PRECIOUS SAVING FAITH

Paul’s words (Hebrews 11:6), “But without faith it is impossible to please God” give cause for much careful examination of the soul, concerning its state and its activity in secret before God; whether a man possess indeed that true and unfeigned faith, and act from it, in a tender dependence upon Divine influences, and in the power of Christ; this is well pleasing to God, and without it none can please God. Touching the words, we shall so consider them in our very brief enlargement as in some measure to throw light upon them and apply them to our object.

With regard to the enlargement, these words are a general conclusion drawn from what the Apostle had said of Enoch, and they indicate at the same time that Enoch possessed faith, for he pleased God; ‘now without faith it is impossible to please God.’

Our Apostle speaks of faith. By this you are not to understand that historical faith, by which a man takes all to be true, firm and infallible, which God has revealed in His eternal word. A man can have that by a study of Divine truth which has a certain power of demonstration to the conscience, in convincing him that God alone is the Author of such a revelation. The devils themselves believe in this sense and they tremble. Neither are you to understand the faith of miracles; for in the great and universal day shall Christ say unto some, who in His name have cast out devils; “Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I know you not.” Neither understand here temporary faith; for that has no root, neither can it withstand the heat of adversity and persecution.

But understand with me that precious saving faith which is God’s priceless gift; whereby the convinced, burdened and heavy-laden sinner goes out of himself and all his own righteousness, unto Jesus, embracing Him and clinging to Him; this is the faith by which the just do live, and receive a share in all the good things of the covenant, whereby we can be saved. Our Apostle says of this saving faith, that without it men cannot please God; this being the doctrine of God’s precious word, that all which is not of faith, is sin; and hence, being displeasing to God, it speaks little comfort to those who rest upon their moral and respectable walk, or upon their profession and knowledge, without ever experiencing the heart-renewing grace of God. What do I say? It points out to them that all they do, since it issues not of faith, displeases God, yes angers Him.

The truth hereof will appear to your Christian consideration:

Firstly, when we reflect upon God with whom man has to do, He is the just Judge of all the earth, the thrice-holy God, standing with the unregenerate sinner in the relationship of the covenant of works; in the which all His attributes and perfections are armed against the sinner, and His sword is unsheathed to do away with him; his tears and sighs, reformation of life and seeking of God, can in no way suffice Him; His justice must be satisfied before He can show friendship with the sinner; but neither angels nor men can satisfy it; it is Immanuel alone who has done it, but none has a part in Him without faith. Hence God being just, men cannot please Him without faith.

Secondly, when we consider man. Although he have an appearance of virtue, many things which are materially good; in so far as they come forth from an unregenerate source, they are sheer vices before God, ‘splendid sins’ as Augustine said. The whole world is condemned before God; and there is none that doeth good, no, not one’ (Rom. 3:10, 12). ‘The carnal mind (margin, the minding of the flesh) is enmity against God’ (Rom. 8:7). How can that which is sin please God? Man cannot make amends for sin by sinning; and on this account, without faith it is impossible to please God.

Thirdly and finally, we consider faith itself; that one-ness of will with God: that approval and consent and worship of the virtues and perfections of God, as the Lord has been pleased to reveal these in the way of a sinner’s salvation, without any of his own righteousness, alone through the all-sufficient righteousness of Christ imputed to him, and through faith alone embraced. Now the contrary of faith is unbelief, which deems this wisdom of God to be foolishness and seeks its salvation in something else; but thereby men cannot please God. It thus remains a proven fact that it is impossible without faith to please God.

This then being so, my dearly beloved readers, that it is impossible without faith to please God, each of you will be obliged with me to conclude that faith is that one thing, which alone is absolutely needful to us, if we are to live comfortably and to die blessedly, and upon good grounds expect a glorious entrance into that city not made with hands, whose Builder and Maker is God, where faith shall be exchanged for glorious sight. Yes, beloved, you will doubtless conclude with me that for us all there is much which concerns us in a knowledge of this faith —its nature, disposition and operations—so that we may be able to examine and to try ourselves in the fear of the Lord.

For this reason we have found cheerfulness to speak in more detail concerning Faith; and before we proceed to a closer consideration of its nature, to speak first about the designations thereof, which are very numerous in God’s word; of which, were each to be mindful, he would discover the manifold wisdom of God, and would cease from unnecessary differences, and also from harsh treatment of little ones. For we would then see how one and the same faith is found under different descriptions; and we should not deny or thrust aside seeking souls and such as desire salvation, though not having experienced this or that degree included under a certain description, when they have indeed known the soul experiences comprehended under another.

One believer will have much faith under the description of trusting, but another will be more active in fleeing unto Jesus; both are operations of the same faith; and therefore the one should not suspect the other nor deal harshly with him.

-Taken from the introduction of the author’s book, “THE ABC OF FAITH” -Rev. Alexander Comrie 1764

WHY CATECHISM IS NECESSARY

1. Because it is the command of God. “Ye shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up,” (Deut. 11:19).

2. Because of the divine glory which demands that God be not only rightly known and worshipped by those of adult age, but also by children, as it is said, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength,” (Psalm 8:2).

