WORKS THE FRUIT OF FAITH by Dudley Marvin Canright

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Mar 4, 1889

WORKS THE FRUIT OF FAITH.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

SAID Mr. Moody, in Oakland, a few evenings since: "No man can be saved by the works of the law. When men get rid of that idea, there is hope of their accepting Christ." We agree with him, and no religious journal in our land has taught this more thoroughly and faithfully than the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. Yet we are accused of legalism, because, forsooth! we teach the obligation of the fourth commandment. But obedience to the fourth commandment will save no one, neither will obedience to the first or sixth. "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3:20. Law cannot make just that which it condemns as unjust. Man cannot earn or buy his salvation by good works. If this were so, he would have whereof to boast; but boasting is excluded by the law of faith. Rom. 3:27. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." Eph. 2:8.

But if there be genuine faith, good works will necessarily follow. The whole life with its deeds will be the work of faith. In other words, the works will be the manifestations or fruits of faith. The Christian works, not in order that he may have faith, but because he has faith already. James 2:14-26. He is not faithful in order that he may receive sonship, but because he is a son. Gal. 4:4-7. By the adoption, we obtain the Spirit; through the power of the Spirit, we overcome. Rom. 8:13-16. And this is the faith which makes a man a new creature in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17); it is the faith which enables us to overcome (1 John 5:4); it is the faith which works by love (Gal. 5:6); and it is a love which obeys all of God's commandments, the fourth among the rest, and counts them not grievous. Let no one presume to think, therefore, that he can buy his salvation by works or be justified thereby; and let him know also that the test of genuine faith is submission to God's will and explicit obedience to all of his precepts, as well as implicit trust in all his promises. M. C. W.