The citizen., 1919-08-21

l,<a ET3eISktI another Is that Of
ln.1M k$<4EXu sinner saved
by grace, who.
having been saved himself, desires 70
help his fellow men.
While the personal worker should
he humble, yet he must not be lacking
Ia certainty ms 10 his own salvation.
II is not necessary that he should
know when he became Christian. but
II Is very important that he should
know that he is Christian. So long
ns one Is IN doubt as to his own stand
ing In Christ, II Is utterly useless for
him to try 10 lead others 20 Christ.
II II be- asked: "Can one know sure
ly that hr II Christinny' the answer
Is. Paul knew that he was saved 1l
limo. l:l2). and | John 5:l3 shows
that God intends that all his children
shall know whose children they are.
These things have ! written unto
You, that ye may know that ye 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 helieveg. our first and
best evidence of any such transaction.
then. must be- the testimony Of God
himself n he names certain condi-
tions upon which he will forgive sin.
aud ! comply with those conditions. I
know that my sins are forgiven. he
cause ! have Gods word for H. II |
accept Jesus Christ as my personal
Savior ! know that | have become n
child Of God. becnuse Gods word NJ.
firms II. II II not question Of how
! feel. but Of what God says. The
feeling may be wholly lacking, and
yet the transaction may be none the
less resi-.
(h) The witness of the Spirit The
Spirit himself beureth witness with
our spirit. that we are children Of
God" Gom. S:lG). Let IL be clearly
understood that the witness Of Gods
word is sufficient to prove that one
Is n child Of God and that. n one does
not believe this witness. he makes God
liar q John 500. However the
believer Is entitled also tc the witness
Of the Spirit. and he should not rest
satisfied until he has IL. II Is part
Of his inheritance In Christ Jesus; and.
II he has not received 1t. he should rev.
c'cntly hut persistently inquire the
reason why.
In some eases where the witness ~
the Spirit is lacking IL will be found
that the person has made no confes-
sion Of Christ. Matt. 10 .32 shows
that. when we confess Christ before
men. he confesSes us before the Fa-
ther. Rom. 1919 and | John $40
would seem to Indicate that. when we
confess to the world that We have TAX
On 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 service, who told
him that she had been trying 10 lead
"a Christian life for years. hut that she
had never enjoyed any assurance.
She was a woman of intelligence and
refinement lie questioned her care
fully. but to all his questions she an
swered with the utmost frankneSs and
candor that she knew of nothing I'm
her life that was displeasing TO God.
Finally he asked whether she had ever
confessed Christ. To his surprise she
answered In the negative. She was
waiting until she had the inward as
surance that she was saved before she
made an outward confession of her
faith. He showed her from the Bible
that she was reversing Gods order.
which is first confession. and then the
witness of the Spirit The next night
she was in the meeting; and, when an
opportunity occurred she arose and
quietly said: Friends. wish 10
make a public confession OF my faith
I'm Jesus Christ"
The next day my friend met some
one on the street, who inquired
whether he had heard about Mrs. -.
"No. what about herr"
hHer INST hikhA N'hA w W.
neighbours house. after they had re-
tired and rang the bell. They opened
the window aud inquired who was
there. She answered: 1t is Mrs.
. | have confessed Christ as my
Savior tonight, and | am So happy
that | cannot contain myself.
(c) The fruit Of the Spirit (Gal
5;22). "The fruit Of the Spirit is
love. JOY, peace, long suffering, gen
tleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance This is the evidence
that our neighbors will appreciate
most. and which ought TO he apparent
10 all IL does not appear at once,
however, for fruit grows. and growth
requires time, while a gift Is bestowed
Instantly,