J
Jay T
Guest
"Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).
There are many in the Christian world who claim that all that is necessary to salvation is to have faith; works are nothing, faith is the only essential.
But God's Word tells us that faith without works is dead, being alone.
Many refuse to obey God's commandments, yet they make a great deal of faith. But faith must have a foundation.
God's promises are all made upon conditions.
If we do His will, if we walk in truth, then we may ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us. While we earnestly endeavor to be obedient, God will hear our petitions; but He will not bless us in disobedience. If we choose to disobey His commandments, we may cry, "Faith, faith, only have faith," and the response will come back from the sure Word of God, "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20).
Such faith will only be as sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal.
In order to have the benefits of God's grace we must do our part; we must faithfully work and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.
We are workers together with God. You are not to sit in indolence, waiting for some great occasion, in order to do a great work for the Master. You are not to neglect the duty that lies directly in your pathway, but you are to improve the little opportunities that open around you. . . .
To Wrestle, Labor, and Strive
We are to do all that we can do on our part to fight the good fight of faith. We are to wrestle, to labor, to strive, to agonize to enter in at the strait gate.
We are to set the Lord ever before us. With clean hands, with pure hearts, we are to seek to honor God in all our ways.
Help has been provided for us in Him who is mighty to save.
The spirit of truth and light will quicken and renew us by its mysterious workings; for all our spiritual improvement comes from God, not from ourselves. T
he true worker will have divine power to aid him, but the idler will not be sustained by the Spirit of God.
In one way we are thrown upon our own energies; we are to strive earnestly to be zealous and to repent, to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts from every defilement; we are to reach the highest standard, believing that God will help us in our efforts.
We must seek if we would find, and seek in faith; we must knock, that the door may be opened unto us.
The Bible teaches that everything regarding our salvation depends upon our own course of action. If we perish, the responsibility will rest wholly upon ourselves.
If provision has been made, and if we accept God's terms, we may lay hold on eternal life. We must come to Christ in faith, we must be diligent to make our calling and election sure.
The forgiveness of sin is promised to him who repents and believes; the crown of life will be the reward of him who is faithful to the end.
We may grow in grace by improving through the grace we already have.
We are to keep ourselves unspotted from the world if we would be found blameless in the day of God. Faith and works go hand in hand; they act harmoniously in the work of overcoming.
Works without faith are dead, and faith without works is dead.
Works will never save us; it is the merit of Christ that will avail in our behalf.
Through faith in Him, Christ will make all our imperfect efforts acceptable to God. The faith we are required to have is not a do-nothing faith; saving faith is that which works by love and purifies the soul.
He who will lift up holy hands to God without wrath and doubting will walk intelligently in the way of God's commandments.
If we are to have pardon for our sins, we must first have a realization of what sin is, that we may repent and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. We must have a solid foundation for our faith; it must be founded on the Word of God, and its results will be seen in obedience to God's expressed will. Says the apostle, "Without . . . [holiness] no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).
Faith and works will keep us evenly balanced and make us successful in the work of perfecting Christian character. Jesus says, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter in the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Speaking of temporal food, the apostle said, "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
The same rule applies to our spiritual nourishment; if any would have the bread of eternal life, let him make efforts to obtain it.
We are living in an important and interesting period of this earth's history. We need more faith than we have yet had; we need a firmer hold from above. Satan is working with all power to obtain the victory over us, for he knows that he has but a short time in which to work.
Paul had fear and trembling in working out his salvation; and should not we fear lest a promise being left us, we should any of us seem to come short of it, and prove ourselves unworthy of eternal life?
We should watch unto prayer, strive with agonizing effort to enter in at the strait gate.
There are many in the Christian world who claim that all that is necessary to salvation is to have faith; works are nothing, faith is the only essential.
But God's Word tells us that faith without works is dead, being alone.
Many refuse to obey God's commandments, yet they make a great deal of faith. But faith must have a foundation.
God's promises are all made upon conditions.
If we do His will, if we walk in truth, then we may ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us. While we earnestly endeavor to be obedient, God will hear our petitions; but He will not bless us in disobedience. If we choose to disobey His commandments, we may cry, "Faith, faith, only have faith," and the response will come back from the sure Word of God, "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20).
Such faith will only be as sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal.
In order to have the benefits of God's grace we must do our part; we must faithfully work and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.
We are workers together with God. You are not to sit in indolence, waiting for some great occasion, in order to do a great work for the Master. You are not to neglect the duty that lies directly in your pathway, but you are to improve the little opportunities that open around you. . . .
To Wrestle, Labor, and Strive
We are to do all that we can do on our part to fight the good fight of faith. We are to wrestle, to labor, to strive, to agonize to enter in at the strait gate.
We are to set the Lord ever before us. With clean hands, with pure hearts, we are to seek to honor God in all our ways.
Help has been provided for us in Him who is mighty to save.
The spirit of truth and light will quicken and renew us by its mysterious workings; for all our spiritual improvement comes from God, not from ourselves. T
he true worker will have divine power to aid him, but the idler will not be sustained by the Spirit of God.
In one way we are thrown upon our own energies; we are to strive earnestly to be zealous and to repent, to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts from every defilement; we are to reach the highest standard, believing that God will help us in our efforts.
We must seek if we would find, and seek in faith; we must knock, that the door may be opened unto us.
The Bible teaches that everything regarding our salvation depends upon our own course of action. If we perish, the responsibility will rest wholly upon ourselves.
If provision has been made, and if we accept God's terms, we may lay hold on eternal life. We must come to Christ in faith, we must be diligent to make our calling and election sure.
The forgiveness of sin is promised to him who repents and believes; the crown of life will be the reward of him who is faithful to the end.
We may grow in grace by improving through the grace we already have.
We are to keep ourselves unspotted from the world if we would be found blameless in the day of God. Faith and works go hand in hand; they act harmoniously in the work of overcoming.
Works without faith are dead, and faith without works is dead.
Works will never save us; it is the merit of Christ that will avail in our behalf.
Through faith in Him, Christ will make all our imperfect efforts acceptable to God. The faith we are required to have is not a do-nothing faith; saving faith is that which works by love and purifies the soul.
He who will lift up holy hands to God without wrath and doubting will walk intelligently in the way of God's commandments.
If we are to have pardon for our sins, we must first have a realization of what sin is, that we may repent and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. We must have a solid foundation for our faith; it must be founded on the Word of God, and its results will be seen in obedience to God's expressed will. Says the apostle, "Without . . . [holiness] no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).
Faith and works will keep us evenly balanced and make us successful in the work of perfecting Christian character. Jesus says, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter in the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Speaking of temporal food, the apostle said, "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
The same rule applies to our spiritual nourishment; if any would have the bread of eternal life, let him make efforts to obtain it.
We are living in an important and interesting period of this earth's history. We need more faith than we have yet had; we need a firmer hold from above. Satan is working with all power to obtain the victory over us, for he knows that he has but a short time in which to work.
Paul had fear and trembling in working out his salvation; and should not we fear lest a promise being left us, we should any of us seem to come short of it, and prove ourselves unworthy of eternal life?
We should watch unto prayer, strive with agonizing effort to enter in at the strait gate.
The true believer performs good works with his left hand without his right hand knowing what the left hand is doing. The true Christian doesn't take credit for his works, he gives the credit to God and God alone.