SAVING KNOWLEDGE | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 1, 1902

SAVING KNOWLEDGE.

“Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” 1 John 2:3.

I. ST. JOHN speaks of knowing Christ and of keeping His commandments as the two great departments of religious duty and blessedness. To know Christ is to discern the Father of all as manifested through His only-begotten Son incarnate. Turning from Him to ourselves, we find a short rule given us: “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” This is all that is put upon us, difficult indeed to perform, but easy to understand, all that is put upon us,

and for this plain reason: that Christ has done everything else. He has freely chosen us, died for us, regenerated us, and now ever liveth in us; and what remains?—Simply that we should do as He has done to us, showing forth His glory by good works.

II. Our duty lies in acts; it does not lie directly in moods or feelings. The office of self-examination lies rather in detecting what is bad in us than in ascertaining what is good. No harm can follow from contemplating our sins, so that we keep Christ before us and attempt to overcome them; such a review of self will but lead to repentance and faith. And while it does this, it will undoubtedly be molding our hearts into a higher and more heavenly state.—J. H. Newman, “Parochial and Plain Sermons,” vol. ii, p. 151.