Faith That Saves by H. M. Kelley

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 20, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 16.

Faith That Saves

By H. M. Kelley

By H. M. KELLEY

THE great apostle to the gentiles declared: “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Gal. 2: 20, 21.

“Crucified with Christ”

Christ was crucified to put an end to sin, in the individual, in the world, and in the universe; but He has left it with the individual to say when the end shall come so far as he is concerned. The end of sin in the individual cannot come until “the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,” is dead, and the “new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness,” is alive. Eph. 4: 22, 24. And the life of the one must succeed the death of the other. The “new man” cannot live to God until the “old man” is dead to sin.

The crucifixion took place when Christ died on the cross, “who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.” 1 Peter 2: 24. But the atonement

becomes effective upon the consideration that we accept its merits through faith. Faith in the Lamb of God is the weapon that puts the “old man” to death. Until the heart is given completely to God, and faith has absolute control, the death agonies must continue.

There can be no permanent peace while the “old man” is dying. “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace.” Eph. 2: 11-14.

When Jesus drove the Jews out of the temple with a scourge, they asked Him this question: “What sign showest Thou unto us, seeing that Thou doest these things?” or in other words, What is Your authority? “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2: 18, 19.

The Scriptures had foretold that He should die that others might not die, and that He would be raised—that all the faithful might live eternally. He believed that He would die and afterward live, and He gave as His authority His faith in these promises.

We too are made “alive unto God” through faith in Him who has promised us eternal life, and the faith we have in Him is our authority for being Christians. In this we “do not frustrate the grace of God,” for we acknowledge that righteousness does not come by the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ.