I would have you beware of that unfeeling state in which one has no
sorrow, and mistakingly attributes its absence to grace. Grace helps us
bear sorrow, but does not harden our hearts against it. Sorrow brings us
to a throne of grace for grace and grace brings us joy, so that we have
joy in sorrow. No other joy is so sweet as this. It is the real and true
joy of Christ.
GENTLENESS.
Fruit-bearing trees are used in the Scriptures to represent the race of
mankind. The Savior likens the wicked to "corrupt trees," which bear evil
fruit and the righteous to "good trees" which bear good fruit (Matt. 7:15,
20). He also teaches very emphatically the impossibility of one's being a
good tree and yet bearing evil fruit, or of being a corrupt tree and
bearing good fruit. Since the nature of the fruit we bear determines what
manner of tree we are, it is very advisable that we as professing
Christians should frequently examine the fruit we are bearing. To be
Christ's, or to be a Christian, we must have the Spirit of Christ; for the
Scriptures say that "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none
of his" (Rom.
Pages:
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120