THE POWER OF FAITH by Wm. Covert

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 19, 1892

THE POWER OF FAITH.

By Wm. Covert

BY ELDER WM. COVERT.

INSPIRATION says that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb. 11:1. The Revised Version says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for;" margin, "The giving substance to." Faith is the appropriating element of the soul. By it truths are grasped and retained. It becomes the channel of understanding by indorsing propositions made for our information.

The child learns that A is A, not because the teacher demonstrates to him that it is, but because he believes the teacher knows, and that he will tell the truth about it. Without simple faith in the teacher, the child had better remain out of school. Just so must the one who comes to God have faith in him. For saith the Lord, "He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Heb. 11:6. Of course we understand that there must be evidences by which the mind has become satisfied as to these propositions even before the first step can be taken. God gives these.

God is seen in all his works. The heavens declare his glory. Ps. 19:1-6. All things in heaven and earth sing his praise. Ps. 148:1-13. It is only the fool who hath said in heart, "There is no God." Ps. 14:1. As to his disposition to benefit all, Paul declared to a heathen congregation: "He left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Acts 14:17. And again: "That which may be known of God is manifest in them [or unto them]; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." Rom. 1:19, 20.

But we did not design to write of God as seen in nature. We wish to treat upon the theme of redemption. It is here that faith is especially helpful. The apostle says, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." Heb. 11:3. We understand this proposition, not because we comprehend the process, but because we believe the testimony of God. This testimony was given that we might have knowledge of an important fact. But the testimony that God has given us concerning his Son is of the greatest consequence to us. "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself." 1 John 5:9, 10.

Having received the witness of God, we shall ask for no other testimony; for nothing can be added to it. The person having the testimony which is truth itself is safe. His faith anchors him securely.

Faith is an active element, gathering the truths and appropriating the promises, while at the same time it performs the Christian responsibilities with becoming cheerfulness. "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." Gal. 5:6. Does a man have good works?—They are only the fruit which faith produces.

By faith man is admitted to God's grace; by faith he is justified; and by faith he enjoys peace with God. The apostle states these propositions in the following beautiful language: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Rom. 5:1, 2. When writing concerning Enoch, the statement is made that "without faith it is impossible to please Him." Heb. 11:6. Every step acceptable to God must be taken by faith—the first, the last, and all that intervene between the beginning and the end. God's children are born by faith. Gal. 3:26. They feed upon the living word by faith. Rom. 10:17; 1 Peter 2:2. They stand by faith. Rom. 5:2. They live by faith. Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Heb. 10:38. They walk by faith. 2 Cor. 5:7. By faith they are made righteous. With the heart man believeth unto (or into) righteousness. Man, having no righteousness of his own, and by sin having fallen so far below God's standard of righteousness that it becomes impossible for him of himself to reach it, is lifted into God's righteousness by faith. His faith becomes the medium of access into this righteousness. Through this life-giving connection God imparts more and more of himself to those who believe.

Very many heathen have entered upon a life of faith by believing the simplest elementary statements of the gospel, and from this rudimentary beginning have grown into strong men in the Lord. In fact, this statement in a measure applies to all who fight the good fight of faith. There was Rahab (Heb. 11:31), a heathen woman leading a life of sin, but she had access to God's grace through faith, and became in time a character strong in the Lord, even becoming a mother in the royal line of Israel, through whom the genealogy of Christ is traced (Matt. 1:5, Revised Version).

But faith must increase in order that there be Christian growth. "The path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Prov. 4:18. The church at Thessalonica is presented by the

apostle as a model church. The secret of their excellence is revealed in 2 Thess. 1:3, where Paul says: "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth." If faith grew with all Christians in the same measure noted above, there would be no church trials nor back-slidings to rend the hearts of those who labor in the Master's cause. But, going from strength to strength, God's children would mount upward, scaling the heights of difficulty as the eagle soars above the mountain fastnesses.

FAITH IS VICTORY.

In 1 John 5:4 it is written: "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." At every step Christ overcame the enemy and obtained the victory. In him we overcome by faith. Our faith joins us to him in the contest, and if we remain in him through the battle, we also overcome with him. Should the Christian turn to one side, place his back to the foe, or depend on self, he breaks away from faith, and loses the victory that would be his in Christ. As certainly as the electric car stops still upon the track when the connection is severed from the living wire, so certainly will the child of God cease to advance when he severs his connection with the power of the living God by faith in Christ. His mind must be as constantly connected by faith with Christ, the living Vine, that he may bear fruit to God's glory, as the branch is connected to the parent stem, that it may produce fruit to satisfy the husbandman. John 15:1-6.

As the branch by its connection with the vine draws its life from the vine, so does the Christian by faith receive the life of Christ into himself. As the vine produces its fruit upon its branches, so Christ, the true vine, will produce the fruit of righteousness in his branches. By this life of faith Christ dwells in his people, and fulfills the righteousness of the law in them. This faith never staggers, never wavers, never doubts, never worries, never fears. In the greatness of its strength it embraces the love of God with all its majesty and its sweetness, and rests securely under the shadow of the Almighty.