Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1912-09-12

physical growth? Life. The same Is
true OF the spiritual Lie In God
through Jesus Christ II is this to
which be refers when he speaks oil
them to whom he writes as having OBJ
talned like precious faith with us In
the righteousness OF God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ"
The Christian is one who has "ob-
iained" something. he has not earned
1t or worked II out for himself. but
obtained II. That which he has OBJ
tanned Is faith. Faith is the gift OF
God. The object OF this faith. that on
which It terminates. is the righteous
ness OF God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ" Not the righteousness which
God is. but the righteousness which
God gives. his imputed righteousness
by which alone a man begins to live
before him.
Word Of God the Means.
ca He next speaks OF the me1ns
OF g'owth. which Is the word OF God
tyer.e 2-D. Grace and peace are null
tipli-d unto US through the knowledge
Of God. he says. and indeed, he adds.
AL things that pertain unto life and
goodness" come In the same way.
But this knowledge is not that which
was obtained in the handiwork OF ma
ture, but In the revealed word. De
sire the sincere milk OF the Word
that ye may grow thereby"
In our hearts is evil. but In the Word
there are exceeding great and pre-
cicus promises" and It Is as We see
and apprehend these that We desire
and reach out ior them. And in reach
ing out for them We drop these 1t
Is what the child does when the apple
falls out OF his hand as he opens II to
grasp the orange
90 The inspired penman is led far
Their to speak OF the nature OF Chris
tian growth in verses 81. which he
sets before us along seven different
lines OF deyelopment-virtue. knowl-
edge, temperance. patience. goodness.
brotherly kindness and charity or love
Virtue" Is not to be limited here to
the thought OF sexual chasteness. but
means as nearly as possible in a spirit
ual sense what "strenuousness" has
come to mean in the physical and in
tellectuaL A Christian man. In 9TH
er words. IS supposed % have the
courage OF his convictions In witness
ing TO 'esus Christ
In the same way temperance" does
not mean simply abstinence from in.
toxicating drink. but self-conirol in
the whole of ones conduct. a life KEEP,
well In hand for God. symmetrical.
spiritually well poised. an all-around
salnthood. No better illustration OF
this could be found than in the union
Of patience and goodness. which fol-
lows
The patience Is not to be n mare
stoical endurance. but united to and
flowing from spirit of enlightened
trust in God. The true Christian In
deed Is the ideal man. How sad that
there are SO few OF them when the
provision for their creation Is SO sim.
pie and SO freely offered by divine
grace
90 The result OF growth in grace
is three-fold oversees SID. First, fruit.
fulness; second. assurance. and third,
reward. II there is one thing more
than another that Christians want 10
know II is how they may be assured
OF salvation. Here is the A, b. C OF
1t: III ye do these things ys shall
never fall" This is the way to make
our calling and election sure, TO do
these things" This does not mean 10
make our calling and election sure SO
far as God is concerned. but so far
as We ourselves are concerned.
God knows whether we are called
and elected or not. and 1t can't be
any surer as to him. But II We dom,
know, the way to find out is to dc
these things. When hear a man say
he believes In the Lord Jesus Christ
but has no assurance OF salvation.
generally feel that there is something
In his life not right. and which he
knows TO be not right. and yet does
not put away. Get right with God and
assurance follovE.