one.
eyes" you are sure that this house
isGyour. because the record says SOL.
Yes" "And you would be Just sGas
sure even II you did not have that
peculiar at home feeling Of which,
you speak," II think so. The 4eel.
ing is very pleasant, but It IL no
proof tof ownership"
NOW II you could see a deed by
which God had given to yod eternal
life, would you believe the record!"
'T certainly would Would. that
record be sufficient to convince you
without additional evidenfeE II
think It would He then askea hss
to read I. John 5:11..314A-And this -
the record that God hath giyen-to 10
eternal life. and this life II IN His
Son. He that hath the son hath fife:
and he that hath not the Son hath not
life" When she had read. the. verses
he asked her Il she know that she
vas saved. and she said, -rfdo" 10
cause I have God.g Word TO. n"
3. The witness Of the. Spirit Gro
mans $40, THE SPIRIT Htmselt,
beareth witness with our spirit that
We are the children Of God" Let II
be clearly understood that the wit.
ness, Of Gods Word 10 SUFFICIENT to
prove that one, ia. child OF God and.
II one does not believe this witneaa.
he makes God a liar Il. John 5:1o).
However the believer is entitled also
10 the witness Of the Spirit; the con.
sctous realisation that he IL a child OF
God. and. he should not rest satisfied
until he has It. II Is a part Of his
Inheritance in Jesus Christ and II he
has not received It. he should rever,
emily but persistently inquire the rea,
son why. He Il 1t hath My COM
mandments and keepeth them .,,,.
I will manifest Myself to him" John
14:21).
8. The fruit Of the spirit (Gal.
S:22). "The fruit Of the Spirit Is love.
Joy, peace. long-suffering. gentleness.
goodness, faith, meekness. temper.
ence." This is the evidence which
our neighbors will appreciate most,
and which ought to be apparent; to all.
It does not appear all at once, how:
ever, for fruit grows. and growth re-
quires time, while a gift Is bestowed
s~$opklv