Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-11-26
THE FAITH OF GOD.
How the Christian Should Have and
May Have More Than
Faith in God

reverence OF pupil for a teacher, the
implicit confidence of soldier In his
captain, or the familiar form of com
mercial credit, faith is the energizing
and constructive principle in all hui
man experience. To be sure. this faith
so-called may exist In some instances
In a very feeble and seemingly insig-
n1ficant form-as in the case of the
love or a dog for his master, or the
superstitious veneration of a savage
Tor his fetich-but faith it is. of a
Kno, even IL its size be small as
mustard seed. All these occurrences
OF faith are very full Of significance
as showing how impossible it is for
humanity to get on without imposing
confidence in hundred persons every
day And all these varied manifesto
tons OF belief or trust in others COM
pine TO make a great total of testi-
mony to the supreme worth of faith
exercised in a Godward direction. OF
what may be called religious faith. as
distinguished from mere social conf
oence, hlial trust, or business credit.
The Bible abounds In exhortations
to faith and promises made to faith
One OF the sweetest and most tender
encouragements of this kind is the
word of the Master recorded in the
eleventh chapter of Mark, when He
said to the disciples who were still
wondering at the miracle of the cursed
hg-tree. Have faith in Cod" Moth
Ing might seem more natural than to
nave faith In God, since men so fire.
quently repose faith in their fellows
and yet as matter OF fact, faith God
ward seems to be very difficult for
many, either because Of their lack of a
realizing sense OF the existence and
power of God. or because some sin
has been admitted into the personal
life which obscures the vision OF God
or temporarily paralyzes the powers of
belief, says the New York Observer
Very significant was the question
asked by the Master on one memora-
bic occasion, when the disciples in an
emergency had been found lacking in
the faith-power: How It is that We
have no faith?" 1t was needful that
the disciples should then and there
take account of their spiritual expert
ence. examine themselves whether
they were using the right means to
generate and supply faith or not. and
detect just where the flaw lay in their
emotional or more likely volitionaI
processes. involving them in doubt
and despair. How is it that We have
no faith?' The chow" of faith Is 40
needful TO consider as the what" or
the why" or belief. The Bible Is
complete textbook ON faith. and the
patient and prayerful student of it's
pages will find the whole method and
means of belief satisfactorily ex-
planned and illustrated In its varied
volumes
Have setlh IN God" This serse
Injunction of our Lord is both a com
mand and an implied promise. 1t is
the expressed will of God that men
should have faith in Him. God is
honored by faith and requires faith.
No earthly father is pleased il his
children, no matter how constantly or
particularly he may seek to express
his love for them, continue TO disbe-
lieve in his goodness and tell him in so
many words: I'VE do not believe
what you say," The Almighty de-
mands that men believe that He means
what He says. and that He has the
power to effectuate His own promises
There is furthermore deeper mean
ing to be found in this exhortation Of
Jesus, for in the original the express
sion used by Christ, after the cursing
OF the fig-tree, denotes "Have the faith
OF God" This turn of thought seems
TO open up to view the whole biblical
theory of faith as something which
comes from God. exists in God, and IS
sustained by God. God so to speak IS
the great ground of faith and also its
end and aim. He is the author and
the finisher of faith. The divine pres
ence Is the very atmosphere in which
faith thrives. and wherein it comes 70
fullest fruitage. When Jesus then de-
manded faith from His disciples. He
also inspired it. He connected faith
with the life and grace of the Heaven
ly Father Himself. The disciples were
not to present before the Lord a man
made faith, kind of an artificial
trust, or simulated confidence but to
gain and exercise godlike faith which
is divine gift as well as human
grace, and is first a gift tefore 1t Is a
grace. "Have Gods fai'hi' said Jesus
by which He meant not of course a
faith which God needs TO feel In any
one hiqher than Himself. for there Is
none higher. but the faith which cir
cles about God-its Fount and It's SUI
preme object Of alteration.
"Have the faith of God!" No word
of eXhortation, in this sin-weary
world, needs to be more often repeated
than this terse Injunction Doubt and
despair are in one sense easy, but
they are never comfortable nor safe
Faith is the constructive and ennobling
principle in life. Without faith 1t Is
impossible to please God, but by faith
all things right are made practicable
for the Christian. Only believe. and
all things for you and for others will
be gilded with the promise which be-
tokens and symboliZes the golden
glory of the coming heavenly state.