BELIEVING GOD'S WORD by F. L. Moody

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 5, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 14.

BELIEVING GOD'S WORD.

By F. L. Moody

WHEN God placed man in the garden of Eden He said to him, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen. 2 : 16, 17.

Had man believed God's Word he would not have eaten of this fruit. So sin entered because man did not believe God. For it is plain that if he had really believed death would be the result of disobedience, he would not have disobeyed. But Satan told him he would not die. So he believed Satan instead of God.

We are "justified by faith." Rom. 5 : 1. The just "live by faith." Heb. 10 : 38. Faith is taking God at His Word. Faith comes by hearing "the Word of God." Rom. 10 : 17. So the terms of life are the same to-day as they were in the Garden of Eden. And if we are saved it will be because we believe God's Word and not the errors of Satan.

All that has been accomplished in the past by the faithful was the result of their believing God's Word. The salvation of every soul depends on his faith in God's Word. And if we do believe, we will obey that Word. Obedience is the best test of faith.

The Lord told Noah the flood was coming. He showed his faith by preparing the ark. Heb. 11 : 7. God told Abraham to leave his country, his kindred, and his father's house and He would give him a land. "By faith Abraham . . . obeyed." Heb. 11 : 8.

So if we really believe the Word of God we will obey everything that Word says to us as far as we learn it. It is this faith that purifies the soul from every defilement. Eve trusted appearances and failed. Satan will tempt us to do the same thing. But we will surely fail if our faith does not rest on God's Word alone. There are true joy and peace to every soul that believes God's Word. "When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" Luke 18 : 8.

O, the blessing of having Jesus dwelling in the heart! But He abides there by faith.

F. L. MOODY.

Fairfield, Iowa.