UNWILLING FAITH by John Norton Loughborough

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 8, 1861

UNWILLING FAITH.

By John Norton Loughborough

THE apostle James tells us "faith without works is dead, being alone." This we sometimes call a "dead faith." But I have thought of late there was a kind of faith that might with more strict propriety be called an unwilling faith. That is a case in which the force of testimony is such that persons cannot reasonably reject the conclusion, and yet they do not perform the act which their faith necessarily calls upon them to perform. For instance, a man says, "I believe the seventh day is the Sabbath." Do you keep it? No; it is not convenient for me. This is an unwilling faith. Persons believe because there is no way to shun the force of testimony, yet would almost doubt if they thought that they must obey after they had believed. And those who stand and parley with duty often become unbelievers. And why? Because it is so inconsistent to say they believe what they do not obey.

So it is with those among us who say they believe the Lord has spoken to us through the gift of prophecy, and yet go on for months in the practice of those things which are directly reproved by that gift. I find a brother, for instance, who is in the habit of using tobacco, and say to him, Do you believe the gift of prophecy is now in the church? Yes. Do you believe the testimonies which have been given, reproving wrongs, all the way along since the rise of this message? Most certainly, I do. Well, do you know that these testimonies have spoken in the most pointed terms against the use of that filthy weed, tobacco? Yes; but then I do not see how I can give it up, and I do not use only a little. Ah! here is unwilling faith, which is in reality just no faith at all. You need not tell us again that you believe the testimonies, unless you undertake to live them out. Is using "just a little" laying it aside? Well, I use so little the brethren do not know it. Well, if you could deceive your brethren you cannot deceive God.

But we inquire of the sister who is perhaps rejoiced to see the tobacco-mongers plainly dealt with. Do you believe these testimonies? O, yes, I always believed them. Do you know they declare it a shame to wear hoops? Yes, but I do not think that means moderate-sized hoops. That means the large ones, and I always thought they looked bad. Is not this unwilling faith again? Does your conscience feel clear when you thus reason? Do you know what kind of example you set? You virtually sanction the practice, and leave the size to be ranged by the taste of the wearer.

Again, by your example you deny the testimony you profess to believe. You have perhaps been in the truth for years. Others who are just embracing the truth look to you for example, and whether they have a right to do so or not, it is perfectly natural that they should do so. What estimate, think you, will they put on testimonies you treat thus? To show that I am not mistaken I will copy a little of the experience of my natural sister, as given in a letter received a short time since. She says:

"I hope I am profiting by sister White's testimonies. It shows me what an awful sinner I am, and when I can see myself as I am, I am encouraged to make greater efforts to secure Christ's friendship. I did not realize that I was so proud until I came to question the propriety of wearing hoops. I laid them aside a week since, and Friday was the first time I went into the street without them. I went to the post office. I wished I could get rid of going, but after I started my conscience felt so much at rest I was glad I went, and now the cross is becoming very light. Perhaps you think it strange that I have worn hoops so long. I do, too, and profess to believe the present truth. Before I came out on this truth, I had decided to leave them off if I should embrace it. But about that time I became acquainted with a young lady who wore them, and she had been a Sabbath-keeper some time. She always wore a skeleton-shirt, something I never felt justified in buying. But I was influenced by her to have one, and I never put it on without feeling guilty. If I had been among Sabbath-keepers who did not wear them, I presume I should not. But since I have been here, the weather has been so hot I have excused myself in that way. I conclude I can get along as well as I could before they were worn."

Dear brethren and sisters, may the Lord give us all willing hearts to obey what our faith readily assents to as truth, so that we may not have an unwilling, but a willing and living faith.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.