What is Faith?
From Signs of the Times—June 15, 1860.
Webster defines the word as signifying “Belief, assent of the mind to the truth
of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without
other evidence.” And what he denominates Evangelical faith, justifying and
saving faith, he says is the “assent of the mind to the truth of divine
revelation, on the authority of God’s testimony, accompanied with a cordial
assent of the will, or approbation of the heart.” And, this definition is
established by the colleges and universities of our country generally, and
endorsed by all Arminians and legalists everywhere. But the definition of the
term as used in the Scriptures, as defined by the inspired apostles, differs
very widely from the popularly received definitions of men. The apostle John
speaks of it as a child from heaven, born of God, and inspired with heavenly
life, and triumphing over the world. “For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh
the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world: even our faith,”
(1 John 5:4). That faith which is the creature of the carnal mind of man, the
mere assent of the judgment of our fleshly mind, although cordially received and
confidently relied upon, is but, at best, a creature of our own, born of the
flesh, and can no more overcome the world, than can the flesh itself—because no
stream can rise above its fountain. Differing then, in parentage and birth as
widely as the distance between earth and heaven, these two kinds of faith have
no vital relationship with each other. The faith produced by the convictions of
our natural judgment, however cordially assented to or endorsed by the will of
man, is nevertheless a child of [the] earth, which, could it overcome the world,
would overcome itself, as it is an element of the world. But that faith which is
of God, and in God, is the faith of the Son of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ is
himself the author and the finisher of it. This is the faith of God’s elect. By
it, the saints are distinguished from the world, as none can possess it unless
they be born of God, and as without it no man can please God. We do not
understand that the birth of faith is distinct from the birth of saints; but an
element of the new, heavenly and spiritual birth, which is not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; that birth which is
of an incorruptible seed, by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever;
and, therefore, unlike the flesh, which is grass, and the goodliness thereof,
which is the flower of grass, for they must wither and fall away; but the word
of the Lord, the source, fountain and origin of true faith, liveth and abideth
forever. This true and living faith is, then, an element of the heaven-born
child of God, and only by it can we overcome the world, the flesh and the devil;
only by it can we approach the throne of grace, draw nigh unto God, or cry Abba,
Father. For he that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and the belief in
God’s being and perfections is the act of vital faith.
This heaven-begotten and heaven-born faith, is the substance of things hoped
for, and the evidence of things not seen. It is more than a shadow, for a
shadow is not the substance of anything, though shadows do prove the existence
of substances which cast them, and to some extent may portray the outline or
shape of the substance of which they are the shadows, yet they have no substance
in themselves. Thus in the ceremonial law, the meats, drinks, sabbath days and
new moons were the shadow of good things to come—but the body, or substance, is
Christ. And as the faith of the gospel is the faith of Jesus Christ, and as the
righteousness which alone can justify us before God is by the faith of the Son
of God, who hath loved us and given himself for us, so it must be a substance,
in distinction from all shadows, passions or exercises of the natural mind, or
energies of unrenewed men. The Christian’s faith and hope are inseparably
associated, and must operate together in the spiritual exercises of the saints
while in their pilgrimage state. Faith is not the substance of hope, but it is
the substance of the things hoped for, by the Christian. The things hoped for by
the new man are spiritual, heavenly and eternal, for it enters within the veil,
and is fixed on things which are not seen by the natural perceptions of men.
Nothing short of the faith of the Son of God can make real, or give substance
to, the things thus hoped for. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love
him; but he hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; and all the revelations of
the Spirit to us are made to our faith. Hypocrites may hope, but their hope
shall perish; for it is ideal, having no substance. But the hope of the
Christian is a reality, and faith points to Christ as the Hope of Israel, and
the Savior thereof, and gives reality to the things hoped for; and until hope
shall yield to fruition, it is the substance of the things hoped for, as well as
the evidence of things not seen; of eternal things, which are imperceptible to
the eye or intelligence of unregenerated men. “While,” says Paul, “we look not
on the things which are seen; but at the things which are not seen: for the
things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are
eternal.” We could not hope, in a gospel sense, for spiritual and eternal things
which are not seen, if faith did not present them; hence faith is the substance
on which hope is sustained, and just in proportion to the development of faith
in us, will be the steadfastness of our hope, so far as Christian experience is
concerned. When our faith is not in manifest exercise in our hearts, our hope
fails, and we approach the borders of despair, and in great anxiety cry out, My
hope is perished from the Lord! But the renewed manifestation of our faith,
obtaining a victory over the world, says, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise
him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God,” (Ps. 43:5). The faith
that is born of God will lay hold of and endorse no other doctrine than that of
God our Savior; it will point out no other path for the saints to walk in but
that which Christ has marked out by his precepts and examples, and it will admit
as genuine, no other experience than that which is led by the Spirit of God. And
while all other kinds of faith may be attainable by the powers of the flesh, and
when attained, can join affinity with other kinds of the faith, that of which we
speak can only come from God, and never can be known or felt by any while in an
unquickened state, and when implanted in the heart will not amalgamate with the
faith of men nor of devils.
