THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL i. | 3
“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know
that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”—Verses 13-15.
Love and hatred is a test of our obedience. Hate
results in murder, which is a violation of the sixth com-
mandment. Love of the brethren is an evidence that
we have passed from death unto life, (converted). The
devil and the world always hates loyalty to God’s law.
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down
his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren.
“But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother
have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him,
how dwelleth the love of God in him?
“My little Children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue;
but in deed and in truth.
“And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall
assure our hearts before him. :
“For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart,
and knoweth all things.
“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we con-
fidence toward God.
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him because we keep
his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his
sight.”—Verses 16-22. } . . . }
The test of love is further given in plain language
which, as Paul says, “Love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Rom. 13:8.
to man, the first four to God. This, says Christ, is to
“love the Lord our God with all the heart, and our
neighbors as ourselves.”
“And this is his commandment, That we should believe on
the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he
gave us commandment. : }
“And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him,
and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by
the Spirit which he hath given us.”—Verses 23, 24.
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into
the world. .
“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that con-
fesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
“And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is
come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of anti-
chiist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now
already is it in the world.
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:
because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
“They arc of the world: therefore speak they of the world,
and the world heareth them.
“We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that
is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of
truth, and the spirit of error. ‘
- “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and
every one that loveth is born-of God, and knoweth God.
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
—4:1-8,
The above is a most important scripture and all
should understand it. We are admonished to “try the
spirits, whether they be of God” or not. Surely in our
day this is necessary when, if it were possible, they
would deceive the very elect. It says the test is this,
“every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ has come
in the fiesh is ¢f God, and every spirit that does not
confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of
God, and this is the spirit of anti-christ.” Verse four
tells us how to test whether the spirit of Christ has
come in our flesh ¢r not. It says plainly, “Little children
ye are of God, and have overcome them. For greater is
he that is in you (your flesh) than he that is in the
world. They are of the world, therefore they speak the
things that ave of the world, and the world heareth
them. Hereby we know the spirit of truth and the
spirit of error.” Hence, Christ here, is spoken of as
coming in the flesh. That is, he is to come in our flesh
by his spirit, and aid us in doing that which we cannot
do in our own strength. Namely, aid us in the keeping
of the commandments of God, which the world cannot
do because they are not born again.
“Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us,
because he hath given us of his spirit.” Chapter five
says, “By this we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and keep his commandments. For
this is the love of God that we keep his commandments
and his commandments are not grvevious.” Ch. 5:2, 3.
This power to overcome the world and keep the com-
The last six precepts pertain to our duty
Verse 13 says,
mandments of God is obtained by faith through Christ
who gives us that power.
“Kor whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and
this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
“Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth
that Jesus is the Son of God?
“This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ;
not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit
that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father,
the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
“And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit,
and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is
greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified
of his Son.
“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in
himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because
he believeth not the record that God gave of the Son.”—5:4-10.
The above scripture abounds with proof that all the
Apostle has said is true, and the last statement is that
we have the witness within ourselves that it is true.
First, there are three in heaven, the Father, the Word
(Christ), and the Holy Ghost. These three are one.
They are united. Christ said; “Me and my Father are
one” in unity. He also said, “He would send the Holy
Ghost unto us which would lead us into all truth.” So
they are one in perfect harmony. There are also three
in earth, says John, that bear witness. The spirit, the
water, and the blood, and these three agree in one. So
there are six mentioned of which all agree in one. The
three in heaven witnessed to Christ being the Word that
came and dwelt among us: First, by Christ being con-
ceived by the Holy Ghost. Second, at his baptism there
was a voice from heaven saying, “This #s my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And third, on the
cross, when his blood was spilled for the world, the voice
from heaven again was heard, and the sun refused to
shine on the scene. These three witnesses on earth were
all given to bear testimony to us that Christ was the Son
of God. And last, says John, we have the witness with-
in ourselves We know the works of the flesh has been
destroyed in us by his coming in the flesh in us. Thus
enabling us to do that which we could not do without
him. Namely, keep the commandments of God. For,
“The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither
indeed can be.” Rom. 8:8. Paul says, “Now the works
of the flesh are manifest which are these: adultery,
lasciviousness, witchcraft, variance, emulation, strife,
sedition, heresy, drunkenness, idolatry, and sedition,
which as I have told you before, that they which do such
things cannot inherit the kingdom of God and Christ.
But the fruit of the spirit is joy, peace, longsuffering,
meekness, temperance, and faith.” Gal. 5:19. Thus
we see it is the same truth which has been from the be-
ginning, not a new doctrine, not a new plan, not some
side issue to tell whether we are sanctified or not, but
obedience is the test. This obedience or disobedience is
seen by the fruit we bear whether it is the works of the
spirit or the works of the devil whether we are the child-
ren of God or the children of the devil. All is plain when
the heart becomes in a condition it is willing to turn to
the Lord by obedience. Don’t be deceived in these last
days as to who are followers of God and who are not.
“Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing
shall offend them,” that is, nothing in the law, when
(Continued on page four.)
Bacca Co., Colo., March 5, 1918.
Dear Brother Rupert: —
Inclose find $5.00—my tithe. Sorry I could not send
it sooner, but it can always be used I guess. The last
paper was fine, I think, and that the new book is the
best ever published outside of the Bible. I loaned the
Methodist preacher in Holly one, have all my books out
all the time.
Sincerely,
Mrs. A. T. Uptegrove.