Christian Friend vol. 18, 1891, p. 225.
A believer is generally supposed to be one who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation; one, in fact, who is in the enjoyment of the forgiveness of sins, and is on the ground of redemption. And so far this is true; but if we go no further we lose sight of what is his characteristic, as expressed indeed in the word believer; viz., faith. A believer therefore is one who walks by faith, who lives by faith, so that faith marks the whole of his existence.
* * *
This may be clearly seen from a few scriptural examples. When the man brought his son, who had a dumb spirit, to the Lord. Jesus, he said, "If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us." To this appeal the Lord replied, "If thou canst believe, [the "if thou canst" is "if thou canst believe"] "all things are possible to him that believeth." (Mark 9:22-23.) Without a doubt the Lord points out here the present power of faith when in activity - not only belief in Himself for present succour and blessing, although that was included in His words, but also the faith that could avail itself of all that was in Christ for every exigency that might arise in the path. For in the very next chapter we read, "With God all things are possible" (Mark 10:27), so that - and herein is the marvel - whatever is possible with God is possible for faith.
* * *
Another instance may be gleaned from the next gospel. The Lord had been teaching His disciples as to how they were to act towards a brother who might trespass against them. If he trespassed against any one of them seven times in a day, and seven times in a day were to turn again, saying, "I repent," he was to be forgiven. The response of the apostles - for they felt the difficulty - was, "Lord, increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you." (Luke 17:3-6; compare Matt. 21:21-22.) As plainly in this instance we have the power of faith indicated for the path of service, the sovereign instrumentality, only to be used in realised dependence as Matthew 21:22 teaches, whereby all obstacles in the Christian path may be conquered, either by being removed, by being nullified, or by being made subservient to the object in view.
* * *
Recent reference has been made in these pages to some examples of the same kind in John's gospel. Another may be cited of a different kind - "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:35.) A moment's consideration will show that the believing in the last clause is not once and for all as if it taught that whoever believed in the Lord Jesus should never thirst. Alas! we all know that there are many believers - indeed, real believers - who know little of what it is not to thirst, for the simple reason that they are still seeking satisfaction at the springs of earth, having never yet learned that it is a dry and thirsty land where no water is. The lesson therefore is that where faith in a glorified Christ is in constant activity, appropriating what He is according to the need of the soul, there thirst shall in no wise be known,
* * *
Barnabas likewise may be adduced as an illustration of the subject.* When the gospel was first preached to the Gentiles†the hand of the Lord was with the preachers, and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. On tidings of this striking work reaching the assembly at Jerusalem they sent forth Barnabas, evidently to inspect and report. When he arrived on the scene, and had seen the grace of God, he rose above all his Jewish predilections and prejudices, and, heartily accepting the work as of God, he joined in helping to minister to the new converts. And the spirit of God gives the following reason: "For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith." (Acts 11:20-24.) We gather two things - that he was controlled by the Spirit, and that faith being in lively exercise he embraced the truth of God's purposes of blessing for the Gentile; and thus it was that he detected that the work he had come to examine was a genuine work of grace. In other words, he was at this moment in the current of the mind of God, because he had faith.
*The case of Stephen, as given in Acts 6:8, is omitted, because the correct reading would seem to be "full of grace" instead of "full of faith."
†The word in our version, "Grecians," should be, according to the best authorities, "Greeks."
* * *
Passing by many other cases that will readily occur to the reader we may refer to the familiar examples given in Hebrews 11. There will be no need, however, to dwell upon those which are given in detail, from Abel down to Rahab the harlot; it will suffice to recall the remarkable summary given by the apostle. After saying that the time would fail him to tell of all the mighty men of faith who had appeared on the scene, he proceeds to show what they had been enabled to accomplish: "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens," etc. (vv. 32-34.) Comment upon this marvellous catalogue of the exploits of faith is superfluous; for the mere enumeration of what these saints of old accomplished through faith in God carries with it its own instruction, and a solemn admonition for a generation which knows so little how to walk in the same steps.
* * *
It may be remarked, however, that a knowledge of the truth does not bestow faith. On the other hand, if the truth known is not held in faith through the power of the Holy Ghost, it will exercise no sanctifying influence whatever upon the soul. What hinders faith is holding the truth apart from Him whom the truth reveals. When it comes to us as the revelation of God (see John 8:25) faith is produced in our hearts by Him whom it unfolds, and our whole lives are governed by it. For it ought ever to be remembered that God Himself as revealed in Christ through the Word is faith's only foundation.
* * *
This is seen in the case of Peter. "Lord," he said, "if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And He said, Come." Peter had therefore the Lord as his object, and the Lord's word on which to rest, and this was enough to enable him to walk on the water to go to Jesus; and it was only when he was tempted to judge by the sight of his eyes, and was afraid, that he began to sink. Though invisible to mortal eye, and, according to human judgment, a foolish presumption, there is nothing so real or so secure as the foundation of faith, and nothing so divinely wise as the exercise of faith, because it simply takes God at His word, or counts upon Him according to the revelation which He has been pleased to make of Himself in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour. In a day of unbelief may the Lord grant that many among His people may be distinguished by faith!