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THE WITNESS OF GOD

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Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 15, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 27.

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THE WITNESS OF GOD

By Editor

THE BASIS OF OUR CONFIDENCE

By the Editor

IX. The Twofold Witness to the Individual

Am I a child of God? Am I a member of the heavenly family? Not particularly “Am I saved or am I not?” but “Am I in that relationship with God where I can leave all in His hands and know that it will be well?”
These are vitally important questions to the individual soul, and there are multitudes asking them.
There are worried, anxious souls all over this great world. They may hide the fear and anxiety and worry with a smile, or laugh, or jest, or trivial remark, but the question of eternity will arise. Alone in the dark, it is an utterly abnormal soul that will not think out beyond this brief existence and wonder what lies before.
There are many who believe the Bible who think the evidence of its truthfulness and inerrancy sufficient, but they are in doubt as to whether equally conclusive evidence may be theirs in their relationship with God. They look upon the unsatisfactory experience of others. They hear souls declare themselves saved because they feel saved and happy, but in a little while the feeling is gone, the happiness has given way to gloom, and the soul is discouraged, and then the question arises, Did that soul know God’s witness? Did it really make life connection with God? Let us study this question.

1. The Witness of God’s Spirit

The apostle Paul declares:
“Now the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Rom. 8:16
The reader will note that it is the same divine law, twofold in its evidence, which we have been studying. This scripture clearly indicates that God would not have His people depend on a guess, or a wish, or a vain hope, that they were His children. He surely desires them to have evidence,—evidence absolutely unimpeachable. May we not say, therefore, that the Christian need not grope in blindness or doubt, that God will give him such plain evidence that it will not be presumptuous to make the claim that he is a child of God. First, what is the witness of the Spirit of God? Says an apostle:
“But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Cor. 2:10-13.
The things of God, then, are known only by His Spirit. What is the voice of His Spirit? How may we learn just what the Spirit speaks? Shall we depend upon our feelings or impressions? That would be of the highest uncertainty, because good people have directly opposite impressions many times. Has not God left us something better than this by which we may know the voice of the Spirit?—Surely He has. God has revealed to us the things of the Spirit in His holy word, and that word was inspired by His Spirit. Take the following scriptures for instance:
“Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” 1 Peter 1:10, 11.
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21.
“This scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas.” Acts 1:16.
“Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith.” Heb. 3:7.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
“Given by inspiration” is literally “God-breathed.”
Two of the above expressions refer to quotations from the Psalms. This, too, is true of the words which the Lord spoke through the prophets of the Old Testament. They were inspired by the Spirit of God, as expressed in 2 Sam. 23:2: “The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue.” We are told by the apostle Paul that the apostles themselves taught also “not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Cor. 2:13.
The witness, or testimony, of the Spirit of God, therefore, is the word of God, the Bible.
That word reveals in the holy law of God man’s duty, and also man’s sinfulness by that same law, because man has transgressed the law.
That word reveals that Christ died to redeem mankind, and that every soul can be saved on conditions which are explicitly and clearly set forth, and which man through God’s offered favor can meet.
That word reveals the promises and power of God, and how obtained.
That word reveals how the acceptance of God’s plan with the whole heart will affect the sinner’s mind, affections, and life. God’s word, or the Spirit of God through this word, reveals all the necessary things for man’s acceptance and salvation.
One text will not reveal all, man’s opinions of the text will not; but the Bible will by study, comparing scripture with scripture, passage with passage, prophet with prophet and apostle, and apostle with apostle and prophet,—in short, “comparing spiritual things with spiritual,” will reveal man’s duty. This is the testimony of the word, the witness of the Spirit of God.

