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SUCH A MAN AS I?
-Spurgeon, "The Sons of God"
In the golden age of Rome, if a man were tempted to
dishonesty, he would stand upright, look the tempter in the
face, and say to him-- "I am a Roman." He thought that was
a sufficient reason why he should neither lie nor cheat.
It ought to be ten times more than sufficient an answer to
every temptation, for a Christian man to be able to say--
"I am a son of God; shall such a man as I
yield to sin?"
You cannot imagine, surely, that God is to allow heathens to
eclipse his children. Oh! never let it be so.
So live, so act, you sons of God, that the world may say of
you--- "Yes, these men bring forth the fruits of God;
they are like their Father;
they honor his name;
they are indeed filled with his grace,
for their every word is as true as his oath;
their every act is sincere and upright;
their heart is kind,
their spirit is gentle;
they are firm but yet they are generous;
they are strict in their integrity,
but they are loving in their souls;
they are men who, like God, are full of love;
but like him are severely just.
They are sternly holy;
they are, like him, ready to forgive,
but they can by no means tolerate iniquity,
nor bear that sin should live in their presence."
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