3. On account of our comfort and salvation; for without a true knowledge of God and His Son Jesus Christ no one that has attained to years of discretion and understanding can be saved, or have any sure comfort that he is accepted in the sight of God. Hence it is said, “This is life eternal that they might know Thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent.” And again, “Without faith is it impossible to please God,” (John 17:3; Hebrews 11:6). And not only so, but no one believes on him of whom he knows nothing, or has not heard; for “How shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard?” “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God,” (Romans 10:14, 17). It is necessary, therefore, for all those who will be saved, to lay hold of, and embrace the doctrine of Christ, which is the chief and fundamental doctrine of the gospel. But, in order that this may be done, there must be instructions imparted to this effect, and of necessity, some brief and simple form of doctrine, suited and adapted to the young, and such as are unlearned.

4. For the preservation of society and the church. All past history proves that religion and the worship of God, the exercise and practice of piety, honesty, justice, and truth, are of the greatest importance to the well-being and perpetuation of the church and of the commonwealth. But it is in vain that we look for these things among barbarous nations, since they have never been known to produce the fruits of piety and virtue. Hence, there is a necessity that we should be trained to the practice of these things from our earliest years; because the heart of man is depraved and evil from his youth. Yes, such is the corruption of our nature that unless we early begin the work of reformation and moral training, we too late apply a remedy when, through long delay, the evil principles and inclinations of the heart have become so strengthened and confirmed, as to bid defiance to the restraints we may then wish to impose upon them. If we are not correctly instructed in our childhood out of the sacred Scriptures con-cerning God and His will, and do not then begin the practice of piety, it is with great difficulty, if ever, we are drawn away from these errors which are, as it were, born in us, or which we have imbibed from our youth, and that we are led to abandon the vices in which we have been brought up, and to which we have been accustomed. If, therefore, the church and state are to be preserved from degeneracy and final destruction, it is of the utmost importance that this depravity of our nature should, in due time, be met with proper restraints, and be subdued.

5. There is a necessity that all persons should be made acquainted with the rule and standard according to which we are to judge and decide, in relation to the various opinions and dogmas of men, that we may not be led into error, and be seduced thereby, according to the commandment which is given in relation to this subject, “Beware of false prophets.” “Prove all things.” “Try the spirits whether they are of God,” (Matthew 7:15; I Thessalonians 5:21, I John 4:1). But the law and the Apostle’s creed, which are the chief parts of the catechism, constitute the rule and standard according to which we are to judge of the opinions of men, from which we may see the great importance of a familiar acquaintance with them.

6. Those who have properly studied and learned the Catechism are generally better prepared to understand and appreciate the sermons which they hear from time to time, inasmuch as they can easily refer and reduce those things which they hear out of the word of God to the different heads of the catechism to which they appropriately belong. On the other hand, those who have not enjoyed this preparatory training, hear sermons, for the most part, with but little profit to themselves.

7. The importance of catechisation may be urged in view of its peculiar adaptedness to those learners who are of weak and uncultivated minds, who require instruction in a short, plain, and perspicuous manner, as we have it in the catechism, and would not, on account of their youth and weakness of capacity, be able to understand it, if presented in a lengthy and more difficult form.

8. It is also necessary, for the purpose of distinguishing and separating the youths, and such as are unlearned, from schismatics and profane heathen, which can most effectually be done by a judicious course of catechetical instruction.

9. A knowledge of the catechism is especially important for those who are to act as teachers, because they ought to have a more intimate acquaintance with the doctrine of the church than others, as well on account of their calling, that they may one day be able to instruct others, as on account of the many facilities which they have for obtaining a knowledge of this doctrine, which it becomes them diligently to improve, that they may, like Timothy, become well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, and “be good ministers of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith, and of a good doctrine, whereunto they have attained,” (I Timothy 4:6).

To these considerations, which clearly show the importance of catechisation, we may add many others of great weight, especially with the great mass of mankind, such as the arguments which may be drawn from the end of our creation, and from the prolongation and preservation of our lives from childhood to youth, and from youth to manhood, etc. We might also speak of the excellency of the object of the doctrine of the catechism, which is the highest good, even God Himself, and might show the effect of such a course of instruction, which is a knowledge of this highest good, and a participation therein, which is something vastly more important and desirable than all the treasures of this world. This is that pearl of great price hidden in the field of the church, concerning which Christ speaks in Matthew 13:44, and on account of which Christians in former times suffered martyrdom, with their little children. If we are ignorant of the doctrine and glory of Christ, who from among us would be willing to suffer on their account? And how can it be otherwise but that we will be ignorant of these things, unless we are taught and instructed in them from our childhood? A neglect of the catechism is therefore one of the chief causes why there are so many at the present day tossed about by every wind of doctrine, and why so many fall from Christ to Anti-christ.

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