The Fundamentals - 1910: Vol.10

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The Fundamentals in the day of “His appearing and kingdom” (2 Tim. 4 :1 ; 1 Thess. 4 :15) be raised, changed and fashioned like unto His glorious body (Phil. 3 :21 ). Do you know how we can so surely believe these things? We answer, because God has proved to us so much of His Word that when He announces something yet to be made true , oh the basis of past experience we reach out toward and accept as true the promise of the future things. Indeed, He already makes it true in our hearts, for “faith is the substance of things hoped for” (Heb. 11:1). For even here we have a present spiritual experience which is as an earnest to us of the culmination yet future; for we are already risen with Christ. (Col. 2 :13 ; 3 :1 ; Eph. 2 :5 , 6; Rom. 8:11.) 2. The Bible Contains in Itself the Absolute Guarantee of Our Inheritance in Christ. Suppose we should come to you some day and call in question your ownership of your house, and demand that you give it up—a homestead bequeathed to you by your father. "Why do you make such a demand upon me?” you ask. “Because,” we reply, “it is not your house; you have no right to it; at least you do not know that it is yours.” “Oh, yes,” you reply, “I am quite sure it is my house.” “How do you know? What is your reason for believing it is your house?” “Why, because my father lived here before me.” “That is no good reason.” “Well, I have lived here undisputed for five years myself.” “I t does not hence follow that the house is yours.” “But l am very happy in it; I enjoy myself here.” “Well, but my dear sir, that you may do, and still have no right to it.” At last, pushed to the wall, you take us with you down to the court-house, and show us your father’s will, duly written, signed, sealed and recorded. This may serve to illustrate the point. A great many Christians are at a loss where and how to ground their “title.” I t is not in the fact that you are a descendant of a saintly father, a child of believing parents, for, as old Matthew Henry says, “Grace

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