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XII.
Christian Growth and Experience
Chapter 121
:
Saving Faith
WHAT is faith?
"Faith is the substance [margin,
ground, or confidence] of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not
seen." Heb. 11:1.
2. How important is
faith?
"Without faith it is impossible to
please Him: for he that cometh to God must
believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him." Verse 6.
3. How only can we
truly know God?
"Neither knoweth any man the Father,
save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son
will reveal Him." Matt. 11:27.
4. In whom must we
believe in order to be saved?
"For God so loved the world, that He
gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
5. What challenge does
the apostle James make as to the evidence that
one has genuine faith?
"Show me thy faith without thy
works, and I will show thee my faith by
my works." James 2:18.
6. How did Abraham show
that he had perfect faith in God?
"Was not Abraham our father justified
by works, when he had offered Isaac his son
upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought
with his works, and by works was faith made
perfect?" Verses 21,22.
7. By what practical
example does the apostle illustrate the
difference between genuine, living faith, and a
dead faith?
"If a brother or sister be naked, and
destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto
them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;
notwithstanding ye give them not those things
which are needful to the body; what doth it
profit?" Verses 15,16.
8. How necessary are
works in maintaining living faith?
"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that
faith without works is dead? . . . . For as
the body without the spirit [margin,
breath] is dead, so faith without works
is dead also." Verses 20-26.
NOTES.-The apostle was not here arguing for
justification or salvation by faith and
works, but for a living faith- a faith that
works. "There are two errors against which
the children of God- particularly those who
have just come to trust in His grace-
especially need to guard. The first. . . is
that of looking to their own works, trusting
to anything they can do, to bring themselves
into harmony with God. He who is trying to
become holy by his own works in keeping the
law, is attempting an impossibility. All
that man can do without Christ is polluted
with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of
Christ alone, through faith, that can make
us holy. The opposite and no less dangerous
error is that belief in Christ releases men
from keeping the law of God; that since by
faith alone we become partakers of the grace
of Christ, our works have nothing to do with
our redemption. . . . Obedience- the service
and allegiance of love- is the true sign of
discipleship. . . . Instead of releasing man
from obedience, it is faith, and faith only,
that makes us partakers of the grace of
Christ, which enables us to render
obedience. We do not earn salvation by our
obedience for salvation is the free gift of
God, to be received by faith. But obedience
is the fruit of faith. . . . That so-called
faith in Christ which professes to release
men from the obligation of obedience to God,
is not faith, but presumption."- "Steps
to Christ," pages 64-66.
Says Luther: "If Christ alone takes away
sin, we cannot do so by all our works. But
good works follow redemption as surely as
fruit appears upon a living tree."-
D' Aubigne's
"History of the Reformation," book 2, chap.
6.
9. What does the hope
of salvation lead one to do?
"And every man that hath this hope in
Him purifieth himself, even as He is
pure." 1 John 3:3.
10. Upon what condition
are we made partakers of Christ?
"For we are made partakers of Christ,
if we hold the beginning of our confidence
steadfast unto the end." Heb. 3:14.
11. Upon what conditions has God promised us
cleansing and the forgiveness of our sins?
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in
the light, we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth
us from all sin. . . . If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." 1 John 1:7-9.
NOTE.-Intelligent faith as to what God will
do for us touching any matter must be gained
by what God's Word says concerning that
point. No one can consistently hope for that
which God has not promised. To expect that
God will do that which He has never promised
to do is only presumption. Faith is distinct
from presumption. To have abiding confidence
in the promise of God is faith; but
presumption may rest entirely on feeling or
desire. Feeling cannot therefore be relied
on in the matter of faith. Faith is a pure
belief, a confiding trust, in the promises
of God, irrespective of feeling. This
perfect trust enables one to surmount
difficulties under the most trying
circumstances, even when the feelings are
depressed or well-nigh crushed.
12. Upon what, then, is
genuine, saving faith based?
"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God." Rom. 10:17.
13. What was the cause
of Peter's sinking after he had started to meet
the Saviour on the stormy sea?
"And immediately Jesus stretched
forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto
him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst
thou doubt?" Matt. 14:31.
NOTE.-The boisterous sea caused Peter to
doubt the strength of Christ's word, "Come."
14. With what is it our
privilege to be filled?
"Now the God of hope fill you with
all joy and peace in believing, that ye may
abound in hope, through the power of the Holy
Ghost." Rom. 15:13.
NOTE.-Faith may be strengthened by daily
exercise. It is not some great thing, done
once for all, that gives an individual
faith; but an every-day, simple, childlike
trust in God, and an implicit obedience to
His Word. Some make faith a more difficult
matter than God would have them, because
they try to embrace too much at one time.
They take on the burdens of tomorrow or next
week, when the Lord supplies strength only
for today. When tomorrow comes, grapple with
its duties, but not until it does come. We
should remember the precious promise, "As
thy days, so shall thy strength be." Deut.
33:25.
AWAY, my unbelieving fear!
Fear shall in me no more have place:
My Saviour doth not yet appear,
He hides the brightness of His face;
But shall I therefore let Him go,
And basely to the tempter yield?-
No, in the strength of Jesus, no;
I never will give up my shield.
CHARLES WESLEY. |
