The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-10-04
The PEOPLES FORUM.
What We Know, or Certainties in
Religion.

we know that we are OF God, and
the whole world ieth in wickedness. -
Mankind is divided into two great
classes. They are for or against Cos.
The Christian belongs TO God, is for
Him and of Him and to Him, the rest
of the world. is IN the gall of bitterness
and in the bonds of iniquity.
The Christian has passed from death
unto life. He is saved. He can face
death knowing that all will bewell with
him. He has passed from suppositlon
into state of knowledge, from I'M
certainty to assurance. He is satisfied
with the hope within him, being assur-
ed that his Lord is able to keep that
which he has committed unto Him
against that day. On what does this
knowledge rest? Our feelings? AS
suredly not This were foundal ion of
mere sand, shifting and changable as
the wind. 1t would be poor hope. 1t
would be as uncertain as weather
vane.
Feelings change and vanish and with
them would vanish our knowledge of
salvation. Feelings are as evanescent
as the fog of the morning. knowledge
is certain, but to make that which is
absolutely certain depend on that which,
of all things, is uncertain, is contrary
to reason. No where in scripture do
we find any such an idle thought.
This knowledge does not depend on
direct revelation from heaven. No
such thing comes to the converted per-
son to assure him he is saved The
spirit, it is true, beareth witness with
our spirit, but that is to our 5onship.
This knowledge rests on the word of
God alone. We know it because God
says so, and he makes this declaration
in His, word. Jesus says, ''He that
heareth my voice and believeth on Him
that sent me hath everlasting life"
From this then We must conclude,
that if we believe we have life, we
know it for God says so, His word is
the foundation. We sometimes look
within Us FOR direct proof of our beng
saved, but we are disappointed. We
forget the word of the Lord is the best
proof. 1t is the surest for it is abso-
Lutte Nothing can be more certain
than the nature of the world in which
we live. We know this to be true by
experience. 1t IS full of sin. It's
character is evil We must bear tast-
mony that its work is evil We must
therefore refuse to 1t. We must bear
witness against it, must preach the
gospel TO It, and urge men to accept it,
and we will do this effectively by our
example and daily life if We are Chris,
tians in fact as well as in name.
1t is true, satisfying. comforting,
while the Lord is of long suffering,
kindness and tender mercy. We dare
not be concerned to it for that would
be treason to Him who has redeemed
US.
We may know this great fact by his
tory and the historical proof appeals to
the ordinary man with much force. We
may know 1t by observation and es-
pecally by experience, the testimony
Of experience cannot be gainsayed 1t
cannot be combatted. What a man
knows, all the reasonings and sophistry
of the human intellect cannot disprove
Again we know that all things work
together for good to them that love the
Lord and are called according to his
purpose. When Paul spake these
words he was moved by the Spirit of
God. Here is comfort for suffering
saints. We know. not a matter of
opinion but of consciousness. We know
it from the nature of the covenant of
grace which is ordered in all things and
sure. We know it because of our re-
lationship to God. We are His sons
His children and we know it from the
experiences of his people. Witness
Joseph, Moses, Job and David. "All
things "-All of God 5 providences con
cur for the good of those that are
Christs. It's true that believers have
Affections and trials, but the inter
cession Of the spirit is effectual and no
matter how it goes with US all things
work together for good. Even suffer-
ings are for the benefit of Christians.
Paul tells US that even grievous chas-
tisements work the peaceabe fruits of
righteousness. Whatever powers and
Influences of the world may be brought
to bear upon US. all the operations Of
the spirit, the temptations of satan and
the persecution of men work for our
good or cooperate with each other to
this end.
There is unity in thAir operations as
well as connection. AS the machinery
works in harmony of the various parts
wheel within wheel and guided by the
hand ,tof the engineer, so all these
things are controlled by the spirit of
grace who works with and directs
events to their final issue.