THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL 5
This standing is found out by self-examination. Paul
says, “Examine your own selves whether ye be in the
faith.” Prove your own selves. II Cor. 13:5. John
gives us many tests as follows: “Hereby we do know
that we know him if we keep his commandments.” 2:3.
“But who so keepeth his word, in him verily is the love
of God perfected,” 2:5. “He that doeth the will of God
abideth forever,” 2:17. “Let that therefore abide in
you which ye have heard from the beginning. If that
which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in
you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father,”
2:24. “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that
every one that doeth righteousness i is born of him,” 2:29.
“Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not, whosoever
sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him,” 3:6.
“He that commiteth sin is of the devil. For the devil
sinneth from the beginning,” 3:8. “Whosoever is born
of God doth not commit sin. For his seed remaineth in
him and he cannot sin because he is born of God,” 3:9.
“In this the children of God are manifest and the children
of the devil. Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not
of God,” 3:10. “By this we know that we love the child-
ren of God, when we love God and keep his command-
ments,” 5:2. “For this is the love of God that we keep
his. commandments,” 5:8. “And this is love that we
walk after his commandments. This is the command-
ment ye have heard from the beginning. Ye should walk
in it,” Second Epistle 6. “Whosoever transgresseth and
abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. He
that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the
Father and the Son. If there come unto you any and
bring not this doctrine, receive him not into thy house,
(congregation). Neither bid him God’s speed, for he
that biddeth him God’s speed, is made partaker of his
evil deeds,” 9-11. “He that doeth good is of God, but
he that doeth evil hath not seen God.” Third Epistle 11.
Christ is Come In the Flesh.
Christ's coming in the flesh of each individual is
another test as to our being a child of God. The purpose
of God in having his Son take on himself our nature
was that he might dwell in our flesh in this life. He
being tempted in all points like we are, yet without sin,
he would “be able to succor those who were tempted.”
John says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have over-
come them. Because greater is he that is in you than
he that is in the world. If ye love me keep my com-
mandments and I will pray the Father and he will give
you another comforter that he may abide with you for-
ever, even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot
receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him.
But ye know him for he dwelleth within you and shall
be in you.” John 14:15-17.
The work of this abiding of Christ is to “strengthen
us with all power by his spirit in the inner man.” So
that we can do that which we could not do in the work
of overcoming without it. Thus Paul says, “Walk in
the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit
against the flesh, and these are contrary, the one to the
other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
But if ye be led by the spirit ye are not under the law,
(under its condemnation).” Gal. 5:16-18. Paul says,
“That when he would do good evil was present with him
and how to perform that which was good I found not.”
But he also said, “I thank God through Jesus Christ
there was deliverance.” Rom. 7:7.
. Now coming back to John again we read of the
evidence of Christ’s coming in the flesh in us. “Who is
a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ. He
is anti-christ that denieth the Father and the Son. Who-
. soever denieth the Son hath not the Father. But he
that acknowledgeth the Son, hath the Father also.” 1:
22, 23. “But the annointing which ye have received of
him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach
you: But as the same annointing teacheth you all things
and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught
you ye shall abide in him.” 2:27. “He that believeth
on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.” 5:10.
“And this is love, that we walk after his command-
ments. This is the commandment that as ye have
heard from the beginning ye should walk in it. For
many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess
not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a
deceiver and an anti-christ.” Second Epistle 6, 7.
It is now clear that coming in the flesh, that is, in
our flesh by the Lord, is the great test whether we are
children of God or not. In the last days eighteen sins
are enumerated by Paul as characteristic of those who
have a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof.
That is, by their actions they deny the power which is
at our command to help us overcome. Hence, all such
are anti-christ, whether they be Catholic or Protestant.
All false professors are anti-christ. Paul further says,
“I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth,
to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.” Rom. 1:16.
So we appeal to every one who profess to be followers
of Christ to “examine themselves whether they be in the
faith” or not. Have you the witness within you as
proof that you are an overcomer? Are you willing to
take the commandments of God as your rule of life?
Can you realize there is in you a power which is trans-
forming your character day by day? Are you reproved
of sin in your experience each day, when you do wrong?
Can you see by self-examination each day the things you
once loved you now hate? Do you see the things of evil
temper, covetousness, speaking evil of people, pride in
dress, are you ambitious to be greatest, and so on, are
they passing away from you? Are these, with hundreds
of other failures heretotore known by you passing a-
way? These will easily tell you where you stand. Are
you prejudiced against any commandment God has given
you to obey, such as the Sabbath, now so unpopular?
Are you willing to be led by the spirit in all truth what-
ever it may be? All is plain as your duty to God. If
so, then the spirit will teach you the truth. “We are
sanctified through the spirit and belief of the truth.”
Paul says, “We are sanctified by the washing of water
by the word.” Peter says, “As new born babes desire
the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby. »”
Said Christ, “The Kingdom of God is like a grain of
corn, first the blade, then the stalk, then the full ear in
the stalk.” God's principles are, both in nature and
divine life growth, “overcoming” from babyhood to
manhood. The above will tell you all about your religion,
of what sort it is, if you wish to know. We say, don’t
be deceived. Lay your foundation on the rock of truth
SO the. floods will not throw down your house now of
sand.
The Book of James.
James, the brother of John, became a pillar of the
faith among the disciples. At the council held at
Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts fifteen and also in the
twenty-first chapter, he was the chief speaker and
advisor on doctrinal questions. His book is dedicated
to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. In this book he
sets forth in clear language his position on the ques-
tion of obedience and commandment keeping, which he
calls works as they are placed by the side of faith.
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughti-
ness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able
to save your souls,
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
your ownselves.
“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is
like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
“For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straight-
way forgetteth what manner of man he was.
“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and con-
tinueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the
work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”—James 1:21-25.
"Like his brother John, we see at once that he lays
his foundation as a test whether a man is of God or the
world, is by the works he performs in harmony with the