February 17 PM

Now abideth faith, hope, charity. 1 Cor. 13:13.

Where do these graces abide? in regenerate hearts. What is faith? a precious grace, the gift of God to miserable sinners. Lord, give us the comfort of it to-night. Say some, ‘faith is an assurance that my sins are pardoned; that Christ loved me, and gave himself for me.’ Indeed it is not. They further add, ‘No one has faith without this assurance: if they have it not, they are in a state of wrath.’ This is false: this notion has inflated many with a vain hope, while it has distressed sincere souls without reason. Many who contend for this assurance of faith, believe a lie with it; for they say, ‘Those whom Christ has so loved as to die for, and whose sins are now forgiven, may at last perish.’ Such an assurance is not worth a straw. This is not the faith of God’s elect; for it gives the lie to Jesus, who is the author and finisher or our faith: it contradicts his double oath, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he who believeth on me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47.) Leave the vain notions of such; look into the divine word for the true nature of faith. It is neither more nor less, than a belief of God’s word: giving credit to God for what he speaks therein; “Believing on his Son Jesus Christ, according to his commandment.” (1 John 3:23.) Dost thou believe thus in thine heart? then, faith abides there. Consider, there is faith, and “the furtherance and joy of faith.” (Phil. 1:25.) If you have faith, though but as a grain of mustard-seed, you will see Christ as precious to you, a miserable sinner; you will receive him as the most inestimable gift of God, to save you, a lost sinner; you will go to him, as the one object of your hope, and the chief desire of your soul; you will rely on his death, as the only requirement for your sins, and trust in his righteousness alone to justify you; you will lay hold on him as the only refuge for your guilty soul; you will live upon him, that you may find joy and peace in him, and grow up into him in all things; you will glory of, and in him alone, saying, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus.” (Gal. 6:14.) Hence, you will grow out of conceit with yourself; dead to sin, dead to your own righteousness, and dead to the world. This, this is the faith of the operation of God, which lives and abides in new-born souls. “In thus believing, we may be fully assured, God will fill us with all joy and peace.” Rom. 15:13.

Father, I bless thee for the gift

Of Christ, thy precious Son:

Spirit, in praise my soul I lift,

For faith, my Lord to own.

Let precious faith in Christ abide,

With all its healing pow’r:

To cleave to Christ, whate’er betide

Me in the darkest hour.