Nothing is more plainly revealed in the gospel than that salvation comes by faith in Jesus Christ. We read, for example, in John 3:14, 15 that "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."' That is to say, Christ must die on the cross to make it possible for whosoever believeth in Him to be saved from perdition, and to obtain eternal life. The passage in John continues: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God." (John 3:14-18.) It is plain, therefore, that salvation comes by believing in Christ.

      But the very simplicity of this thing is perplexing to some people. They cannot think that just believing in Christ can save anyone. There must be something behind it--there must be something more to it than just that. Certainly there are persons who believe that Jesus lived and that He died and rose again; and that He is what He claimed to be, and who would not dispute or deny that at all. Yet they go on in their own sinful way. And no one thinks that such faith could save anyone. What then is meant by "believing on Jesus Christ"? The matter is not a difficult one. We know, for example, what it is to believe in a doctor, in a counsellor, in a guide, in a friend. If I believe in a doctor I'll go to him or send for him when I am sick; I'll commit my case into his hands; I'll take his medicine and follow his instructions. And so in like manner with regard to the other relationships mentioned. When you believe in anyone you depend on him for that which you believe him to he and to be able to do. Faith in Christ is not different. You accept Him as what He is set forth to be and what He is. You put yourself into His hands, and trust Him to do for you what He has promised. Some time ago I heard a preacher in this city illustrate this very simply. Pointing to a chair he said, I believe this is a chair; I believe it is a good and a comfortable chair; I believe it to be a stout chair, able to support my weight. But I do not truly and fully know what it is to believe in that chair till I sit down in it and put my weight on it. Faith in the abstract is not real; to believe this or that about a person or a thing is as nothing, until you believe strongly enough to do something about it. So it is with faith in Christ.

      The four gospels are God's primers, as it were, God's [11] picture books, teaching us fundamental conceptions in simplest fashion, by story and example. Out of its pages I take, almost at random, some illustrations of faith. The first one is the case of the leper--"a man full of leprosy," as Luke describes him, who came to Jesus and said, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." "And" (as given in Mark) "being moved with compassion, he stretched forth his hand and touched him, and said unto him, I will; be thou made clean." Now the word "faith" does not occur in this brief narrative; but here we have nevertheless a full picture of faith. In every case faith is produced by a report; and true faith comes of a true report, Thus true faith comes by a true report and testimony concerning Jesus Christ. Some such report must have reached this leper's ears. Then, of course, there was also the need that drove him to take hold of it and come to Jesus. This is always a factor in the matter of faith. Now in the case of this leper we behold a boldness and a daring--he dared to come to Jesus with an impossible request, yet with full confidence that He was able to grant it. Leprosy was the most terrible affliction that ever came upon a human being. It was loathsome, contagious. Leprosy was an uncleanness--a defilement that permeated the whole being. The leper's existence was lived out in isolation, and it was but a long, lingering, hopeless dying. No leper had ever been known to be cured by natural means. Leprosy was incurable. Now Jesus had but lately come into Galilee. So far as we know it had never been heard that He had ever healed a leper up to this time, at least not in that region. No one would have expected such a thing. There were other lepers, many; some of whom certainly must have heard the report concerning Jesus, But none of them thought that Jesus could heal a leper. Yet here was one who took hold of it with a living faith, and dared to come to Jesus asking Him to do what only the supreme power of God could accomplish. There was one point on which this leper had absolutely no doubt--he was fully assured in his heart of Christ's ability to do this tremendous thing; and the only "if" in his mind was whether He would be willing to do it. Perhaps the leper looking back over his life could see much reason why the Lord Jesus might not want to do that for such a one as he. Nevertheless he ventured. He came--he knelt--he fell on his face (for faith is ever reverent and humble)--he worshipped--(all these terms are used in the three accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke)--and he said to Jesus, "Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." Instantly the Lord accepted this man's faith, put forth His holy hand and touched him, saying, "I will--be thou made clean." And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. [12]

