Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-02-18

Hss that which ! have
a. committed un
Him against that
day" (Timothy 1:12). From | John
513 we learn that God intends that
all his children shall know whose
children they are. l John 81 teaches
the same doctrine Of assurance: BE
hold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the children of God;
and such we are"
1t is not important that one should
know when he became a Christian,
but it is very important that he
should know that he is a Christian.
Those who have been converted in
childhood often have no recollection
of the time when they were convert
ed. but 1t is not necessary that they
should 1t is necessary, however,
that they should know that they are
converted if they are to have any
JOY or efficiency in Christian work.
There are three unmistakable proofs
of the believers sonship.
l. The witness Of Gods word. Re-
member that forgiveness of sin fs
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 If He names certain
conditions upon which He will for
give sin, and I comply with these con-
ditions, know that my sins are for
given because | have Gods word for
It, If ! accept Jesus Christ as my
personal Savior, I know that I have
become a child of God because Gods
word affirms it. 1t is not a question
of how feel but of what God saws.
The feeling may be wholly lacking.
end vet the transaction may be none
the less real.
DR.. A. J. Gordon was once dealing
with a lady who claimed to have &C
certed Christ but who did not feel
saved Az efforts to help her were
unsuccessful. until finally he asked If
che owned the house in which she
l'~'~' She said she did. do you
f~~o certain at home feeling in
| ''ia house which you do not have in
80 herr" yes" "Ts that why
! row the house is yours ." Ger.
-'o'v not I surrose I might feel as
| ,- - At home in house which was
not mine, if 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
is your because the record SAYS SOP"
Yes" And you would be Just as
sure even if you did not have that
peculiar at home feeling of which
! you speak," 81 think so The feel
ing is very pleasant, but 1t is no
| proof of ownership"
Now if you could see a deed by
/ which God had given to you eternal
life. would you believe the record ."
'T certainly would" "Would that
record be sufficient to convince you
without additional evidence" ~
think It would" He then asked her
to read L John Sill, ~ And this ie
the record that God hath given to rs
eternal i'e and this life is IN Ills
Son He that hath the Son hath life;
and he that hath not the Son hath not
life" When she had read the verses
he asked her If she knew that she
was saved, and she said Il do" Be
cause I have Gods Word for it
2. The witness Of the Spirit fRo-
mans $3.50 The Spirit Himself
beareth witness with our spirit. that
we are the children Of God Let 1t
be clearly understood that the wit
ness of Gods Word Is sufficient TO
prove that one is child of God. and
! If one does not believe this witness.
he makes God a liar n. John SOD
However the believer is entitled also
to the witness of the Shirt the con.
scious realization that he is a child of
God and he should not rest satisfied
until he has it. 1t is a part of his
inheritance in Jesus Christ and If he
has not received it, he should rever.
emily but persistently inquire the rea-
son why He that hath My com
mandments and keepeth them
! will manifest Myself to him" John
14:2D.
g. The fruit of the spirit Gal.
5:22). The fruit of the Spirit Is love.
JOY peace, long-suffering, gentleness.
goodness. faith, meekness, temper.
ance." This is the evidence which
our neighbors will appreciate most.
and which ought to be apparent to all
1t does not appear all at once. how
ever, for fruit grows. and growth re-
quires time. while a gift is bestowed
instantly