Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1912-02-01

10y AAhhoAhy isA-fs hNh
5:lS 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 upon us. that we
should be called the children OF God:
and such we are"
II is not important that n should
know when he became a Christian,
but It is very important that he
should know that he is q Christian.
Those who have been converted in
childhood often have no recollection
Of the time when they we're convert
ed. but It is not necessary that they
should. II is necessary. however.
that they should know that they are
converted. u they are to have any
Joy or efficiency in Christian work.
There are three unmistakable proofs
Of the believers sonship.
|. 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 II He names certain
conditions upon which II. viii for
give sin. and | comply with these con.
ditions. | know that my sins are for
given because I have Gods word for
IL II ! accept Jesus Christ as my
personal Savior. I know that I hnve
become 4 child OF God because Gods
word affrms II. II Is not a question
o. how ! feel. but Of what God says.
The feeling may be wholly lacking.
and vet the transaction may be none
the less real.
Or. A. ]. Gordon was once dealing
with n lady who claimed to have ac-
cspted Christ. but who did not feel
saved. Ali efforts to help her were
unsuccessful. until finally he asked 10
she owned the house in which she
lived. She said she did. DO NJ
have a certain at home feeling in
this house which you do not have in
any other" Yes" is that yhy
vou know the house Is yours" Ger
tainly not ! suppose I might feel as
much at home IN a house which was
no. mine. II | lived in 1. long enough"
How then do you know that thi.
house is yours" Because have the
deed which conveys the property to
me, and have read Il with my n
eyes" You are sure that this house
Is your because the record says so?"
Yes" And you would be lust as
sure even II you did not have that
peculiar at home feeling Of which
o speak," Il think so. The feel
Ing IS very pleasant. but II is no
proof Of ownership"
Now II you could see a deed by
which God had given to you eternal
life. would you believe the record ,"
81 certainly would Would that
record be sufficient to onvince you
without additional evidence" II
think # would" He then asked her
to read I. John Ell. II. And this !.
the record that God hath given t. u.
eternal life. ard this life Is in His
Son. He that hath the Son hath life.
ard he that hath no the Son hath no,
life When she had q the verse,
he asked her II she knew that she
was saved. and she saio. u do Be
cause have Gods Word for tt
.. The witness OF the Spirit tRo.
mans s:16l. The Spirit Himself
beareth witness with our spirit. that
We are the children o. God" Let I,
De clearly understood that the wit.
ness o. God's Word Is sufficient 10
prove that one is child OF God. and
II one does not believe this witness
he makes God a liar Il. John 5:I0l
However the believer IA entitled al.c
to the witness Of the Spirit. the con
scious realization that he is a child OF
God. and he should not rest satisfied
until he has II. II Is a part OF hi,
Inheritance in Jesus Christ and ~ h,
has not received II. be should reyer
emily but persistently inquir. the res
son Why. He that hath My com
mandinents and keepeth them
I will manifest Myself to him" Cyoh,
i4:3i).
3. The fruit Of the spirit ;Gal
s:22). The fruit of the Spirit is love
Joy. peace. long suierfng. g-en:l.re.s
goodness. faith. meekress. temper
ance This Is the evidence whic,
cur neighbors will appreciate mou,
and which ought 70 be apparent TO all
II does not appear ell al once. how
ever. for fruit grows. and growth re
nifras lime Whila a Kifr IL hastn-~