Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 3259
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17.
[Another Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon upon the same text is #1031, Volume 18—HOW CAN I OBTAIN FAITH?.]
ACCORDING to the Christian religion, faith is the great essential thing. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Whatever we may do or may be, we cannot be acceptable with the Most High unless we believe in Him. Even prayer can only be a mockery if it is not the prayer of faith. “He that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,” or else he does not really pray. The Lord Jesus Christ has died to save men, but it is certain that no man will be saved without faith. Even the blood of Jesus Christ does not save any except those who believe in it. “God so loved the world” is a very wide expression, but we must not make it wider than Scripture makes it, for remember how the verse goes on, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Hmshould not perish, but have everlasting life.” Without faith Christ is not ours. His blood cannot cleanse us, His life cannot quicken us. We must have faith to get at the blessings of salvation.
Suppose we could be brought into touch with Christ without faith for a while, yet, if we had not continuous faith, we would not have a continued connection with the Savior and, consequently, would not abide in eternal life, for it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” They not only begin to live by faith, but continue to live in the same manner. In our holy religion, everything is by faith—faith for life and faith for death. Even the first tears of repentance must be salted with faith—and the last song on earth shall be full of faith. You must have faith or you will perish. “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be damned,” is the declaration of Jesus Christ, the Savior, Himself!
I. So, first, LET US DISCOVER WHAT FAITH IS.
We have seen that it is essential. It is very important to understand its nature. Well, faith with regard to God is the same as faith with regard to anything else. It is the same act of the mind, though it differs as to its object. When I believe in God, it is the same kind of mental act as when I believe in my friend. I believe with the same mind. ‘Tis true that all saving faith is the work of the Holy Spirit in us, but be it always remembered that we, ourselves, believe, and that the Holy Spirit does not believe for us! What has the Holy Spirit to believe about? It is not written that He is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. No, but we are to believe in Him! He leads us to faith, but the faith is our own act and deed—and if there could be supposed to be a faith which was not our own act and deed, it could not possibly be the faith which saves the soul! If I understand aright the faith which saves is just this—God has revealed such-and-such a Truth. I believe it to be true and I so believe it to be true that I act upon it. God has said that He has laid sin upon Christ—I believe He has done so. He tells me that if I trust Christ, I may be assured that mysin was laid upon Christ. I trust Christ, that is, I rely upon Him—and the reliance which springs out of belief is the essence of faith.
When a man believes a bank to be safe, he will put his money into it if he has need to do so. When a man believes in the honesty of another, the practical issue of it is he takes his word and trusts him. I believe in the truthfulness of God, in the truthfulness of certain narratives given by the four Evangelists. I believe that Christ was born at Bethlehem, that He was the Son of God, and that He lived and died as the Savior of men. I believe that His sufferings were expiatory, that He suffered in the place of sinners to make recompense to the Justice of God for our sins and, believing that, I trust my soul upon His Sacrifice. I rest on it and that faith saves me!
Now, mark, if I do readily rest in Christ I shall do what Christ bids me. Faith must lead to obedience. He bids me forsake sin—and I shall do it by His help. He bids me follow Him—and I shall do it if I really believe in Him. A doctor says, “Now, trust me, my man, and I will cure you.” Very good. I trust him. He sends me medicine and I take it. But suppose I do not take the medicine? Well, then, I never trusted him! My neglect proves that I cannot have done so.
The only trust that saves the soul is that practical trust which obeys Jesus Christ. Faith that does not obey is dead faith—nominal faith. It is the outside of faith, the husk of faith, but it has not the vital corn of faith in it. Sinner, if you will be saved, you must give yourself up to Jesus Christ to be His servant and to do all that He bids you! You must rely alone upon Him! Trust not in fiction, but in reality—not by mere profession, but with your whole heart—and you must continue to lean, rest and lie upon Him, trusting alone in Him! This is what saving faith is.
Now, there are some who say they wish they could get this faith. They declare that they would do anything to get it. They earnestly long to believe, but somehow they cannot get a grip of faith, cannot quite make out what it is or, if they know what it is, they are still puzzled—they cannot exercise it.
Albeit faith is the gift of God, it is always the act of man—while faith is a privilege, it is always a natural duty! Men are bid to believe in Jesus and are sinful if they do not believe in Jesus. Where faith does exist, it is the gift of God, but where it does not exist, it is because men will not believe in Him, but shut their eyes to His Light. If they would but see it, that Light of God would convince them!