The Washington herald., 1917-10-21

.. WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH
THE AToNEMENT OF CHRIST ALL
MANKIND MAY BE SAVED, By
OBEDIENCE TO THE LAWS AND
ORDINANCES OF THE GOSPEL.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST
PRINCIPLES AND ORDINANCES
OF THE GOSPEL ARE: % FAITH
IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST;
(D REPENTANCE; (0 BAPTISM
BY IMMERSION FOR THE REMIS-
SION OF SINS; 90 LAYING ON OF
HANDS FOR THE GIFT OF THE
HOLY GHOST. (Articles of Faith
3 and d.
Faith In God is the first. the fun
damental. .he basal principle of the
Gospel. as. indeed, faith. in the more
general mage OF the ten, 10 tie
irnpelling cause to activity even 70
ordinary affairs. Faith and belief
are not infreduently confu,ed, and
the wCIGs sIe too commonly resa ced
as synonymous. An approach 10 iLen-
tity Of meaning appears in early Eng
lish. in consequence Of winch fact
belief IS so.neumes given tho mere
definite sign.fcaton of faitn in OR
versions Of the Holy Scriptures. Be-
tai assent to any proposition, prin-
ciple. or alleged fact: whereas faith
implies such confidence and convfc-
ton as shall inspire to action. Be-
lief Is by comparison passive, a mere
agreement or tacit acceptance only;
faith IL active and positive. and is
accompanied by works. Faith is vivi-
ned, vitalized. living belief.
Even the devils believe that Jesus
is the Christ, and so fully that they
tremble at the prospect OF the fate
foreshadowed by that belief (see
James. 2:19). Their belief may
amount even to certain knowledge,
but they remain devils nevertheless.
Consider the man possessed by a de-
mon in the country of the Gadar-
enes. When he beheld Jesus afar of
he ran to the Master. and worshiped
Him. while the evil spirit by whom
the man was controlled acknowledged
the Lord. calling Him Jesus, Thou
Son IL the Most High God" mark,
5; for analogous instances see Mark,
1:23-T, and 3:s-1D.
Strikingly similar in form, yet vital
ly different In spirit and effect, is
this testimony of the demons as
compared with Peters confession of
his Lord. To the Savior's Ques-
ton, Whom say ye that I am?"
Peter replied in practically the same
words voiced by the unuclean spirits:
Thou art the Christ, the Son Of the
living God" Matt. 1s:15-l6)
Peters faith had already been test
ed, and had demonstrated its vital
power. Through faith the apostle
had forsaken much that had been
dear, and had followed his Lord in
persecution and suffering. His
knowledge of God as the Eternal
ather and of Jesus Christ as the
Redeemer may have been no greater
than that. Of the demons. but while
to them that knowledge was an added
cause of condemnation, to him IL was
the power of righteous service and
of eventual salvation.
In a theological sense faith includes
a moving. vital, inspiring confidence
in God. and the acceptance of His
will as our law and Of His words
as our guide in life. Faith in God
is q principle of power. for by its
exercise spiritual forces are made op-
erative. By this power phenomena
that appear to be supernatural, such
as we call miracles. are wrought.
Even the Lord Jesus was Influenced
and in a measure controlled by the
lack Of faith or the possession thereof
by those who sought blessings at His
hands. We are told that at a GER
tain time and place Jesus could
there do no mighty work" because
OF the peoples unbelief, which was
so dense that He marveled at It.
mark $50. Repeatedly did the Lord
rebuke and ddmonish with such re-