Faith is the essence of life. All men who come to the knowledge of the gospel ought to live by it. Strange that men do not see its value and its excellence. Faith is the bedrock of Christian life. In taking into account what Christ did for us, Christians live by the nature of what they believe. Believing that Christ died for them, they cannot do otherwise than love him and live to please and serve him.
This belief is of the utmost value to them, as long as they live in this world and the very fact of the universal utility of this faith proves its divine origin and the divine truth of the things believed. Christian faith does in fact fit men for heaven; this proves its doctrine to be divine. It cannot be a lie; for no lie could have such results. It is impossible that a system can be false, which, believed, makes men so pure and holy.
The fruits of Christian faith prove the Bible true and the life of faith in Christ is too peculiar to be mistaken. It is said of Christians that they are a “peculiar people.” They have a peculiar faith. They believe in things that elevate the soul, purify the heart, raise the mind above the influence of sordid things, and place it aloof from the debasing influences of sensuality, and all things low and mean.
Faith in Christ must produce a life that will be its own witness. Look over society anywhere, and your eye must recognize the man who lives by faith. Such faith as the true Christian has must create a life so peculiar as to be readily distinguished from every other life. Saving faith is in its very nature saving. This is not only for the future as only rescuing the soul at death from final perdition. This Christian faith is that by which men live, not that by which they die.
They are saved here first and saved hereafter because they are first saved here. If faith ever saves the soul, it must be first here. It saves them into happiness in heaven because it has first saved them into holiness on earth. Finally, none can be happy even in heaven, without faith. Unless they can confide in God, it was vain to suppose they can be quiet and blessed even there. There is no alternative but either to trust or to rebel. Faith or sin: this is the only alternative.
Thus God always train his children to faith before he ventures to take them up to heaven! Without faith, no one can please God. For no one dares entertained the thought to go there until they have faith enough to trust God as revealed here! It must be a fearful thing to go to heaven unprepared to endure its discipline. Keep on believing and trusting in the Lord, who loves you so much to die for you!
The challenge for today: Are you ready to live and die for his cause?