Plain Words For The Young Who Belong To Christ

by N.D.W. MILLER | Category: Pages For Young Beleivers | Jun 1932

Concerning things that differ-

IV.-FAITH, AND THE FAITH.

As an axiom of interpretation we hold that no scripture contradicts another scripture. Therefore we must be careful not to allow that which we find difficult to understand, to frustrate, or to rob us, of our enjoyment in that which is as clear and plain to us, as the other may be hard and perplexing.

FAITH.

Faith is an individual matter-intensely so. Without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to God; hence the vital importance of having faith. We are told in Hebrews 11. That "faith is the assurance (or substance) of things hoped for, the proving (or conviction) of things not seen." On the testimony of God's written Word we receive as true, what is beyond the scope of human proof, whether by demonstration or evidence. It is with joy that we read, and believe, for instance, such a wonderful statement as Revelation 4. 11. And the reason is, that "by faith we understand" (Hebrews 11. 3). The Lord of heaven and earth has hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and has revealed them unto babes (Luke 10. 21). How sublimely simple is the word-"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10. 17. A.V.). "Our Father," has said so; and, child-like, we believe it. "Faith cometh by hearing." This is true of anything we hear and believe; but in relation to divine matters hearing comes "by the Word of God." To begin with, the sinner hears the Word, and believes, God. But faith is not our saviour. "By grace are ye saved through faith." Salvation and grace, as we have already shewn, are respectively, the gift, and the unmerited favour, of God. There has never been a more wonderful day in the world's history than this day of grace when salvation for the lost, life for the dead, and heaven for the poor outcast sinner, are freely offered in the Gospel of God. As one has said-"The Cross has been set up, not halfway on the road to heaven, where man's unbelieving heart would place it, but right down in the market square of the City of Destruction, that man may look and live."

Belief of the Gospel is the starting point. "For therein is revealed a righteousness of God by faith unto faith : as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith " (Romans 1. 17).

Then, faith, in relation to our experience, becomes a matter of degree. The Lord Jesus said, "HAVE FAITH IN GOD" (Mark 11. 22), yet there are varying degrees of faith, and even the Apostles felt the lack when they said, "Lord, increase our faith" (Luke 17. 5).

"Children in whom is no faith," characterised Israel's eventful history in the past (Deuteronomy 32. 20). And the Apostles themselves at times had no faith (Mark 4. 40 A.V.). At other times they had little faith (Matthew 8. 26), Then on two occasions at least (and it was among the Gentiles), the Lord's heart was gladdened by meeting with great faith (Matthew 8. 10, and 15. 28).

The Scriptures set forth saving faith, as in Acts 15. 11 that is, faith that lays hold of the Saviour--the faith of the Gospel which comes by hearing Him.

But our faith-- in the sense of our trust in God--is of evervarying degree, and depends on knowing God, and having communion with God. Hence we read of strong faith, as in Romans 4. 20 (A.V.)-faith which lays hold of God as the Strong One. And precious faith, as in 2 Peter 1. 1-that is, faith which finds its anchor in the Precious One (1 Peter 2. 6).

As a young man, at the commencement of his Christian career Saul of Tarsus believed the "faithful saying," which brought him life and joy. He "believed God," and then, at the end, when looking o'er life's almost finished story from his Roman prison, he could add-"I know Him whom I have believed"; and thus, having come to know Him, he had learned the secret of trusting Him in every circumstance (2 Timothy 1. 12, and Phihippians 4.). Trust springs from confidence in the Person trusted, and that again depends on our knowledge of the One we confide in.

"As your faith groweth," was written expectantly by Paul to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 10. 15).

And he rejoiced in the Colossians because of the stedfastness of their faith in Christ (Colossians 2. 5).

And as for the Thessalonians, while he longed, as in the first Epistle, to perfect that which was lacking in their faith; he could write in the second Epistle, giving thanks to God- "for that your faith groweth exceedingly" (1 Thessalonians 3. 10; 2 Thessalonians 1. 3).

THE FAITH.

While "the Faith " expresses the will of God for His people, it is much more comprehensive than that-for example, within its vast range it embraces the truth concerning the Person, and Work, and Word, of Christ. This indeed, is the foundation truth of The Faith from which "the whole Counsel of God" emanates. In Acts 13. verses 7, and 8, you will find "the Word of God," and the Faith, are divinely linked together-indeed we may say that The Faith. begins with the truth concerning "Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" -that is, "the Gospel of the grace of God"-and embraces all that God has revealed for the Present dispensation, including of course, the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But it is the Faith as setting forth the will of God for His people, that we wish more especially to deal with at the moment.

While it is undoubtedly an individual matter, and Paul could say at the close of his eventful life--"I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4. 7), yet it would be impossible for an individual alone to carry out the will of God for His people. An individual, for instance, could not baptise himself; nor could an individual remember the Lord Jesus Christ in the Breaking of the Bread, alone (of course there are moral precepts for personal practice, but we are not dealing with that aspect of truth at the moment).

Jude, while he was giving all diligence to write about "our common salvation," was constrained to exhort the saints to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered" (Jude v. 3.). The Faith is complete-it was once for all delivered, though not delivered all at once. It was delivered on the principle of "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there, a little." And the final l)art of it-that which fulfilled the Word of God-was the truth of the Church the Body (Colossians 1. 24-29). But long before the truth of the One Body was taught in Paul's Epistles, Churches of God had been functioning, and saints in those churches held and suffered for the Faith which was being delivered by the Lord for His people. So that when Saul of Tarsus persecuted the church of God in Jerusalem and made havock of it, he made havock of the Faith (see Galatians 1. verses 13 and 23). There is "One faith" (Ephesians 4. 5). And this is something to aim at "till we all attain unto the unity of the faith" (Ephesians 4. 13). As a whole the Faith is perfect; so is it also in its every part.

And, as men of old loved the Law, and meditated therein; so we should love the Faith, and continue in it (Acts 14. 22).

To be nourished in the words of the Faith is something much to be desired (1 Timothy 4. 6).

The Faith belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ (James 2. 1). The Corinthians were exhorted to watch, and to "stand fast in the faith" (1 Corinthians 16. 13). Churches may be strengthened in the Faith (Acts 16. 5).

The Faith may be denied (1 Timothy 5. 8; Revelation 2. 13). A person may fall away from the Faith, and give heed to something else (1 Timothy 4. 1). Or, be led astray from the Faith (1 Timothy 6. 10). Or, make shipwreck concerning the Faith (1 Timothy 1. 19). Or, again, miss the mark concerning the Faith (1 Timothy 6. 21, R.V.M.). A man can be "reprobate (i.e., worthless, rejected) concerning the Faith " (2 Timothy 3. 8). It is God's desire that we should be sound (or healthy) in the Faith (Titus 1. 13). And, in order to be so, and to escape all these other dread possibilities, we are exhorted to fight the good fight of the Faith (1 Timothy 6. 12).

As we have already noted, the beloved Apostle, who so earnestly exhorted Timothy, said triumphantly at the end of his life, amid the hardships of a Roman prison--" I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have KEPT THE FAITH: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give to me at that day: and not only to me, but also to all them that have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4. 7, 8).

Thus may we press on each day, seeking to run well, exercising faith wrought through love in our absent, but soon-coming Lord.

"Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to them that love him" (James 2. 5). Yes! this is God's wondrous choice. May we have faith, and may we continue in the Faith.

Thus we see that faith and the Faith are included among the precious "things that differ."

N.D.W. MILLER | Jun 1932
Pages For Young Beleivers