The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-02-14

is faith? Countless ideas and opin-
ions seek to unravel the content OF
this little word. Synonyms are EN-
ployed to confusion. Little undor-
stood, among those who use 1t most
frequently, is this wonderful word of
a Christians vocabulary.
Most of our thinking Of faith is In
terms of specific acts, without recog-
nizing hat behind the act of faith is
az attitude.
Faith Is "the new nature" in the
soul that expresses itself through the
same five physical ems as does "the
old nature" The life of God implant.
ed within manifests it's presence and
growth through the activities of mind
faith" But all the acts of a Chris
tan are not necessarily acts Of faith.
He Is capable of acts of unbelief
while living a life Of Gath. These
constitute the strange inconsistencies
which characterize men and women
of God.
Two men stood on a hilltop in the
long ago and surveyed the landscape
in every direction. They had lived
together, sharing some very unusual
experiences. The time had come when
they must separate. The older offers
the younger first choice. On three
sides are byown barren hills-not
much to attract one who has grown
rich in flocks and herds. Towards the
south spreads out a luxurious valley
watered by the Jordan. This caught
the eye of the younger and he hest
tated not in his choice, so we read,
Lot chose him all the plain of the
Jordan" which was as the garden Of
the Lord, leaving the scanty, uninvit-
ing pastures of Hebron for his Uncle
Abram.
This was a choice of one who was
living a life of faith. 1t does not look
like it, for doubtless Lots decision
was largely determined by sense and
sight. He acted here just like a man
Of the world. No faith was expressed
In such a choice. "He pitched his
tent towards Sodom." Sodom did not
deter him, however, for he justified
his action by saying God would keep
him, and Sodom needed the knowl-
edge of Jehovah as much as Canaan.
But the results of Lots choice were
disastrous. The steps were down.
ward, for he had not acted in faith.
Slowly but surely he was drawn into
the awful cesspool Of iniquity and so
identified with 1t that we should never
have known him as "a man of Cod
had not the apostle Peter referred to
him as righteous"
What a warning he is to Twentieth
century Christians, illustrating the
foolish, worldly choices we can make
and their irrevocable consequences.
How many Christians have repeated
choice of residence-a chance to make
money-a call to a better social en-
vironment. Alas, their path led away
from God and His truth. Broken fell
lowship, despised testimony, ungodly
alliances, lost property, soul captivity,
eternal ruin-"saved so as by fire."
but everything gone. God calls,
Come We out from among them and
be We separate" Follow the path of
Abram to Hebron, which means "fel-
lowship." We must needs lie careful
of our choices as Christians. Canaan
has its Hebron, but 1t also has it's
Sodom. The Land of Promise offers
heights of fellowship with God; It
also dazzles the eye with luxuriant
plains of tempting fleshiness and sin.
Look at the rewards given to the
choices Of faith! F. B. Meyer points
out:
l. God comes nearer than ever be-
fore. The path of separation Is a
lonely one-not many earthly friends
are travelling it, but God is there.
What a compartment 1--WE con walk
and talk with the King"
o holy Savior, Friend unseen,
Since on Thine arm Thou bidst me lean.
Help me throughout life's changing scene.
By faith to cling to Thee.
Though faith and hope are often tried
/ ask not. need not, aught beside,
So safe. so calm, SO satisfied,
The soul that clings to Thee"
2. God does better for us than we
could do for ourselves. We plan and
scheme and bargain, and what does it
all amount to. if God is left out of
calculations? Ask poor Lot. He
will take you to a heap of b~lackened.
| charred ruins. That is all that is left
of his property. He will point to a
pillar of salt-the monument to the
unbelief of his family and their sad
fate. He will turn the pages of his.
tory that recount the story of Moab
and Ammon and will tell you shame.
facedly that such Is the result of his
sin. I wonder II we have realized
what it means to be saved but to suf.
fer the loss of all u works, in the
fire of the judgment day.