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G. B. STARR

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 26, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 52.

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G. B. STARR

By G. B. Starr

“By Faith”

G. B. STARR

THAT no man is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
The just, or righteous, begin their experience by faith, and live all the way by faith, and finish by faith. Righteousness is a state, or condition, attained not by works, but by faith. A righteous person can and does observe a righteous law, not in order to attain righteousness, but because he has attained it through faith, and his obedience is proof of his attainment.
Because sinners can not keep a righteous law is not against the law, but against the sinner. Therefore the law which would have witnessed to righteousness had man never sinned, now witnesses that all men have sinned. Rom. 3:19.
But this same law witnesses to the righteousness obtained through faith in Jesus Christ. But this it could not do and would not do were it not that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in those who believe in Jesus Christ. Rom. 8: 3, 4.
This righteousness obtained by faith in Christ is witnessed by the law, even as the mirror witnesses to the changes wrought that the reflection showed ought to be wrought. James 2:23-25.
Righteousness is the very life and obedience of Christ working in the life of the believer. It works by love and purifies the heart.

Not by Feeling

The just live by faith, not by feeling. “We are not to make our feelings a test by which to discern whether we are in or out of favor with God.” As soon as one begins to contemplate his feelings, he is on dangerous ground. He is looking at himself and contemplating self, instead of looking away from self to Jesus. “We must educate the soul to trust in God’s Word with unswerving faith and confidence, and cease to hurt the heart of Christ by doubting his love.”
“Faith is the gift of God, but the power to exercise it is ours. If faith lies dormant, it is of no advantage to us; but in exercise, it holds all blessings in its grasp. It is the hand by which the soul takes hold of the strength of the Infinite. It is the medium by which human hearts, renewed by the grace of Christ, are made to beat in harmony with the great heart of love. Faith plants itself on the promises of God, and claims them as surety that he will do just as he said he would. Jesus comes to the sinful, helpless, needy souls, and says: ‘What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.’ Believe; claim the promises, and praise God that ye do receive the things ye have asked of him, and when your need is greatest, you will experience his blessing and receive special help and blessing, they look to themselves to see if their prayer is answered; and if they have a happy flight of feeling, they are satisfied. This is not faith, but unbelief. We should trust God, whether we experience any change of feeling or not. . . . Feeling is an unsafe guide, and those who depend upon it are in danger of imbibing heresy.”
The just do not live by feeling, but by faith, which triumphs over feelings and conquers in spite of them.
“As a faithful physician, the world’s Redeemer has his finger upon the pulse of the soul. He marks every beat; he takes note of every throb; not an emotion thrills it, not a sorrow shades it, not a sin stains it, not a thought nor a purpose passes through it, with which he is not acquainted. Man was purchased at an infinite cost, and is loved with a devotion exceeding that which a father feels for his child. The prayer that comes from a sincere heart will ever find a response in heaven.”

The Spirit by Faith

Many who recognize clearly that forgiveness of sin, and righteousness imputed and imparted, are obtained solely by faith without feeling, stumble at feeling when it comes to the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We believe we are forgiven because God has said, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
But when it comes to receiving the Holy Spirit, the very means God uses for cleansing from all unrighteousness and purifying the heart-springs and impulses, we hesitate. We consult our feelings instead of resting upon the promise that he is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children; and instead of believing that he does it, we ask in unbelief, “If God is willing, why does he not give it to me, when I cry so earnestly for it?” For the very manifest reason that God can not and does not respond to unbelief. Instead of having implicit faith in the promise, and holding it fast by faith, and thus making it possible for God to give us his Spirit, we begin to think of tongues of fire, and various extraordinary emotions, and so examine our feelings, and take counsel with ourselves instead of resting upon the unchanging Word, and looking into the face of its Author, and opening the heart by faith to his working.
Christ died in order to make it possible for us to receive the Spirit by faith. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us . . . that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Gal. 3: 13, 14.
“This promised blessing, claimed by faith, brings all other blessings in its train.” Shall we not, then, cease to look to our feelings, and as children of God claim by faith this much-needed blessing, and so open the long-closed avenues of heart and mind to the working of God’s Spirit in and through us?
Melrose, Mass.