Luke 8:25

FAITH AND ITS EVIDENCES

‘Where is your faith?’

Luke 8:25

Faith is not a mere sluggish acceptance, a mere condescending acquiescence, a mere dead passivity; it is not even a mere abstract conviction. Faith, in the Christian sense, in the sense wherein each one of us ought to say ‘I believe,’ is a possessing principle, an irresistible enthusiasm.

Men in myriads say that they believe in God. When men are sincere in the belief, it is easy to show it. Such faith is not dead or nugatory, but all-pervading; not a secondary matter, but everything; and when perfectly sincere it will bend the whole purpose of the man to love God’s law, to do His will, to glorify His name. He who really believes in God will be:

I. Watchful, because he knows God’s eye is upon him.

II. Trustful, for God is his Father.

III. Grateful, for Christ died to redeem him.

IV. Hopeful, for there is a hand that guides.

V. Self-sacrificing, for Christ bade us take up our cross.

VI. Contented with food and raiment, for Christ was poor.

VII. Holy, for He Who hath called us is holy.

We say that we believe in God. Are we sincere? If so, what are the proofs of our sincerity?

—Dean Farrar.

Illustration

‘ “I believe in God, in Christ, in the Holy Ghost.” That belief, if we really had it—that is, if it were genuine faith—is strong enough to drive away vice and infidelity wholly from the world. “I believe in one God.” Why, even Mahomet said it, and meant it. With a handful of desert Arabs he burst over continents in a storm of conquests. “I believe in Christ.” Why, when a dozen Galilean peasants, unlearned and ignorant men, said it and meant it, before their emblem of a slave’s torture kings fell prostrate and armies fell. “I believe in the Holy Ghost.” Why, when the poor monk said it at Worms and at Wittemberg she whose scarlet robe was stiff with earthly pomp, whose names were many and all blasphemous, the harlot of sacerdotal tyranny and ecclesiastical corruption, reeled upon the throne of her abominations. “I believe in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” We say it, and from our feeble and stammering lips the words with which our fathers worked miracles fall dead. We say it, and on every side of us men are turning their backs contemptuously upon our services and are loathing our divisions and are laughing our hollow faith to scorn.’