"The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the
Son."[162] As God, He has all things naked and open before Him. As man,
He became subject to human conditions, and was in all points tempted as
we are, yet without sin. Our Judge knows our frame, our temptations, our
weakness, our difficulties; and in the Judgment, as in His life on
earth, He will not break the bruised reed, or apply to men's conduct a
harsher measure than they have merited. Judgment will begin at the house
of God, and sentence on the ungodly will be severe in proportion to
knowledge, privilege, and opportunity. Men will be judged by their
works, and in this doctrine of Scripture there is no opposition to that
of justification by faith. Men cannot be justified by their own works,
but if Christ be in them and the Spirit of God dwell in their hearts,
then, being dead to sin, they follow holiness. The distinction between
the children of God and the children of the devil is this, that the
former class bring forth the fruits of righteousness, and the latter the
fruits of sin. "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart
bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure
bringeth forth evil things."[163] In the Judgment the works of every man
shall be brought to light, whether they be good or evil. "There is
nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be
known."[164] The just shall be rewarded, not on account of their good
works, but because of the atonement and righteousness of Christ; yet
their works will be the test of their sanctification and the proof that
they are members of Christ and regenerated by His Spirit.
* * * * *
ARTICLE 8
_I believe in the Holy Ghost_
The eighth article of the Creed declares belief in the third Divine
Person--the Holy Ghost.
The words "I believe," implied in every clause, are here repeated, to
mark the transition from the Second to the Third Person of the Trinity.
While this doctrine underlies all the teaching of the Old Testament
Scriptures, it was yet in a measure not understood or realised by the
Jews, and as Christ came to make known the Father, so to Him we owe also
the full revelation of the Holy Spirit. Prophets and Psalmists had
glimpses of the doctrine, but they lived in the twilight, and saw
through a glass darkly many truths now clearly made known.
While we speak freely of spiritual life, our conception of it is so
vague that we are apt to overlook, or to regard lightly, the work of the
Holy Spirit in redemption. The disciples of John, whom Paul met at
Ephesus, believed in Jesus and had been baptized, and yet they told the
Apostle that they had not so much as heard whether there was any Holy
Ghost.[165] John tells us that even while Jesus was on earth the Holy
Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.[166]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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