The Gospel Day; Or, the Light of Christianity. Charles Ebert Orr

parents be holy, the child will possess a carnal nature, because it is the nature of all the race.

      How holy parents beget children depraved in nature is a puzzling problem to some minds, especially to those who are busying themselves about the intricate matters of God. This need be no more puzzling than a deformed parent begetting perfectly formed children. Nature, in embryo, begins its work of forming both the physical and moral image of the child, which is after the similitude of the original parents and not the immediate ones. While justification, which is the forgiveness of actual transgression, the inevitable result of a depraved nature, is a wonderful and glorious achievement of grace, it is but a very small part of the redemption of Christ. The [pg 098] supernatural overthrow of the depraved nature by the power of the Holy Spirit is the principal and real redemptive work. The pardon of committed sins is the clearing away of the rubbish, or preparation work, for the Third Person in the Holy Trinity to effect a revolution in the nature of man. Halleluiah to God! This change in nature is more wonderful than the revolting of nature at the command of Joshua. Man now, instead of being depraved in nature, is restored to his original holy nature.

      This destruction of the carnal nature and the restoration of the original nature is accomplished by the Holy Spirit at the moment of his reception as an indwelling Comforter. Peter teaches this truth when he says: “God, which knoweth the hearts [or nature], bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us [at Pentecost]; and put no difference between us and them [Gentiles], purifying their hearts by faith.” Acts 15:8, 9. Purifying the heart is the purification of man's affections, or nature. This is accomplished at the time of the giving of the Holy Ghost as declared in the last text; and this purifying of the hearts of the Gentiles at the giving of the Holy Ghost, is just what was done for the apostles at Pentecost. This is a plain, undeniable fact taught in this text. To turn to philosophizing upon how we can be conceived with a carnal nature, or how we can be converted and yet be depraved in nature is to soon become spoiled through [pg 099] vain deceit after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. Col. 2:8. In the very nature of things, and according to the Word of God, pardon of sins necessarily precedes the destruction of the carnal, depraved nature by the Holy Spirit. In the fall of man there was the act of transgression and also a change in man's moral image. In his restoration there must be a pardon of transgression and subsequently a change in nature.

      It is a law of God that the redemption of man be accomplished through faith, by his grace. Our faith can not reach beyond our knowledge. By knowledge we mean a real soul-consciousness or conviction and not an intellectual knowledge. At this point many a dear soul has erred from the truth. They have endeavored to bring their faith up to their intellectual knowledge, which ends in presumption. True Bible faith is grounded in the soul. It results from a soul-knowledge, or conviction. To accept pardon of sins or healing of the body with only an intellectual knowledge of these blessings and not a real heart-conviction is mere presumption, and ends in failure and disgrace. To follow the comprehensions of the intellect, and not the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit upon the soul, concerning the mysteries of God's salvation is to be led into error, because the intellect can not fathom the things of God. We do now emphatically say, according to God's established law, that no unregenerated heart can have [pg 100] a comprehension or conviction of a corrupt moral nature and its purification. Why? Because transgression stands between it and purity. The awakened guilty soul knows nothing but its guilt, and for forgiveness only does it plead. After being pardoned, the soul gains a knowledge of carnality, and it is then convicted for the second cleansing.

      Those who believe that purity of heart is attained in pardon take as a basis of such belief the language of Paul in 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:1–7; and similar texts. Now the apostle often speaks of full salvation, or complete redemption of the soul, in a general way. He says that “salvation is by the grace of God through faith.” By this he does not mean justification only, but sanctification as well. He has not specified the two works, but has spoken of full salvation in a general way of being by grace through faith. Thus Eph. 2:8–10 includes full salvation. In 2 Cor. 5:17 he again speaks of full salvation in a general way. It is true we are in Christ when converted, but we are none the less in him when sanctified. To say that Paul is referring to the justified only in this text is an error. By the two preceding verses we have reason to believe he is referring to those who are wholly sanctified. This then is no proof text that carnality is destroyed in justification, because you can not prove that he is referring to those who are only justified. In conclusion we would say that Christ came to redeem [pg 101] man only. Beast and bird have no part in the redemption. They shall perish. The earth is not redeemable, but being under the curse—spotted by sin—it shall be destroyed.

Chapter VI. Fruits And The Two Works.

       Table of Contents

      Fruits Of The Spirit.

       Table of Contents

      Men are likened unto trees in some Scriptural texts. The righteous are termed good trees, and the wicked evil trees. Now the “tree is known by its fruit.” The fruits of the flesh are borne upon the evil tree, while the fruits of the Spirit are borne upon the good tree. The fruits of the Spirit are enumerated in Gal. 5:22, 23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” We shall describe these fruits separately by the word of truth, as briefly as possible.

      Love.

      This is the sweetest theme in the Scriptures and the greatest thing in earth or heaven. “God is love,” and because he is love he sought to rescue, through the sacrifice of his Son, his fallen creatures. It was love that prompted God to make so great a sacrifice for man. It is love that prompts man to sacrifice all [pg 102] for God. When man loves God he loves everything in God's creation. No man can love God and hate his brother; no man can love God and hate his enemies. God loves his enemies. It is the nature of the love of God. When man possesses the love of God in his heart he will love his enemies. To love those who love us and despise those who despise us, is not a love that is a fruit of the Spirit. When man possesses the love of God he does not love the world. 1 John 2:15–17. Everything in our service to God if acceptable must be actuated by love. Supernatural gifts are nothing without love. 1 Cor. 13:1, 2. The greatest deeds of sacrifice profit us nothing without they are done in love. Ver. 3. In the following verses of this chapter the nature of love is beautifully and obviously portrayed.

      1. Charity suffereth long. By long-suffering is meant to patiently bear with the failings and foibles of our brother, “With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.” Eph. 4:2. There is a beautiful thought in 1 Tim. 1:16. That Jesus might show his long-suffering through us as a pattern for all who may in any way know of our life.

      2. Charity is kind. Where love is there is kindness. The greater the love the greater the kindness. The lioness in all the fierceness of her nature strokes her whelp in tenderness and kindness. Thus kindness is a product of love. Love will put a tenderness in our [pg 103] looks, a gentleness in our speech, and a kindness in our acts. If you are not as kind as you know you should be, seek God for more of his love.

      3. Charity envieth not. How impossible to envy those we love. The more fortunate they are the more we rejoice. The more they are praised and honored the deeper is our joy. With those we love, we weep when they weep and rejoice when they rejoice. If there is a secret envy in your heart because of the praise and prosperity of others, the love of God is wanting. “Let not thine heart envy sinners.” Prov. 23:17.

      4. Charity vaunteth not itself. We can only love God at the sacrifice of all self-love. When man possesses the love of God there is no self-praise, nor seeking of honor; there is no setting self forward, but the lowliest seat is the most desirable.

      5. Charity is not puffed up. There are no feelings of self-importance in the heart when the love of God is abounding. We love him so devotedly