The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-02-02

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E4A A committed unite,
Him against that
day" CTimothy 1;12). From JohE
b:13 we learn that God intends that
all his children shall know whose
children they are. | John 81 teaches
the same doctrine Of assurance: He
hold. what manner Of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that Wa
should be called the children Of God:
and such we are"
II Is not important that one should
know when he became a Christian,
but II Ia very important that he,
should know that he Is o Christian
Those who have been converted In
childhood often have no recollection
of the time when they were convert
ed, but II is not necessary that they
should. II Ia necessary, however,
that they should know that they are
converted, If they are to have any
Joy or efficiency in Christian work.
" E are three unmistakabie proofs
- me DelisNeI h bUUhHlp,
l.. The witness of Gods word. Re-
member that forgiveness Of sin IL
something which takes place IN thet
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 | comply with these con-
ditions. | know that my sins are for
given because | have Gods word for
II. II | accept Jesus Christ m nay
personal Savior. | know that ! have
become a child Of God because Gods
word aflrms II. II Ia not a question
Of how ] feel, but Of what God Gays.
The feeling may be wholly lacking.
and yet the transaction may be none
the less real.
Or. A. J. Gordon wac once dealing
with a lady who claimed to have nc.
cspted Christ, but who did not feel
saved. All efforts to help her were
unsuccessful, until finally he asked n
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 In
any other?" Yes" IT'S that why
you know the house is yours7" Ger
tainly not. ! suppose | might feel m
much at home in n house which was
not mine, II ! lived In Il long enough
How then do you know that this
house is yours?" Because ! have tbs
deed which conveys the property 10
me, and have read II with my one
eyes" you are sure that this house,
II your because the record a so?"
Yes" And you would be Just M
sure even n you did not have that
peculiar at home feeling OF which
you speak," ~ think 30. The feel
ing is very pleasant, but It Is ne,
proof OF ownership"
Now n you could see a deed by
which God had given TO you eternal
life, would you believe the rec0td?"
"I certainly would" Would that
record be sufficient to convince You
without additional evidenced" y
think II would" He then asked her
to read l. John b:1l. 10, And this 10
the record that God hath given to us
eternal life, and this life 10 IN His
Son. He that hath the Son hath life;
and he that hath not the Son hath not
When she had read the verses
he asked her II she knew that she
was saved, and she said. ~ do" he.
cause ! have Gods Word for IT,"
Q. The witness Of the Spirit tRo
$3.50. THE Spirit Himself
beareth witness with our. spirit that
are the children Of God" Lot II
be clearly understood that the wit
ness Of Code Word Is sufficient to
prove that one is child OF God n
Il one does not believe this Witness.
no makes God q liar II. John 5:10,,
However the believer Ia entitled Also
10 the witness Of the Spirit, the o
scious realization that he Is a child Of
God, and he should mot rest satisfied
until no has II. II 10 a part OF HIS
Inheritance IN Jesus Christ. and II he
mas not received II, be should rover
entity but persistentIy inquire the rea-
ION why. "He that hath My com.
nandments and keepeth them
will manifest Myself to him" John
3. The fruit Of the spirit (GaG.
"The fruit OF the Spirit IL love.
oy, peace, long-sufferlng. gentleness. F..
goodness, faith. ~meekness. temper
nee" This Ia the evidence which
'ur neighbors will appreciate moet.
md which ought 10 be apparent to an
I does not appear ell al once, how
yer. for fruit grows, and growth re-
Iuires time. while a gift 10 bestowed