The Source of Pardon & Spiritual Life
The three constituents of faith may be illustrated from the (1) thoughts, (2) feelings, (3) actions of a person who stand by a boat, upon a little island which the rising stream threatens to submerge.
He first regards the boat from a purely intellectual point of view which it is merely an actual existing boat. Second, as the stream rises, he looks at it with some accession of emotion, his prospective danger awakens in him the conviction that it is a good boat for a time of need though he is not yet ready to make use of it. Third, when he feels that the rushing tide must otherwise sweep him away, a volitional element is added, he then gets into the boat, trusts himself to it, accepts it as his present and only means of safety.
Only this last faith in the boat is faith that saves. Although this last includes the preceding. It is equally clear that the getting into the boat may actually save the man, while at the same time, he may be full of fears that the boat will never bring him to the shore. These fears may be removed by the boatman's word. So saving faith is not necessarily assurance of faith, but it becomes assurance of faith when the Holy Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God (Romans 8:16). On the nature of this assurance, and on the distinction between it and saving faith, the key is the witness with our spirit, that we are God's children thus being granted the opportunity to use the God quality of faith.
The Elements of Faith
The voluntary element in faith, however, is a giving as well as a taking. In its intellectual element, faith is receptive and believes that God is. In its affectional element, faith is assimilative, and believes that God is a rewarder. In its voluntary element, faith is operative, and actually comes to God (Hebrews 11:6).
Where the element of surrender is emphasized and the element of reception is not understood, the result is a legalistic experience with little hope or joy. Only as we appropriate Christ, in connection with our consecration, do we realize the full blessing of the Gospel, and living by Faith in Him alone. Light requires two things: the sun to shine, and eyes to take in its shining. So we cannot be saved without Christ to save, and faith to take the Savior for our own. Faith is the act by which we receive Christ.
The woman who touched the border of Jesus' garment received His healing power. It is better still to keep in touch with Christ so as to receive continually His grace and life. Best of all is taking Him into our inner most being to be the soul of our soul, the Spirit of our spirit, and the whole life of our life. This is the essence of faith. Though many Christians do not yet realize it. Faith can never be totally defined because it is a fact of the Christian life. Christ in you the hope, and the picture of eternal life.
It is a merging of our life in the life of Christ, and a reception of Christ's life to interpenetrate and energize ours. In faith, we must take Christ as well as give him ourselves. It is certainly true that surrender without trust will not make us possessors of God's peace.
The act of faith is a moral act, and men are responsible for not believing. In the intellectual act, the whole moral nature expresses itself.
He first regards the boat from a purely intellectual point of view which it is merely an actual existing boat. Second, as the stream rises, he looks at it with some accession of emotion, his prospective danger awakens in him the conviction that it is a good boat for a time of need though he is not yet ready to make use of it. Third, when he feels that the rushing tide must otherwise sweep him away, a volitional element is added, he then gets into the boat, trusts himself to it, accepts it as his present and only means of safety.
Only this last faith in the boat is faith that saves. Although this last includes the preceding. It is equally clear that the getting into the boat may actually save the man, while at the same time, he may be full of fears that the boat will never bring him to the shore. These fears may be removed by the boatman's word. So saving faith is not necessarily assurance of faith, but it becomes assurance of faith when the Holy Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God (Romans 8:16). On the nature of this assurance, and on the distinction between it and saving faith, the key is the witness with our spirit, that we are God's children thus being granted the opportunity to use the God quality of faith.
The Elements of Faith
The voluntary element in faith, however, is a giving as well as a taking. In its intellectual element, faith is receptive and believes that God is. In its affectional element, faith is assimilative, and believes that God is a rewarder. In its voluntary element, faith is operative, and actually comes to God (Hebrews 11:6).
Where the element of surrender is emphasized and the element of reception is not understood, the result is a legalistic experience with little hope or joy. Only as we appropriate Christ, in connection with our consecration, do we realize the full blessing of the Gospel, and living by Faith in Him alone. Light requires two things: the sun to shine, and eyes to take in its shining. So we cannot be saved without Christ to save, and faith to take the Savior for our own. Faith is the act by which we receive Christ.
The woman who touched the border of Jesus' garment received His healing power. It is better still to keep in touch with Christ so as to receive continually His grace and life. Best of all is taking Him into our inner most being to be the soul of our soul, the Spirit of our spirit, and the whole life of our life. This is the essence of faith. Though many Christians do not yet realize it. Faith can never be totally defined because it is a fact of the Christian life. Christ in you the hope, and the picture of eternal life.
It is a merging of our life in the life of Christ, and a reception of Christ's life to interpenetrate and energize ours. In faith, we must take Christ as well as give him ourselves. It is certainly true that surrender without trust will not make us possessors of God's peace.
The act of faith is a moral act, and men are responsible for not believing. In the intellectual act, the whole moral nature expresses itself.
I thank you for your continued
viewing and reading. If this Blog and its contents has been a blessing to
you, then I ask, with God's leading, that you consider supporting Artesian
Well Church.
Artesian Well Church
6031 Linden Avenue
Long Beach, Ca
6031 Linden Avenue
Long Beach, Ca
In his Service,
Pastor James P. Norman Jr.
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