The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-08-19

WNN WNV3 10 PIVVV
~NNbvW cultivate it is the
believers greatest duty.
Fellowship Is the result OF COM
munity of life. The relationship OF
child to his father is determined by
the fact Of birth; the fellowship Oh
the Child with the father is determined
10y behavior as well as by birth.
These two truths concerning births
and behavior are the prominent feat
ures which mark this epistle OF that
mature saint, John the Apostle. he
that believeth that Jesus is the Christ
Is born Of Cod" The life Of God Is
communicated to the christian believer.
Vhis Is clearly taught all through the
New Testament, and must be tenacious
ly held. A recent Sunday school quar-
terly prepared for the Intermediate
grade asserted that nothing new was
impaired to us, that development from
within was all that can be expected.
This is unscriptural and perhicious
teaching. Fellowship with the Father
and with his Son Jesus Christ VIII
never result from such teaching.
He that believeth Is born of God.
The Eternal Life which was from the
beginning, which was manifested Ia
Christ, which was declared to the
world by chosen and credible Wit
nesses, is impaired to those who be-
lieve the testimony that God has CIV
en- concerning His Son.
1t Is this vital and vitalizlng ex-
per.ence, this life Of God communi-
Gated through the channel OF faith 10
the soul, that makes fellowship with
the Father and with His Son Jesus
Christ a possibility an d an actually.
1t Is this that makes the apostle won
der. He calls us to consider the mat
ter, to behold what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon us that
we should be called the children VI
God, and we are.
Tie promotion of this holy and glor-
ious fellowship depends on the chill
drens behavior or walk. The frst
condition for its preservation Is ex-
pressed in the words. IF we walk In
the light" What does this meanf
In this epistle the nature Of God Ia
revealed In the twofold declaration,
"God is light" and God Is love- We
must recognize not only these two
facts but the order In which they APP
pear. The revelation that God 10
love can pever be understood and en-
tered into apart from the knowledge
that "God is light" and I'm him 10
no darkness Mt all"
The prevalent idea of God is that
he Is loving and will deal leniently
with sin. Nothing could be- more mis-
leading. God IL light" What he
does in love will meet the require
ments OF his holiness. Herein is love.
that God sent his Son TO be the pro-
pitiatipn of our sins. The Offering
which the righteousness of God re-
auired, the love of God provided. To
walk In this truth is to walk In the
light, to get away from this truth u
TO walk In darkness and to break the
very condition of continuous fellow
ship.
IF we say that we have no SIM"
IL we have false views Of sin which
lead us to ignore or forget the pro-
pltiatiou," IL we think that we can
climb I'D "some other way" I'VE de-
celve ourselves and the truth Is not
in US" Notwithstanding all religious
profession there will be no real fell
lowship with God. no light, NO peace.
no joy.
The second condition for growing
fellowship with God Is found In the
words, .If we confess our sins" The
first condition, "If we walk In the
light nay be regarded as the doc
trinal test this second condition, III
we confess our SINS" may be called
the ethical test
There Is constant need Of read
iustmen. In Christian experience.
Must Christians sin?" asked preach
or nj n recent Bible conferences.
Mo- replied some one in the audi
ence. hut they do"
An present felt the force Of the am
swer. II ls true and experience cor
roborates It. Sin Of any kind binders
and prevents fellowship with God.
Reimbursement is necessary and for this
the Father has made gracious pro-
vision: IF we confess our sins He
is faithful and Just to forgive US our
sins and to cleanse US from all I'M
Righteousness"
The retaining Of any unconfessed
sin grieves the indwelling Holy Spirit
and makes fellowship with God impos-
sibIe until the sin Is put away. There
is something In the nature OF sin that
demands a Precipitation for II and con-
fession Of 1t. TO walk In the light Of
these plainly revealed facts leads to
= progressive fellowship with tbs
Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.