River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-02-01

sEkaA committed un U
Him against that
day" (Timothy LID. From John
5:13 we learn that God intends that
| all his children shall know whose
children they are. John 81 teaches
the same doctrine of assurance: BE
hold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed Npon 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 beep 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 is
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, I know that my sins are for
given because I have Gods word for
it. II I accept Jesus Christ as my
personal Savior, 1 know that l have
become a child of God because Gods
word afirms 1t. 1t is not a question
of how I feel, but of what God says
The feeling may be wholly lacking,
and yet the transaction may be none
the less real.
DR.. A. J. Gordon was once dealing
with lady who claimed to have ac-
cepted Christ, but who did not feel
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
CQ1S house WHICH you 40 DOI nave III
any other?" Eyes" "Is 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, if lived in It long enough"
How then do you know that this
house is yours?" Because l have the
deed which conveys the property to
eyes" "You are sure that this house
is your because the record says SOP"
eyes" "And you would be Just as
sure even if you did not have that
peculiar at home feeling of which
you speak?" IT think So The feel
ing is very pleasant, but 1t is no
proof of ownership"
Nov IL you could see deed by
which God had given to you eternal
life. would you believe the record?"
"I certainly would" Would that
record be sufficient to convince you
without additional evidence?" II
think 1t would" lie then asked her
to read l. John Sill, IL, "And this Is
the record that God hath given to us
eternal life. and this life is in His
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 II do" Be-
cause I have Gods Word for It,"
2. The witness of the Spirit Gro
mans S:16). 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
proye that one is child of God, and
II one does not believe this witness,
he makes God liar Il. John 5:10)
However the believer is entitled also
to the witness OF the Spirit, the con.
scious realization that he is 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.
entity but persistently inquire the rea,
son why. "He that hath My COM
ymandments and keepeth them !.
will manifest Myself to him" John
14:2D.
? The fruit of the spirit (Gal.
5:22). 1.-THE fruit of the Spirit is love,
10y. peace, long-suffering, gentlenaSs
goodness, faith, meekness, ten er
ance." This is the evidence when
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 gift is bestowed
instantly.