Faith and Presumption by ELBRIDGE M. ADAMS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 9, 1915

Faith and Presumption

By ELBRIDGE M. ADAMS

The Holy Spirit — No. 1

Faith and Presumption

ELBRIDGE M. ADAMS

The Christian should clearly distinguish between faith and presumption; for one is of God and the other of Satan. One is that by which all the faithful in all ages have lived, while the other is the devil's counterfeit by which he has controlled and led millions to destruction. God's people cannot live without faith. But presumption, like all counterfeits, is so much like faith that many have been deceived by it. No one, however, need be deceived, for there is a plain difference.

“And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.” Gen. 4:4, 5. It was not just a chance that Abel was pleasing in God's sight and Cain was not. God was not respecting persons. But Abel's offering was of the flock, an offering which typified the death of Christ upon the cross. It was an act of faith. “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous.” Heb. 11:4.

Cain's offering was of the fruit of the ground, and in it was no expression of faith in the Redeemer. God had communicated to Adam and his family the great plan of salvation, and had taught them how to worship him. Gen. 3:15. So Cain was following the word of God only in part. He brought an offering, it is true; but it was not the right kind. He was trying to serve God in his own way. The result was, his offering was rejected, and he became jealous of Abel. This jealousy grew into bitter hatred, and hatred into murder. Cain killed his own brother.

During the siege of Jerusalem, when Jeremiah was in prison, the Lord told him to redeem the field of Hanameel, his cousin. Why should he put his money into land at a time when the people were about to be taken captive and the city destroyed?—Because of the word of the Lord. Jeremiah was not presuming that this investment would be profitable to him in time to come; but he was acting on the word of God. The Lord had spoken, and though of himself Jeremiah could not fully understand this, he obeyed. And then God said to him: “And now therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.” Jer. 32:36, 37.

Abraham stands a notable example of faith. When he was living in Ur of the Chaldees, the Lord said to him, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee.” Gen. 12:1. Abraham was a rich man, owning large flocks and herds. And to care for these he had a multitude of servants. In Ur, where he lived, there were no famines, but food grew in abundance for both his family and his cattle and sheep. But God said, Come out of this land, and I will show thee where to go. Human reason would have said, Yes, I will go if I can make a good living in that place; but I must first go and carefully investigate, to know the country's resources before moving. And, indeed, this would have been the wisest plan had not God, the Creator of heaven and earth, commanded Abraham to go out not knowing whither he went. God knows what Abraham needed, and he knew also the resources of the country where he would have Abraham live. Abraham believed that God would take care of him, and, acting in faith, moved out upon the word of God. And the result was that God blessed him exceedingly, and he became a great man. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Heb. 11:8. Because of these expressions of faith, Abraham was called by God to be the “father of the faithful.”

On the other hand, King Saul failed to obey God. During his reign God sent to him the prophet Samuel with these words: “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant, and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” Saul went to war with the Amalekites. But instead of utterly destroying them, he saved the king alive, “and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.” The reason he gave for doing this was that “the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God.” But though it might seem like a worthy purpose to sacrifice unto God, they had transgressed his commandment. And God said to Saul: “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” And the Lord added, “Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” Saul was not only rejected from being king, but because of his presumption the Spirit of God left him, and in this unhappy state he lived until he ended his life by his own hand. And so he died apart from God—a lost man. 1 Samuel 15. Another example of presumption, showing its terrible results, is that of

Judas.

Judas. Judas was one of the twelve. He had the blessed privilege of personal contact with the Saviour of the world. He, with the other disciples, listened daily to the gracious words of everlasting life spoken by Jesus himself. And yet Judas did not profit by all this. Pride and covetousness arose in his heart, and he sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. As Jesus had at different times manifested his power in wonderful ways, Judas thought that he would deliver himself from the mob that came to take him; thus Jesus would be saved and Judas would have the coveted money. But when Jesus permitted himself to be taken, and Judas realized what he had done, he ran into the judgment hall and threw down the money at the feet of the priest, and cried, in despair, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.” Then he went out and hanged himself. Peter says that “falling headlong, he [Judas] burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” Acts 1:18. Thus ended the life of Judas, whose actions were not of faith, but of presumption.

These are only a few of the many examples that illustrate either a life of faith or a life of presumption. And what lesson do they teach? Of the six men mentioned, Abel, Abraham, and Jeremiah followed the way of the Lord. They lived according to his word. Cain, Saul, and Judas followed their own feelings and desires, which led them to open rebellion against God, and finally to death, the last two taking their own lives.

The difference between faithful Abraham and presumptuous Saul is that Abraham obeyed God's word, while Saul did not. What, then, is the basis of faith? It is the word of God—that which he has given through his prophets, and which we have in the Bible and the Testimonies. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17. There are many professors today. They have a form of godliness, but they are not following Christ fully. Like Cain and Saul, they do only a part of what God has commanded,—that which they like to do,—and the rest they reject. No life can be a life of faith unless it is in obedience to the Word. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Jesus will accept nothing but strict obedience to his word. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 7:21. Read also verses 24-29.

Faith is founded on the Word, not on feeling, convenience, or the customs of men, and therefore leads to obedience and everlasting life. By it miracles were wrought, men received help from God through prayer, the persecuted proved faithful, sinners were made saints, believers followed God, not men. See Hebrews 11.

Presumption is founded on inclination, convenience, and customs of men, not on God's Word, and therefore leads to disobedience and death. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Rom. 14:23. “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” Matt. 12:31. Now it is acts of presumption that prepare the way for the unpardonable sin—the great transgression. “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” Ps. 19:13.

Iloilo, P. I.