The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:16-17)
The thing to which the Spirit of God witnesses is that we are the sons of God. It is not the witness of people around us or the witness of gospel singing, though we may enjoy these things. How do we know it is the Spirit of God? The same way we know the sun is there or that it's raining on us, or that there is honeysuckle in the breeze. He is self-evident. You will not be able to tell others so that they will understand. Can you describe a beautiful sunset to a man blind from birth?
How do you know down deep in your heart that you are a child of God? You may know many things in your head that relate to this question but your greatest need is the witness of God's Spirit to your spirit as it bypasses language and all your senses.
Neither will you be convinced in your spirit of the certainty of your salvation by reading the Scriptures if the Spirit of God does not move upon the Scriptures to bear witness with them. The Scriptures are certainly your concrete foundation upon which you build your conviction, but the words on the page do not by themselves convince you that you are a child of God. Long ago I gave up trying convince people they were saved. I have read Bible verses to new Christians, trying to show them of the certainty of their salvation. But they didn't get it until that certain moment when their understanding turned on like a light bulb.
A woman called me almost every day, greatly troubled about her soul. After months of this one day she came to rest upon what the Word of God says. I must have told her to do that fifty times but could not tell her just how to do it. If you can do that, then I would appreciate knowing your secret.
Sometimes people believe in their own intelligence and their own ability to figure things out but they will not humble their hearts and that is the very backward way to become convinced you are a child of God. You will have to turn loose of your proud intellect and humbly rest on what God is telling you in His word. At some point, the Spirit of God will bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God.
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. (1John 5:9-10)
Notice that He does not say "believeth IN God." He says: "believeth not God." God has said something and men do not believe what He said. That is calling God a liar. But understanding all of that will not convince you in your spirit where you need to be convinced. That work is done by none other than the Holy Spirit Himself.
The most important thing for you to be convinced of is that you are a child of God. Nothing else is important until you know that. How do I know that? Because that is the one thing that the Spirit bears witness with your spirit about. If you don't have that, you are in no condition to understand anything else.
If you know you are a child of God, be willing to suffer for Him. Be willing to be mocked or laughed at. Be willing to let people know that Christ is your Savior and your Lord. Urge people to give their hearts to the Lord and to accept His Son who died on the cross for them. Ω
The Constitution of the United States
Article I
Section 2. Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within the Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, includng those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.
●To read the history and full text of the U.S. Constitution go here:→ http://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm
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