Another peculiarity of this faith is that it will endure trials of the greatest
severity, and God has ordained that it shall be tried. All the sore afflictions,
tribulations, persecutions and temptations to which the saints of God are
subject, are designed for the trial of their faith, and when it shall be
sufficiently tried, they who possess it shall come forth as gold, purified and
refined. The power of faith shall be known by all the saints, in its victories
over the world, the flesh and the devil. It shall triumph over death, and
vanquish the gloom and terror of the grave. As in times past it has quenched the
violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness made strong,
caused the saints to wax valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the
aliens, women receiving their dead raised to life again, and others were
tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might receive a better
resurrection, others had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings—yea, moreover
of bonds and imprisonments, they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, and
goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not
worthy. And what shall we more say? for time would fail to tell of Gideon, of
Barak, and of Sampson, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets. This
invincible, almighty faith by which all these victories were gained is directly
ascribed, in this very connection, to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the author
and the finisher of it. Into the unity of this faith all the saints of God thus
far developed have come, and into it all the redeemed of the Lord shall
ultimately be brought; for, There is one faith, even, as there is one Lord, one
baptism, one God and Father of all, one body, one Spirit and one hope of our
calling.
Having briefly treated on the nature, the origin, the peculiarities, the power
and vitality of this faith, and labored to discriminate between it and all other
kinds of faith, we will close by inquiring whether we, dear brethren, are in
possession of it, and by pointing out some of the reliable evidences of its
existence in our hearts.
The apostle has said, “Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith.” How
important is this investigation; in nothing can we be more deeply interested.
Without this faith, we may please men, we may gain the applause of the world, we
may gratify the lusts of our carnal nature; but without it we cannot please God.
In its absence we cannot know God nor approach him. Only by it can we rest upon
the provisions and gracious promises of the gospel, find access to the throne of
grace, understand the truth, endure the trials of the way, quench the fiery
darts of Satan, overcome the world, have communion with God, fellowship with his
saints, or finally pass the chilling terrors of death and the grave without fear
or dread. What are the evidences of its existence in our hearts? Of the many
which God has graciously given, we can at this time only mention a few:
First-
The faith of the Son of God in our hearts is always associated with hope and
charity. Now abideth faith, hope and charity these three. If, then, we have the
faith, just as its power is manifested in us, to the same extent will our hope
be established in God, and our charity, or love, flow to God and to all who bear
his image. The love of God shed abroad in our hearts will center in God as its
author and source, in his people, his truth, his government, his laws, his
ordinances, and all the privileges of his church.
Second-
Having this faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, or, in
other words, are reconciled to God, rejoice that he is God, that he has all
power in heaven and in earth; that he reigns supreme over all beings, all
worlds, and all events, that he has numbered the hairs of our head, and will not
suffer one of them to fall unbidden of him to the ground.
Third-
If we have this faith, we shall learn by experience that we cannot control it,
exercise or enlarge it—but on the contrary, it will assuredly control, exercise
and govern us.
Fourth-
Having this faith, we shall assuredly also have fears, trials, temptations and
great conflicts with the world, the flesh and Satan, for our faith must be
tried, that its power may be understood and appreciated.
Fifth-
If our faith be of the operation of God, it will give us such views of the
perfections, power and majesty of God, that we shall abhor ourselves, in dust
and ashes, while we admire, gaze and wonder at the amazing power and grace
displayed in our salvation.
Sixth-
This faith will lead us to trust alone in God for our eternal salvation, and for
the salvation of all his redeemed family, while it will effectually destroy in
us all confidence in the flesh. The more we know of God, by faith, the greater
will be our confidence to resign our present interest and our eternal destiny to
his hands, and beg that we may not be left to be filled like Ephraim, with our
own ways.
In proportion as we feel the reigning power of this faith in our hearts, we
shall be ready, willing and anxious to honor, praise, revere, obey and glorify
God. It will lead us to love the assembling of the saints, to frequent the house
of prayer, to pray for the prosperity of
