How to Succeed in the Christian LifeTorrey, R. A. (Reuben Archer)
Religion
How to Succeed in the Christian Life
Torrey, R. A. (Reuben Archer)
Christian life -- Congregational authors
If one is to have the fullest measure of joy and power in Christian
service, he must know that his sins are forgiven, that he is a child
of God, and that he has eternal life. It is the believer’s privilege
to _know_ that he has eternal life. John says in 1 John 5: 13, R. V.,
“These things have I written unto you, _that ye may know_ that ye have
eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.”
John wrote this first epistle for the express purpose that any one who
believes on the name of the Son of God _might know_ that he has eternal
life.
There are those who tell us that no one can know that he has eternal
life until he is dead and has been before the judgment seat of God, but
God Himself tells us that we may know. To deny the possibility of the
believer’s knowing that he has eternal life is to say that the First
Epistle of John was written in vain, and it is to insult the Holy Spirit
who is its real author. Again Paul tells us in Acts 13: 39, R. V., “By
Him (that is by Christ) every one that believeth _is justified_ from
all things.” So every one that believeth in Jesus may know that he is
justified from all things. He may know it because the Word of God says
so. Again John tells us in John 1: 12, R. V., “But _as many as received
Him_ (that is Jesus Christ) to them gave He the right to become children
of God, even to them that believe on His name.” Here is a definite and
unmistakable declaration that every one who receives Jesus becomes a
child of God. Therefore every believer in Jesus may know that he is a
child of God. He may know it on the surest of all grounds, _i. e._,
because the Word of God asserts that he is a child of God.
But how may any individual know that he has eternal life? He may know
it on the very best ground of knowledge, that is through the testimony
of God Himself as given in the Bible. The testimony of Scripture is the
testimony of God. What the Scriptures say is absolutely sure. What the
Scriptures say God says. Now in John 3: 36 the Scriptures say, “He that
believeth on the Son _hath_ everlasting life.” Any one of us may know
whether we believe on the Son or not. Whether we have that real faith
in Christ that leads us to receive Him. If we have this faith in Christ
we have God’s own written testimony that we have eternal life, that our
sins are forgiven, that we are the children of God. We may feel forgiven,
or we may not feel forgiven, but that does not matter. It is not a
question of what we feel but of what God says. God’s Word is always to
be believed. Our own feelings are oftentimes to be doubted. There are
many who are led to doubt their sins are forgiven, to doubt that they
have everlasting life, to doubt that they are saved, because they do not
feel forgiven, or do not feel that they have everlasting life, or do not
feel that they are saved. Because you do not feel it is no reason why you
should doubt it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account