Faith That Saves

by F. McCormick | Category: General | Jun 1950

"We are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul" (Hebrews 10.89).

In the Epistle to the Hebrews there are two main lines of teaching concerning the things whereof 1 write

(1) The imperative necessity of those who have found a place among God's pilgrim people to go forward by faith, and hold fast that which they have in patient endurance in view of the recompense of reward.

(2) The full provision made by God for the sustenance and encouragement of the true Hebrews, or passers over, throughout the wilderness journey, through the gracious and beneficent ministry of the Great High Priest in heaven on their behalf, and also in acting as a Public Minister of the sanctuary in the presentation of their offerings as a worshipping people.

The teaching of the Epistle to the Hebrews is in striking contrast to that of the opening chapters of Ephesians. There we are seen unconditionally blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, quickened, raised, and seated with Him in the heavenlies. In Hebrews we see a people in the wilderness travelling onward to a better country, and as ~ journey, engagedinthe services of God's house. In Hebrews it is not so much what we are in Him, but what we are in ourselves with our inherent weaknesses, and beset with perils, pitfalls, and snares in our pilgrim pathway, yet with God as our all-sufficient Resource.

The warnings and danger signals in the Hebrew Epistle are solemn and real, and are worthy of our close attention, for every pilgrim has a life to be saved or lost. Let us mention but a few. There is e danger of drifting away from "the things that were heard and neglecting "so great salvation" (2. 1-3); of becoming hardene d by the deceitfulness of sin (3. 13); of developing an evil heart of unbelief (3.12); of coming short of entering into God's rest (4.1); of remaining babes, and failing to press on to full growth (5. 12,18); of falling away, and becoming unfruitful (6.6-8); of becoming sluggish or slothful (6.12); of forsaking the assembling of themselves together (10.25); and of being carried away by divers and strange teachings (13.9). These are a few of the many dangers mentioned as besetting God's people in this world.

These people are passing through hostile territory to their heavenly country. All their resources and strength are in heaven, their glorious Captain is there He is their "gone in" and "eoming out" Hope. This world is to t'hem as it was to David, "a dry and weary land where no water is,' Th'ey are just as dependent upon God to supply their spiritual i;eeds as Israel were for the supply of their physical needs. Unlike Is;ael these people have no visible manifestations such as the pillar 'of fire, and of cloud, which aTbhode upon Jehovah's dwelling place in the past, no visible priest. These people are to walk by faith, and by faith they are to overcome. ey are to give the more earnest heed to the things that were spoken by Him who is far better than angels, better than Aaron, and better than Moses. These things concerned our great salvation, which not only embraces our eternal deliverance from the consequences of sin, but also the present salvation of the soul or life, and the future salvation from sin's presence.

Much of Hebrews is taken up with the salvation of the soul or life, hence the word "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Hebrew's 2.2, 8), and this, in the light of Hebrews 10.80, 81, makes this matter one of great solemnity, for

"The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God.

There is, then, a life which may be saved or lost, a life made up of day-by-day experiences as the believer journeys homeward. To save it, we must walk by faith and not by sight. The Hebrews had begun well, and are exhorted to remember the former days in which, after they were enlightened, they endured a great conflict of sufferings, bearing reproaches and atllictions, and took joyfully the spoiling of their possessions, knowing that they had a better possession, and an abiding one (Hebrews 10.82-84).

In their joyous suffering for Christ's sake, they were also laying up treasure in heaven. It was put to their credit in the accounts of heaven, and they would find it in a coming day. Their boldness was a precious thing which had great recompense of reward, but they were now in danger of losing it by neglect.

The exhortations in Hebrews encourage us to go on to the end in faith. This is essential if we are to maintain fellowship with God and our house of God position, and ultimately arrive at the end of the journey with a saved life. Note the wordsWhose house are we, ifwe hold fast... firm 'into the end" (Hebrews 3.6).

"We are beome partakers (or partners) of Christ, if we hold fast.... firm unto the end" (chapter 3.14).

"Shew the same dtligence unto the fulness of hope even to the end" (chapter 6.11).

"Let us hold fast the confesnion of our hope that it waver not" (chapter ~0. 28).

In chapter 11. we have a great cloud of witnesses who "died in faith." They continued to the end, and died in expectancy. They will not be disappointed, for "God is faithful." In chapter 12. we are told to "run with patience the race set before us, lookina u,~to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith." Of Him prophetically it is written,

"I have set the LORD always before me" (Psalin i6. 8).

"The LORD GOD hath opened Mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away backward" (Isaiah 50.5).

He set His face like a flint, and went on to the end, with faith in God, and overcame (Revelation 3.21). To win the race and gain the prize we must run to the end of the course. From the foregoing it will be observed that it is possible to neglect so great salvation, also to lose our place in God's house now, and lose our souls or lives for the future.

The Hebrews, who ran so well at first, were in danger of shrinking back. The difficulties and obstacles confronting them may have seemed well-nigh insurmountable, and almost beyond human endurance, hope was becoming dim, and the temptation to give up was ever present. This, too, has been the position of many other pilgrims since that day. Wliat is the antidote for this condition of things? It is a sad spectacle to see all lost within sight of the goal.

"Ye hone need of patience, that, hasing done the will of God, ye may receive the promise."

This life is not only an obstacle race, but is also an endurance test.

"Cast not away, trherefore, your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward."

Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. He never gave up, he clung tenaciously to the word of God in spite of the seeming impossibility of fulfilment from the human standpoint.

"Where reason fails with all her poiers, There faith prevails and looe adores."

Let us press on, "For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry." "Behold I come quickly; and My reward is with Me." Meanwhile "My righteous one shall live by faith: and if he shrink back M'v soul hath no pleasure in him." "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped Jo r, the proving of things not seen." The unseen eternal thing~ are more real to faith than those visible to mortal 'eyes. They are the abiding realities of our heavenly inheritance and country to which we are hastening.

The Lord's pleasure is in His willing and obedient people (see Song of Songs 6.12, R V M) "~BuV if he shrink back My soul hath no pleasure in him," sa~ 5 God Alas there is the sad possibility of disciples "looking ~ shri~nking' back, and going back (see Luke 9.62, John 8.66).

But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition (to a wasted or lost life), but of them that have faith unto the saving ol ihe soul" (Hebrews 10 89) The saving of the soul or life of a believer is something left entirely to his choice. The life cannot be saved apart from continued steadfastness in faith and obedience, and apart from this the believer will not escape the consequences of his neglect, and will therefore suffer loss of reward in relation to his works in a day to come. This is intensely solemn for us all. <Author:F. McCormick>

(To be continued).

F. McCormick | Jun 1950
General