 |
How To Try The Spirits
By A.W. Tozer
Continued from Part 3
Note: This is an older page within Apologetics Index. The formatting will be updated soon. Instead of the menu on the left, you may want to use the expanded menu found on newer pages.
Atttitude Toward Sin
The last test of genuineness of Christian experience is what it does to our attitude toward sin.
The operation of grace within the heart of a believing man will turn that heart away from sin and toward holiness. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour jesus Christ" (Titus 2:11-13).
I do not see how it could be plainer. The same grace that saves, teaches, and its teaching is both negative and positive. Negatively it teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. Positively, it teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
The man of honest heart will find no difficulty here. He has but to check his own bent to discover whether he is concerned about sin in his life more or less since the supposed work of grace was done. Anything that weakens his hatred of sin may be identified immediately as false to the Scriptures, to the Saviour and to his own soul. Whatever makes holiness more attractive and sin more intolerable may be accepted as genuine. "For thous are not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity" (Psalm 5:4-5).
Jesus warned "There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect." These words describe our day too well to be coincidental. In the hope the the "elect" may profit by them I have set forth these tests. The result is in the hand of God.
This article is part of A.W. Tozer's book "Man: The Dwelling Place of God." Click here to order this book from Amazon.com 
Aiden Wilson Tozer was born in Pennsylvania, in 1897. In 1919 he began pastoring the Alliance Church in Nutter Fort, West Virginia. He also pastored churches in Morgantown, West Virginia; Toledo, Ohio, Indianapolis, Indiana; and in 1928 came to the Southside Alliance Church in Chicago. Here he ministered until November 1959, when he became pastor of the Avenue Road Church in Toronto. A sudden heart attack in 1963 ended his ministry.
The above article was entered into electronic media by "The Lighthouse BBS" in Florida.
 Return to Top Return to Sugar and Vinegar Menu
Apologetics Index What's New
|
 |
A Quick Guide To Apologetics Index 