2. The Witness of Our Spirit

“Our spirit,” or “the spirit of man,” refers to man’s mind, intellect, and spiritual nature. Its use in this scripture probably comprehends all of these. It is that by which we obtain knowledge. It does not of itself know the things of God, because of the limitations of its narrow powers and the greatness of the things of God. But in it is the only knowledge man has of himself outside of divine revelation: “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” The spirit knows man’s loves and hates. The unregenerated soul is against God; it is at enmity with the truth of God; it is in harmony with evil; but when regenerate the old passes away, a new spirit is created within. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.” Eze. 36:26. And this new spirit is the creation of the Spirit of God. Verse 27.
This being the case, the Spirit of God dwells in the heart of the regenerate, or child of God, and this Paul expressly states: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” Rom. 8:9. The spirit of man, then, that which has been created within him by the Spirit of God, must be in harmony with the Spirit of God that created it. The testimony of the Spirit of God, the word, and the testimony of the renewed spirit of man, must agree, if we are to have the twofold witness.
The spirit of man is manifest in his thoughts, his words, his deeds,—not in one alone, but in all. It matters not what emotions he may have, or may have had, what feelings may have possessed him of joy or of ecstasy. These are not the witness of Rom. 8:16. The cherished thoughts of man, the words of man, the deeds of man, must be in harmony with the word of God, which is the testimony of the Spirit of God. Has he the Spirit of Christ? Then through that Spirit he must put to death the deeds of the body and the tendencies of the flesh. Rom. 8:13. The Spirit gives through the word what its fruits are. Gal. 5:22-24. Does the spirit of man witness that his thoughts, words, and deeds are in harmony with this? If it does, he has the twofold witness. If his heart is not in harmony with God’s word, if he hates instead of loves, it matters not what his joy or emotion, he is not a child of God. If he fails, does he sorrow for sin, even tho only known to himself? Heartfelt contrition and repentance is evidence of sonship, because it is in harmony with the testimony of the Spirit.
If the justified and regenerate man loves the commandments of God, his spirit knows it. It will not be a love of words alone, but deeds. 1 John 3:18. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3. The power to overcome sin, the willing obedience, the submission to God’s will, are evidences absolutely unimpeachable, as the following scriptures show:
“And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
“But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby [by keeping His word] know we that we are in Him.” 1 John 2:3, 5.
See also 1 John 5:2-5. Many other scriptures teach the same thing.

3. An Infallible, Unimpeachable Witness

It will be readily seen from this what an infallibly clear and precious evidence of his acceptance with God the Christian has. It is infallible and unimpeachable. The testimony of the Spirit of God, the Bible, is the same forever; it teaches the same things to-day as it did when John on lonely, rock-bound Patmos wrote the Revelation, or penned his gospel. Its teaching as regards practical duty is plain, and can easily be understood. The Christian knows it, and knows whether he is in harmony with it or not in heart and through life. The Bible being infallible, and the testimony within himself being in harmony with the Bible, it also is an infallible evidence. The two agreeing testimonies are unimpeachable witness.
The above being the case, it is also clear; for if the Spirit through the word reveal all provisions and conditions of man’s salvation, if it plainly declare what the character of the man would be who accepted the truth, and if the man meets all these conditions and is in harmony with all these provisions, certainly the evidence is clear that it is God’s Spirit which has wrought the change.
It is a precious evidence because of its intrinsic worth. We often hear in revival meetings in these days of superficial experience, such expressions as, “I am saved; I feel that I am saved.” The expression is one of emotion and ecstasy,—poor evidence at best. A political meeting can give the same. Not that the Christian does not have joy at times, but joy is not the evidence; feeling is not the evidence. Emotion is but incidental, and the devil may cause emotion. Of itself alone, it is of no worth as assurance of acceptance with God. Faith in God’s word and the promises through Christ, coupled with a changed life and a character being molded after the living Word, is evidence upon which we can rest as a rock. Emotion may pass away, physical infirmities may lessen joy, feeling may depart, but God’s word is unchangeable, and the heart renewed is just as much in harmony with it all as when joy and feeling were dominant.
But even if the child of God has failed, the word of the Spirit invites him to come back with true contrition. Promise can not fail, and the submissive, faithful heart that trusts therein can not fail. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Ps. 91:1. “For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” 2 Peter 1:10. And the humble-hearted will ever know whether he is doing the will of God or not, will know whether he has a working faith, a “faith which worketh by love.” Gal. 5:6. The Spirit of God is the only power which can work in us that harmony with the testimony of the Spirit, the word of God. If we have not this Spirit we are none of His. If we have this Spirit, that Spirit will work in us that which is in harmony with the word. In other words, the Spirit in the word of God and the spirit in our hearts will be in perfect accord. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” 1 Cor. 2:12. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” 1 John 3:1. It is our privilege to be the sons of God; it is our privilege to know that we are. We have, if we are sons, an unimpeachable, infallible witness to the fact. Let us hold it fast.