Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-31
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
FAITH: WHAT 1T IS AND
WHAT IT DOES. Hebrews
11:1-40; IL: 1, 2.
Golden text-The righteous
shall live by faith. Rom. 1:11.
Ri REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

BIZ REV. HUGH r. STEVENSON.
Faith is defined in the opening verse
of the lesson to be the conviction of
the existence and value of the unseen
and the confident expectation OF that
which is not yet received. While this
verse is frequently quoted as an ex-
haustive definition of faith. It is only
an accurate description Of one aspect
of faith. The nature of faith is no
| where better illustrated than in the
Scripture selected for this weeks les
| son. In the records preserved for hui
manity in the lives of the heroes of
| faith by the writer to the Hebrews
one can quickly discover that faith
! is fundamental to all phases of life.
| Their acts of faith are no less in
| structive because they were per-
! formed under the old desperation. for
the nature of faith is the same in all
ages and walks of life.
An eminent scholar has pointed out
a number of different definitions of
faith which the several New Tesla
! ment writer's have given in their dis
| cussions of faith-the strange faculty
by which man comes to realize the
God, and, acting upon which. men COM
| NIT their lives and spirits into His
keeping and care. He points out that
faith is the hand that grasps the
promises; the channel through which
healing comes; the clutch that
grips the cable of redeeming grace
and power: the medium whereby the
condition wherein Christ's righteous
ness becomes ours: the open door into
| justification. peace, access; the en-
spiritual life: the new moving life
| force: inward attitude toward God
and trust expressing itself in outer
ire: the power that gives victory
over the world: the channel through
which Jesus life enters the soul"
Evidently the committee in select
ing this subject had in mind the saw
ing faith which is one of the funda-
mental factors in conversion. Repent
ance looks backward, faith looks for
ward toward the new life in Christ
Jesus and commits to the Lord the
issues of the sinners future when he
turns away from sin to the fellow
ship and service of Christ.
| salvation is not apprehended, ap-
preciated or appropriated until
ths "opentance there is a change
IN 'garding sin and God that
M forsake the old life of
in't and seek salvation by turn
ing coward God through faith in
Christ Jesus. Repentance alone will
not secure salvation. Conversion
would be incomplete without faith.
The damning sin of the world today
is .unbelief.
| AuS SiOdSdSe OF Ialtn divides the
world into two classes. There is no
neutrality in religion. Spiritual capac-
1ty separates men in accordance with
their personal attitude toward the
Savior. The sympathy and COM
munity of spirit that determines the
risen LORD is confidence born Of
the soufs vision. Every one of the
heroes of faith whose names appear
on the. roll call Of faith in the won
l dGfful ChQAfar nf =
for this weeks consideration is typi-
cal of that great society of men who
in all ages have been unitrl ir love
Tor Christ Jesus through their per
brews shows that through their
vision they grasped with their minds
the reality of the invisible God Their
vision enabled them to apprehend the
His works. They perceived His pur-
pose, power and presence not only
In the framing of the world in its sue
jcessive stages. but also in the prog
ress of civilization. In all and
through all. and above all, they saw
God and lived in the inapi:ins.-uision
/ OF Jehovah. -
Faith is the trustful recognition of
the love. Of God. revealed. in the life.
lessons and love of Jesus. that .nab!es
| men to confldentially trust Him as
their Savior, willing to accept the
gift Of grace; Of forgiveness and
new life. that He freely offers to all
who repent and believe. The faith
that is expressed in manner that
brings salvation is not belief in a
system of doctrines. although faith
is used in that sense in the New TIES
lament It is not a question Of intel
llectuai judgment, Of mental assent
to revealed truth or religious propo-
! sitions. or of the things that may be
believed about Jesus. The saving at
titude is revealed in the personal ac-
| ceptance of the fact that Christ came
into the world to save sinners and in
| trusting of ones soul to Him as
Savior.
The man who does not know the
historical truth about the Lord Jesus
cannot, of course. exercise any faith in
Him; he cannot think of Him in any
other way. The man who has the
Bible and knows the facts of the
Masters life comes to accept them as
other weil-attested fact Of history. It
requires faith to accept the promises
of God concerning salvation and COM
NIT ones whole destiny to His
promises: Thanks an BE be unto .e God for
great and precious promises. that by
these We might be partakers of the di-
4 vine nature and escape the corrup-
| ton In the world through lust. Faith
1 is not the ground of our receiving the
new life in Chist Jesus. 1t is only the
condition that enables men to accept
Gods gift of salvation and enter upon
! life Of service.
Faith is necessary not only to start
the Christian life in the exercising Of
mans freedom to accept Gods grace.
but it is need throughout the whole of
life Conversion starts the new life
| with faith. The completion of the
personality Of the Christian and his
conformation into the character and
likeness of his Lord calls for'the con-
slant and continuous exercise Of faith.
The Christian life is gradual pro-
eressive development OF character
from sin to holiness in So far as man
works with God in the realization OF
its ideals. Without faith the Chris
tian cannot respond to the direction.
impulse and control of the Holy Spirit.
J Faith moves men to do the impos-
! sible. The apostle frankly called the
efforts Of the heroes Of faith vision
ary. They not only lived upon prom
ises of God, but they dared to. do be-
cause of the things only hoped for:
Their faith made them conquerors and
gave them victory. The centuries are
united by the golden chain of faith
that has enabled men to respond to
the high calling Of God in Christ
Jesus.
CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS. i
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