MODERN preaching of the Gospel is tending more and more to the giving of half a message; perhaps we might call it a one-sided message. Great stress is laid on such texts as John 3:16, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Also verse 36, "He that believeth on the Son hath life; and He that believeth not the Son shall not see life," etc. These are the words of the Lord in person, and His servants Paul and Silas, when asked by the Philippian jailer, "What must I do to be saved?" replied, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:30, 31. It is not the intention here to discount these statements of the way of salvation, but to let the Scriptures give them their full meaning. This, we assert, is what modern Gospel preaching, to a great extent, fails to do. In order to get the full force of these promises of salvation, we must allow the Scriptures to define the idea of belief as a condition of salvation. Scripture belief is faith, and faith is a substantial, unerring evidence of something that is so sure that it is impossible for it to fail. Heb. 11:1. It is not merely conceding a thing to be true because of some human testimony, or even because of the testimony of one's own natural senses. Faith is always accompanied by some practical evidence of belief. It is always a belief in God's Word, for there is no other ground of faith. Belief in or of anything short of this can not be any more than mere confidence, and confidence, however strong, may be misplaced. Therefore confidence may fail, because it may be placed in some fallible object. But faith can not fail (1 Cor. 13:13), for if it should cease to produce the tangible evidence—obedience to God's Word—it would cease to be faith. The scripture tells us that "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Now righteousness is right doing, as well as right being; for all of God's commandments are righteousness (Ps. 119:172), therefore to obey them is righteousness (Deut. 6:25). Abraham's belief is also called faith (Gal. 3:6-9), and it is this kind of belief that insures justification (verse 24; Rom. 5:1). When the Scriptures tell us of some person's faith, it is always said or implied that he did something to prove his faith. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." "By faith Noah, being warned of God, prepared an ark to the saving of his house." "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out, . . . obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." See Hebrews 11 for various other examples of faith attested by practical evidence. It is further stated that "by faith Abraham, when he was tried [or tested], offered up Isaac." Thus his faith was characterized by obedience to God. This is shown, not merely by his going out from Mesopotamia, and by his offering his son, but the Lord testifies of him, "Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." Gen. 26:5. So the disciples of Christ, being the children of Abraham (Gal. 3:7, 29), must have such a belief as Abraham had when he "believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness" (verse 6). And as the evidence of that belief, or faith, was obedience, so the belief in Christ that will justify the sinner must be attested by the spirit of obedience. The disciple of Christ must be not only a learner, but a follower of Him. He is our great Example, and we read of Him that, "being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Obedience is certainly a very important matter, when our chief Example and Teacher made so much of it as to sacrifice His life in the vindication of the principle. It was that implicit obedience of His to the law that sinners had transgressed that confirmed Him as a competent Saviour; and His obedience was "made perfect through suffering." Then the full Gospel requirement is a belief that begets obedience—a "faith that works by love." So the Lord puts the test in this way: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." "Ye are My friends if ye do whatsoever I command you." "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." And Christ "became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him." Heb. 5:9. That Gospel belief is a belief that obeys, a belief that is synonymous with obedience, is shown by two Scripture witnesses: In John 3:36 Christ says that the wrath of God abideth on him that believeth not; and in 2 Thess. 1:7-10, the apostle Paul tells us that when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven He will take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel. So the profession of belief in Christ goes for nothing unless there be a corresponding evidence of obedience. In the judgment the disobedient professor of discipleship will be classed with the unbelievers. G.