Principles of
Spiritual Growth
Faith (1/2)
Miles J. Stanford
The aim of this book
is to carefully bring out some of the more important principles of spiritual
growth in order to help build on a sound biblical foundation in Christ. He can
honor no other.
The Holy Spirit has Paul write to each of us: “Examine
yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (II Cor. 13:5), and the recommendation
is certainly not out of order at the very inception of this series of studies.
First of all, we must remind ourselves that “without faith it is impossible to
please him” (Heb. 11:6) Moreover, and this is all important, true faith must be
based solely on scriptural facts, for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Unless our faith is established on facts, it is
no more than conjecture, superstition, speculation or presumption.
Hebrews 11:1 leaves no question about this: “Faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith standing
on the facts of the Word of God substantiates and gives evidence of things not
seen. And everyone knows that evidence must be founded on facts. All of us
started on this principle when we were born again—our belief stood directly on
the eternal fact of the redeeming death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, as recorded in I Corinthians 15:1-4. This is the faith by which we
began, and it is the same faith by which we are to “stand” (16:13), “walk” (II
Cor. 5:7) and “live” (Gal. 2:20). “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus
the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Col. 2:6).
Since true faith is anchored on scriptural facts, we are
certainly not to be influenced by impressions. George Mueller said, “Impressions
have neither one thing nor the other to do with faith. Faith has to do with the
Word of God. It is not impressions, strong or weak, which will make the
difference. We have to do with the Written Word and not ourselves or our
impressions.”
Then, too, probabilities are the big temptation when it comes
to exercising faith. Too often the attitude is: “It doesn’t seem probable that
he will ever be saved.” “The way things are going, I wonder if the Lord really
loves me.” But Mueller wrote: “Many people are willing to believe regarding
those things that seem probable to them. Faith has nothing to do with
probabilities. The province of faith begins where probabilities cease and sight
and sense fail. Appearances are not to be taken into account. The question
is—whether God has spoken it in His Word.”
Alexander R. Hay adds to this by saying, “Faith must be based
upon certainty. There must be definite knowledge of God’s purpose and will.
Without that there can be no true faith. For faith is not a force that we
exercise or a striving to believe that something shall be, thinking that if we
believe hard enough it will come to pass.” That may be positive thinking but
certainly not biblical faith.
Evan Hopkins writes: “Faith needs facts to rest upon.
Presumption can take fancy instead of fact. God in His Word reveals to us the
facts with which faith has to deal.” It is on this basis that J.B. Stoney can
say, “Real faith is always increased by opposition, while false confidence is
damaged and discouraged by it.” There can be no steadfastness apart from
immovable facts. Peter’s burden was: “That the trial of your faith, being much
more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might
be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (I
Pet. 1:7). [To be concluded]
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[Courtesy: Bible.org]