Basic HTML Version
The Sons and Daughters of God, May 4
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
John 1:12
.
It is through faith in Jesus Christ that the truth is accepted in the
heart, and the human agent is purified and cleansed.... He has an abiding
principle in the soul, that enables him to overcome temptation. “Whoso-
ever abideth in him sinneth not.”
1 John 3:6
. God has power to keep the
soul that is in Christ who is under temptation....
A mere profession of godliness is worthless. It is he that abideth in
Christ that is a Christian.... Unless the mind of God becomes the mind
of men, every effort to purify himself will be useless; for it is impossible
to elevate man except through a knowledge of God.
The question you need to put to yourselves is, “Am I a Christian?”
To be a Christian is to be far more than many understand. It means more
than simply having your name upon the church records. It means to
be joined to Christ. It means to have simple faith, unwavering reliance
upon God. It means to have childlike confidence in your heavenly Father
through the name and merit of His dear Son. Do you love to keep the
commandments of God, because the commandments of God are God’s
precepts, the transcript of His character, and can no more be altered than
can the character of God? Do you respect and love the law of Jehovah?
As sons and daughters of God, Christians should strive to reach the
high ideal set before them in the gospel. They should be content with
nothing less than perfection.
To those who receive Him He gives power to become the sons of
God, that at last God may receive them as His, to dwell with Him
throughout eternity. If during this life they are loyal to God, they
will at last “see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”
Revelation 22:4
. And what is the happiness of heaven but to see God?
What greater joy could come to the sinner saved by the grace of Christ
than to look upon the face of God and know Him as Father?
[131]
135