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Faith, March 9
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
.
In coming to Christ there must be an exercise of faith. We need to bring
Him into our everyday life; then we shall have peace and joy, and we shall
know by experience the meaning of His word, “If ye keep my commandments,
ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments,
and abide in his love” (
John 15:10
). Our faith must claim the promise, that
we may abide in the love of Jesus. Jesus said, “These things have I spoken
unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full”
(
verse 11
).
Faith works by love and purifies the soul. Through faith the Holy Spirit
finds access to the heart, and creates holiness therein. Man cannot become an
agent to work the works of Christ unless he is in communion with God through
the Holy Spirit. We can be fitted for heaven only through a transformation
of character; we must have Christ’s righteousness as our credentials, if we
would find access to the Father. We must be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We must daily
be transformed by the influence of the Holy Spirit; for it is the work of the
Holy Spirit to elevate the taste, to sanctify the heart, to ennoble the whole
man, by presenting to the soul the matchless charms of Jesus.
We are to behold Christ, and by beholding to become changed. We must
come to Him, as to an open, inexhaustible fountain, from which we may
drink again and again, and ever find a fresh supply. We are to respond to the
drawing of His love, to feed on the Bread of Life which came down from
heaven, to drink of the Water of Life which flows from the throne of God.
We are to keep looking up, that faith may bind us to the throne of God. Do
not look down, as though you were bound to the earth. Do not keep up an
examination of your faith, pulling it up, as though it were a flower, to see if
it has any root. Faith grows imperceptibly.—
The Bible Echo, February 15,
1893
.
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