The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-03-20

~EHH2%H&&8%AS&Z SAes
8A committed unto
Him against that
day" (Ttmothy 1:12). From John
b:1S we learn that God intends hat
ali his children shall know whose
children they are. I 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 GOO;
and such we are"
It Is not important that one snouio
know when he became q CHRISTIAN
but It is very important that lie
should know that be Is a Christian.
Those who have been converted IN
childhood often have no recollection
Of the time when they were v
ed. but It is not necessary that they
should. It Is necessary, however
that they should know that they are
converted, II they are to have n
Joy or efficiency in Christian work.
There are three unmistakable proofs
Of the believers sonship.
I. The witness Of Gods word. Re
member that forgiveness OF sin ID
something which takes place In the
mind Of God, and not In he emotion
al nature Of the believer. Our first
md best evidence Of any such trans
action then, must be the testimony OF
God Himself. II He names certain
conditions upon which He Will for
give ain, and I comply with these con:
ditions. ] know that my sins are for
given because I have Gods word for
It. II l accept Jesus Christ as my
personal Savior. I know that ! have
become a child Of God because Gods
word, afirms It. 1t Is not a question
of how 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 a lady who claimed to have &C
copied Christ, but who did not feel
saved. All efforts to help her were
unsuccessful, until finally he asked If
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?" Eyes" "Ts that why
you know the house is yours" Ger
tainty not. i suppose I might feel as
much at home In a house which was
not mine, II I lived In It 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 so?"
yes" "And you would be just as
sure even II 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 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 convince you
without additional evidence?" Il
think It would" He then asked her
to read I. John 5:11. 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 II she knew that she
was saved, and she said. IL do" Be
cause | have Gods Word for It"
3. The witness Of the Spirit Gro
mans 8:16). 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
prove that one Is child Of God. and
II one does not believe this witness,
he makes God a liar Il. John 5:10).
However the believer Is entitled also
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 1t. 1t is q part Of his
inheritance In Jesus Christ, and II he
| has not received It. he should rever.
emily but persistently inquire the rea-
son why. HE Il 1t hath My COM
mandments and keepeth them 49,,
I will manifest Myself to him" John
14:21).
8. The fruit Of the spirit (Gal.
5:22). 1.-THE fruit Of the Spirit is love.
Joy, peace. long-suffering. gentleness,
goodness. faith. meekness. temper
ance." This Is the evidence which
u %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.
ouires time, while a gift Is bestowed
instantly.