Great High-Priest, “touched with the feeling of our infirm. ities; ” and then the same conclusion: “ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.”
This latter part of the passage must therefore be interpreted by the former. That the heart feels no sense of condemnation is not, of itself, a legitimate nor a safe ground of boldness toward God. There is a boldness which is born of presumption, of spiritual obtuseness, of ignorance of the character and claims of God, of false and superficial conceptions of sin. A valid ab- sence of condemnation must have a definite and valid fact, a substantial evidence behind it; and that it has, according to the interpretation we have given: “ We shall assure our heart before Him in whatsoever our heart condemn us, by thes ; namely, that the all-knowing God is our forgiving Father, that Christ is our Propitiator and Saviour, and that the Spirit of love in our hearts, and the loving ministry of our lives testify that we are children of God. Note at this point how John answers to Paul. Look first at the fourth chapter of this Epistle. “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is per- fected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.” Now turn to the eighth chapter of Romans. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and death. Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear, but ye re- ceived the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness unto our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” And, in like manner, “the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity ; the Spirit Himself maketh interces- sion for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; and He that searcheth the hearts (being greater than our heart and knowing all things) knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God”—for the saints that love God, foreordained, called,