Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-06-13
Full Assurance of Faith.

Out Vi dll uenOmlnaIlOnS.
Full Assurance Of Faith.
The Pastor then explained how the
consecrated people of God may have
full assurance of faith, In His Word
God tells us that by nature we were
children of wrath even as others; that
Christ tasted death for the whole
world. and that by and by He will
give human life, restitution life, to all
who will receive it; but that meantime
the call Is for those who will separate
themselves from the world and be "a
peculiar people. Jealous of good works"
of everything that is Gods willard
ready to lay down their lives in doing
that will. Those who know that such
is the teaching of Scripture have
good basis for faith. Those who have
taken the steps of repentance of
sin, of trusting in the Redeemcr for
salvation. of cOnsecrating themselves
to God, now have by faith all those
graces of character reckOned to them
which the world will actually receive
during the thousand years of the Reign
Of Christ, To the consecrated the Fa-
ther has fulfilled His promise by Civ
ing them a measure of His Holy Spirit
Lest any should misapprehend his
| meaning, the Pastor explained that the
| Holy Spirit Is not now manifested in
the same way that it was in the early
Church. At that time it was mani
tested In miraculous way-with out
ward evidences, such as tongues. mira
cles of healing, etc, attesting that
those who received these gifts were
acceptable to God as members of His
Church and had been begotten of the
| Holy Spirit. But after the Church had
been established, there was no further
need OF such manifestations. Through
out the remainder of the Gospel Age
the Holy Spirit has manifested itself
only by the fruits Of righteousness
meekness, genteness, patience. broth
erly kindness-love. When the mirac-
ulous gifts ceased, these fruits and
graces Of the Spirit continued.
The Pastor concluded with an exhor-
tation that the people of God see to It
that they daily grow in grace and in
knowledge. becoming more and more
like the Lord Jesus in character. Our
Lord said that every tree Is known by
Its fruits. Are we bearing good fruit
he asked. Are we having more and
more fellowship with God and with
our Lord Jesus? Are we getting into
deeper and broader sympathy with all
of the Household of Faith? Are we
coming more and more into sympathy
with the poor world in its fallen condi-
ton, and with every good effort to help
them up out of such condition? If so.
then we have evidence not only that we
have believed in the right Book and in
the true God, but that we are the chill
dren of God and heirs-joint-heirs with
Jesus Christ our Lord.
We shall be tested as to our willing.
ness to suffer with our Lord This
does not mean suffering for wrOng-do-
Ing; for st. Peter reminds US that a
Christian who suffers as a busybody In
other mems affairs is not suffering for
Christ's sake. Perhaps one-half of the
suffering in the world and in the
Church results from buSybodying. But
the people Of God are not to suffer as
: evil.doers. They may be miSrepresent
! ed as evil-doers. but such suffering is
/ not for evil-doing. even If they be sc
, blamed. But "if any man suffer, lei
, him suffer rs n Christian" The speak
er reminded his hearers that Jesus
: Himself was accused Of being an evil
| doer, blasphemer, an injurious per
/ son; and so were the ApoStles-all theil
> prosecutions were on that score. Bu
J what the Apostle Peter says is that il
| you suffer let it be for something right
/ that you have done. in harmony witt
) your covenant with God, in harmony
/. with Gods Word and will Those whC
, suffer as Christians should rejolc,
: therein; for the Spirit of God and ot
, glory rests on all such, and they ma!
a have full assurance of faith.