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Courage and Faith

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 19, 1877

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 50, No. 4.

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Courage and Faith.

By Jos. Clarke

Courage is necessary in the Christian life; and without faith true Christian courage expires, as a lamp without oil. When discouragement and low spirits settle down upon the mind, unfitting us for work in the cause of God, we may be sure that faith is becoming weak.
It was by the power of faith that the ancient worthies gained the victory in their severe trials. As they lived in the daily exercise of faith, and thus kept the flame of love continually burning, they were always prepared for the severest test of persecution.
Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, speaks to the point on this important subject. After having introduced the topic in the tenth chapter, he proceeds in the eleventh to give a brief but distinct summary of the principal and most sublime acts of faith on the part of ancient prophets and saints.
Faith in lively exercise is a quality of the mind, abstract, yet active and benevolent. It excites the mind to the highest degree of love and of virtue. Paul calls it the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen;” and he adds: “For by it the elders obtained a good report.” By the same faith all the good of every age and nation have been able to please God in all the varied walks of life.
In the twelfth chapter, Paul sums up the subject by saying, “Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” Now what is the sin that so easily besets us, if it is not the sin of unbelief? Verse 2: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” Here is the point that we must keep in mind.
Faith is too little valued, or it is abused and made a pretense by presumption. But true faith is a sublime and heavenly grace, of which Jesus is the author. He values this grace as he sees it developed in his people. It is precious in his sight. He allows it to be tried and tested, that it may be firm and true and permanent; and that it may be sufficient to stand amid the storms of adversity or the smiles of prosperity. As Jesus is the author of faith, it is our duty and privilege to look continually to him to increase our faith.
Faith is the greatest and best of the Christian graces, as it includes charity, or love, which completes faith and gives it energy and beauty. Faith without charity is only hideous and odious. Such a faith as this was the faith of Jehu, when he, as an act of obedience, slew the wicked queen Jezebel. Such a faith had Herod, who beautified the temple; and Simon Magus also had a faith which was destitute of love, unless it was a selfish love.
A living faith is beautiful and noble. It supports its possessor under the most trying circumstances, and its clear and brilliant light beams steadily amid the thickest darkness and gloom. When this living faith is constant and full in its workings, when the heart bids it a cordial welcome, and shuts its doors against Satan and the carnal mind, then faith holds its jubilee in the heart, and sings its songs of joy and praise. Then Paul and Silas sing, though in chains, and the prison doors fly open, and light shines all around. Then sinners are converted, and backsliders are reclaimed, and saints are comforted.
It was in obedience to such a faith that Hezekiah spread out his letter before God in the temple, and immediately the invading army of Sennacherib turned pale in the embrace of the messenger of God, who slew the pride of the Assyrian host. The same faith inspired the apostles, as they, on the day of Pentecost, for the first time, proclaimed the good tidings to the world of a risen and ascended Saviour, whose blood and pleadings are the sinner’s hope and confidence. Who would not have such a faith? Jos. Clarke.