The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-12-20
ferent Writ

to Illustrate I'LL
ferent virtue Of godly living.
The pen pictures of Abraham furnish
most interesting and profitable study
for US today. Many chapters are nec-
essary to set forth the life of faith
exemplifed In the one who earned the
divine designation, The Father Of the
Faithful" We shall endeavor to EN-
phasize several phases of the life of
faith in succeeding sermons. We begin
with 1.-THE Call to q Life of Faith"
There are only two positions for the
soul In its relationship to God-faith
or sight. I'VE walk by faith not by
sight" is an ~inescapabIe differentiation
Of Gods Word. One or the other-a
"by faith" or a s'by sight" life.
The sight position is the sense posi-
ton. 1t Is the pursuit of the material
satisfied with things that perish; a
life guided by natural reason. Faith
Is the opposite. 1t Is "the evidence
Of things not seen, the substance OF
things hoped fof'-a life which can
only find its pleasure in God, taught
by His Word, and guided by His
Spirit.
1t was to a life of faith that Abra-
ham, a Chaldean prince, was called. The
glory of God appeared to him, living
in the blaze of material %splendor. He
obeyed and went out into an unknown
land, simply trusting In the God who
had promised. Many times since
Ahrnh ME- fn,. rrro w Jou hor, tho xiGiAn
appeared and the call sounded. To.
Moses, keeping sheep in INDIAN; to-
Elisha, blowing in the field; to Isaiah,
ministering in the temple; to Amos,
gathering fruit at Tekoa; to Peter,
washing fishing nets to Matthew, col
lecting taxes; to Saul of Tarsus, bent
on persecution. To Cromwell, from
his farm; to Luther, from his monas-
terry cell to Carey, from the cobbier's
bench; to Moody, from the shoe store.
And, to every man and woman who has
heard the Gospel, the vision of God
and the voice Of God have come, call
ing away from sight to faith. This
call involves three things:
Separation.
We have the very words of the call
In Genesis 12 :1-3. Get thee out Of
thy country, and from the Kindred,
and from thy fathers house unto a
land that I will show thee" He was
to sever connections with every phase
Of the old life, its habits, its associa-
lions, it's environments. This was to-
be the magic word opening he door
Of faiths treasure house. God could
not perfect His plan or perform ELS
promises until Abraham was loose
from every vestige Of the sense life.
This is the key to the Christian life.
1t alone opens the treasure house. The
measu of our separation determines
the achievements of our faith.
Sacrifice.
Abraham was deeply attached to his
kindred, his home, his native land. 1t
was a tremendous tearing loose from
all the human heart holds dear. He
did not become detached by one act OF
cutting off. His kindred went with
him and kept him in Haran, the half
way place, until Terah, his father,
died. Still Lot chung to him and
caused him sorrow and loss until he
moved out. One by one the things of
the old life must go If faith Is to be
triumphant. 1t cost his all.
But this is the very thing that
makes faith precious. Values are al
ways determined by cost. The things
we get for nothing are worth little
more. Diamonds are more precious
than dirt, therefore cost moro Mar
Is greater than a sheep-hence he could
only be redeemed at infinite cost. Sal
walton is Gods free gift but the ac-
ceptance of It cruciies us unto the
world and the world unto us. Sacri-
flee is the tombstone of a living faith.
Every real advance in the life OF faith
involves an altar ON which some dear
fragment Of the selflife must die, or
some bit of world possession nus be
offered up. Oh, how few are willing
to pay the price.
Submission.
Obedience is not only an act, 1t Is
attitude. Abraham went out. He MAJ
circulated In the school Of faith. Many
lessons must be learned. Step by step
he must walk, advancing from n
plane of experience to another. Test
| ed, r%eproved, encouraged, blessed un-
til he becomes the Friend of God'
taken into the divine confidence. 1t Is
worth the cost, the separation N a c
| rifce to have God ask, "Shal l hide
from Abraham, my friend, this thing
that I will do?" aye are my friends
IL We do Whatsoever I command you"
| Are you longing for real true friend
ship? There is One who stand at the
| door of our heart and knocks for adj
mission. VIII you let Him int Draw
back the bolt fling open wide the
door, and let Him come In. Then VIII
the life of faith begin and become as
a shining light hat shineth brighter
and brighter unto the perfect day.