The Witness of Faith: its Elements
Paper Fourth(TOC)
The Witness of Faith: its Elements
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself"—1 John 5:10
The witness which the soul may have assuring it of salvation is twofold:
1st. The witness of faith;
2d. The witness of the Holy Spirit.
By the mouth of these two witnesses, every soul is to be established in saving grace. The witness of faith is antecedent; the witness of the Holy Spirit subsequent. These two witnesses are concurrent. They bear testimony to salvation. The witness of faith is the conscious reception of salvation; the witness of the Holy Spirit is the conscious realization of salvation.
A gentleman fell heir very unexpectedly to an immense fortune. He could hardly believe that so much wealth had been bequeathed him. The legal papers were presented him, and on their testimony he accepted, received the bequest as his own, but could not realize that he was rich made so in a moment. When, however, he began to handle the moneys, and count the stocks, and control the lands into the possession of which he had come, then came to him the realization that he was rich, that he was a millionaire.
The order of his experience was, first, the witness of faith; that is, the conscious reception of all this wealth on the testimony of the legal evidence.
Then followed the conscious realization that he was, indeed, munificently endowed. So when the soul believes the exceeding great and precious promises of Gods Word-that is, consciously accepts the heavenly treasure of salvation it has the witness of faith; it knows that it does receive salvation. But when the preciousness of this pearl of great price, the joy of the possession of this found treasure, the sweetness of saving power received, is consciously realized, it has the witness of the Holy Spirit.
The witness of faith is the John the Baptist which heralds and introduces the mightier witness of the Holy Spirit which cometh after it. The elements of the witness of faith are: