Painting by Briton Rivierie.
NB:
Daniel with great faith does not look upon the lions, but up to Heaven to His
Lord.
An easier to read and print READER version is RIGHT HERE!
1 Now faith
is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through
faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that
things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Heb 11:1-3)
I discovered a little story a few
years back in the Bible Friend that
very clearly articulates the relationship between works and faith:
An old
Scotsman operated a little rowboat for transporting passengers. One day a
passenger noticed that the good old man had carved on one oar the word “Faith,”
and on the other the word “Works.” Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of
this. The old man, being a well-balanced Christian and glad of the opportunity
for testimony, said, “I will show you.”
So
saying, he dropped one oar and plied the other called Works, and they just went
around in circles. Then he dropped that oar and began to ply the oar called
Faith, and the little boat just went around in circles again – this time the
other way around, but still in a circle.
After
this demonstration the old man picked up Faith and Works, and plying both oars
together, sped swiftly over the water, explaining to his inquiring passengers,
“You see, that is the way it is in the Christian life. Dead works without faith
are useless, and ‘faith without works is dead’ also, getting you nowhere. But
Faith and Works pulling together make for safety, progress, and blessing.
Of course, I believe that every
reader of this devotion will know that no man is saved by good works for we are
incapable of good works apart from Christ working in and through us. “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should
boast.” (Eph 2:8-9) But we are certainly saved UNTO good works. “10 For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we
should walk in them.” (Eph
2:10) But the mechanism (to use a
term loosely) by which we are saved is faith working by the mercies of God’s
Grace. Faith is that hook which the Holy Ghost sets in the jaw of the elect to
draw him to Christ in the first case. Faith is the only agency that draws the
sinner to the cross. The PURPOSE of that drawing is to enable the Free Grace
that God makes available through the propitiatory death and atoning sacrifice
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
By faith in the Blood of Christ, we
are justified before God. The Roman Church will admit to ‘justification by
faith’ as well; however, they add something else to it based in works of
penitence, self-merit, and even indulgences. This Romish doctrine turns Holy
Scripture on end. Read what St. Paul says: “19 Now we
know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the
law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty
before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law
there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law
is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ
unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (Romans
3:19-25)
Another point to discern from the
above text is this: all are guilty and deserving of Hell. If God, in His
Sovereign Grace, does not elect to save you from your deserved Hell, justice is
nonetheless satisfied. But all who have that burning desire to love and serve
God are, by definition, elect in Christ. The doctrine of Faith and Grace should
work together to comfort those who before doubted of their salvation. Faith is
actually a product of Grace. Before Grace was imparted, there was no ability of
Faith. The two (Faith and Grace) are married as One with one another.
Faith imbues the soul with the hope
necessary to persevere under every threat and every hardship. Not all possess
the same measure of faith because all have not fortified their souls with the
same measure of wisdom and knowledge offered freely by the study of Holy Writ.
The same Article of Religion of the
Thirty Nine of the Reformation Church of England applies equally to Faith as it
does to Grace:
XIII.
Of Works before Justification.
“Works
done before the grace of Christ, and the Inspiration of the Spirit, are not
pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ; neither
do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School-authors say) deserve
grace of congruity: yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed
and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.”
Justification (being accounted
righteous before God) requires both Grace and Faith working in concert: “22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ
unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is
boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of
faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:22-28)
In
the above text, Paul is making reference to all men apart from that One son of
Man who did invoke the terms of the law in saving us. No man escapes the
penalty of the law without the law receiving its due. “23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
(Romans 3:23)
Yes, Miss Mary and Mr. Jones – this means you, too, and all of us except the
only Begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ! “23 For
the wages of sin is death; but
the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) He was not subject to
the penalty of death because He was without sin; however, you and I were so
subject. Only one who did not owe the debt of sin could die in the place of
another as a Substitute – and that only One was the Lord Jesus Christ!
Being recipient by Grace of the
IMPUTED righteousness of Christ, we are justified and considered JUST. How
should we then live? “17 For therein is the righteousness of
God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by
faith.” (Romans
1:17) What does “live by faith” mean?
It means to know without doubt in one’s heart that he or she is a child of God.
That his actions and even thoughts can either reflect commendably or
disparagingly upon His Sovereign who bought Him with His own Blood. Faith is
the fuel of our spiritual lives. Faith is knowing that we are not alone – that
our Lord is right beside to bear testimony of who we are in Him. Being children
of the King of Kings imparts an awesome responsibility upon the prince and
princess to live their lives so as not to bring dishonor upon their Father’s
Name.
Hope being a product of Faith, we
must have it anchored in the depths of the deep to prevent aimless drift. “17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto
the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we
might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the
hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast,
and which entereth into that within the veil.” (Heb 6:17-19)
But we must bear in mind that Faith
is no orphan. Grace has imparted it, and love sustains it. “11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I
understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put
away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass,
darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even
as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity (LOVE),
these three; but the greatest of these is
charity (LOVE).” (1 Cor 13:11-13)
