Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-04-25


help his fellow men.
While the personal worker should
be humble, yet he must not be lacking
in certainty as to his own salvation.
1t is not necessary that he should
know when he became Christian, but
it is very important that he should
know that he is Christian. So long
as one is in doubt as to his own stand
ing in Christ, it is utterly useless for
him to try to lead others to Christ.
If it be asked: "Can one know sure |
ly that he is a Christian?" the answer
is, Paul knew that he was saved (I
limo. :12), and 1 John :13 shows
that God intends that all his children
shall know whose children they are.
'These things have 1 written unto
you, that ye may know that We have
eternal life" There are three sure
proofs of the believers sonship.
(a) The witness of Gods word. Re
member that forgiveness of sin is
something that takes place in the mind
of God, and not in the emotional ma
ture of the believer. Our first and
best evidence of any such transaction,
| then, must be the testimony of God
| himself. If he names certain condi-
| tions upon which he will forgive sin,
| and 1 comply with those conditions, !
| know that my sins are forgiven, be-
cause / have Gods word for it. If I
| accept Jesus Christ as my personal
| Savior, I know that l have become a
child of God, because Gods word af-
firms it. 1t is not question Of how
I feel, but of what God says. The
feeling may be wholly lacking, and
yet the transaction may be none the
less real.
(b) The witness of the Spirit. ''The
Spirit himself beareth witness with
our spirit, that we are children of
God" (Rom. S:16). Let it be clearly
understood that the witness of Gods
word is sufficient to prove that one
is a child of God, and that, if one does
not believe this witness, he makes God
/ liar Il John 5:1O). However, the
believer is entitled also tc the witness
of the Spirit, and he should not rest
satisfied until he has it. 1t is a part
of his Inheritance in Christ Jesus; and,
if he has not received it, he should rev.
erently but persistently inquire the
reason why.
In some cases where the witness of
the Spirit is lacking it will be found
that the person has made no confeS-
siona of Christ Matt. 1922 shows
that, when we confess Christ before
men, he confesses US before the Fa-
ther. Rom. 1919 and I John 5:1O
would seem to indicate that, when we
confess to the world that we have tax
en- Jesus as our Savior the Spirit wit
nesses in our hearts that we are saved
A friend of mine was accosted by a
lady at the close of a service, who told
him that she had been trying to lead
a Christian life for years, but that she
had never enjoyed any assurance
She was a woman of intelligence and
refinement. He questioned her care
fully, but to all his questions she an
swered with the utmost frankness ant
candor that she knew of nothing ii
her life that was displeasing to God
Finally he asked whether she had eve
/ confessed Christ. To his surprise sh'
answered in the negative. She wal
l waiting until she had the inward as
/ surance that she was saved before sh,
made an outward confession of he
faith He showed her from the Bibl
2 that she was reversing Gods order
r which is first confession, and then tn
2 witness of the Spirit. The next nigh
s she was in the meeting; and, when al
p opportunity occurred, she arose an
quietly said: Friends, I wish t
l make a public confession Of my fait
f in Jesus Christ"
V The next day my friend met som
q one on the street, who inquire
whether he had heard about Mrs. -
. mo, what about her?"
"Why, last night she went to he
neighbor's house, after they had re
tired, and rang the bell. They opene
- the window and inquired who wa
:, there. She answered: Tt is Mr.
, -. 1 have confessed Christ as m
Savior tonight, and am so happ
= that 1 cannot contain myself.
- (c) The fruit of the Spirit tGa
5:22). 1.-THE fruit of the Spirit
. love, joy, peace, long suffering, gel
tleness, goodness, faith, meeknes
temperance" This is the evidenC
that our neighbors will appreciat
most, and which ought to be appareI
to all. 1t does not appear at one
l. however, for fruit grows, and growt
70 requires time, while a gift is bestOwe
instantly