      Now this brings out especially one important feature of true faith which is too often absent from our believing--namely, the firm conviction that Christ is able. We are slow to believe that. Like as not, you have never given Him credit for ability to handle your particular case. Yes, He has helped others, I know; but my case (you may think) is so different, so peculiar--my sin is so deeply set and ingrained in my very nature from of old; my special circumstances are so extraordinary, the tangle and bondage of my life is so hopeless--well, to make it short, you don't really believe that the Lord Jesus can do anything for you. Many fail just here. Not that you are mistaken about yours being a bad case. It is quite good to know that. Your case is probably worse than you ever dreamed. But the failure lies in your low estimate of the Savior's power. It is very important that we should believe in His ability to save. He looks for that, and expects it of you. For example, two blind men followed Jesus, saying, "Have mercy on us, thou Son of David." And Jesus saith unto them, "Believe ye that I am able to do this? They say unto Him, "Yea, Lord." That was indeed 'a high confidence--for in all the past, never did any prophet (or in all the Bible ever anyone except Christ alone), restore any man's sight. But because they so believed:--"He touched their eyes, saying, According to thy faith be it done unto you. And their eyes were opened." (Matt. 9:27-29.) Are your sins as scarlet, and crimson-red? Are you bound as with fetters of brass and iron? Jesus is able to save. "Jesus never fails." He can cleanse the leper, and make the lame to walk, and the blind to see. He demonstrated His power in the bodies of men in order to show what he could do for their souls. Don't fear to come to Christ and don't fear that after you have come you may not be able to live the Christian life. Only trust to His power and faithfulness to do all and to see you through to the end.

      But let us turn to another faith-picture in the gospel-primer. The Lord Jesus is in Capernaum, in a house. The people quickly learn of His presence there. They crowded in, and crowded around the doorway. Here come four bearing a paralyzed man on a litter to bring him to Jesus for healing. But they could not get to Him for the throng. While the Lord Jesus stood in the midst of the packed house talking and teaching them--suddenly a commotion was heard overhead--dirt and plastering began to fall--the people backed away--someone was digging down through the roof; and through the hole in the ceiling they let a sick man on his pallet down [13] in front of Jesus. "And Jesus, seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer: thy sins are forgiven." (Matt. 9:1, 2.) There are several points of deepest interest connected with this episode, which we must pass by for the present. But let us notice those striking words--"Jesus, seeing their faith."--How can faith be seen? By action, you would answer. Right. Faith, real faith, is always manifest in action: strong faith in prompt, earnest, energetic action. If faith is feeble it is easily discouraged, acts slowly and feebly, or not at all. These men--all five: the palsied man certainly most of all--had a tremendous faith, a faith that would not be turned away by any difficulty or hindrance. It was a faith in Jesus, a faith that He would, that He could, heal this man of the palsy, if only they could get him to Jesus. So they hoisted the invalid on his pallet to the roof, broke through, and let him down into the house where Jesus was. And was He displeased at this disturbance? Far from it. Such faith He had come seeking, as one would seek for precious pearls. It could not fail of His response. If there had been any prescribed way and steps for coming to Jesus, faith would have had to follow carefully the steps divinely appointed. (That is the "obedience of faith" mentioned in Romans 1:5 and 16:26.) But there was no rule nor instruction given as to how a sick man must come to Jesus for healing: they only knew that they must come, so they came as best they could. Jesus' first word to the invalid was, "Son, thy sins are forgiven."

      Did perhaps a shadow of disappointment pass across the sick man's face, or the faces of those who had brought him? Sins forgiven? Only that? That was not what they had come for or hoped for. Was the man's faith strong enough and his understanding so enlightened that he could accept and appreciate such a gift as this? For surely the forgiveness of sins was by far a greater boon than the healing of the body. A few years--and what difference would it make whether one was cured of the palsy or not? But sins forgiven--that would mean joy and peace in this life and a future entrance into rest and glory that would endure for ever.

      There were scribes present who heard this; and they said within themselves, "This man blasphemeth"; and "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" They were quite right--except for one all-important point: they did not know what manner of Man this was that spoke. But Jesus said to them, Why think ye evil in your hearts? For which is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, "Thy sins are forgiven," or to say, "'Arise, take up thy bed and walk?" They would have answered that it was easier to say, "Thy sins are forgiven"--for anyone could say that and who could check up on it? But really it was much easier for the Lord Jesus to heal bodies than to lift [14] our load of sin. The former was but an act of His power, but the latter involved moral values and therefore necessitated His atoning death on Calvary. "But that ye may know," the Lord Jesus continued, "that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins--then saith he to the sick of the palsy, Arise, take up thy bed and go unto thy house. And he arose and straightway took up the bed."

      Such are some of the lessons on faith given us in the gospels. We conclude with one more instance--an instance of a faith at first dim and vague, but which in its exercise grew brighter and clearer like the dawning light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. I speak of the case of the blind man of John 9, who sat begging by the wayside; to whom the Lord Jesus came of His own accord, unasked; anointed his eyes with clay made of spittle, and bade him go to the pool of Siloam and wash. He went and washed and came seeing. This lesson is beautifully set forth by Annie Johnson Flint:

      To believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, your Savior; to take Him at His word, to step out on His word: this is saving faith. And where faith is, there operates the grace of God. "For by grace have ye been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works that no man should glory." (Eph. 2:8, 9.) [15]

[SSS 11-15]