It is thought by some that Abraham had a vast advantage over men to-day, in that God spoke to him directly, while we to-day are assailed by doubts which to Abraham were not possible. But this is a mistake. If there is a possibility of doubt with us, so was there with him. In fact, upon this depends our free choice. If there were no escape from the conclusion that the Bible is the word of God; if it were as absolutely demonstrable as a proposition in mathematics, our faith would have no moral value. It could not be said then that we chose light rather than darkness. Our faith comes in largely in giving the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ (because they stand for all that is right and good and [81] true and because of the God they reveal), the benefit of the doubt. This is choice.

      God gave Abraham sufficient and reasonable grounds to believe that it was he that spoke, saying, "Get thee out of thy country;" just as to us he has given ample and reasonable grounds to believe that the Bible is the word of God and that Jesus is what he claims to be. Abraham could have refused to accept the evidence and could have plausibly reasoned against it, just as we can. But, being reasonably certain that God had spoken to him, rather than to risk disobeying him, he gave God the benefit of whatever doubt that might still have attached to the situation, out of sheer preference for God and God's way. So he acted upon it. When he arrived in Canaan, God spoke to him again, to the effect that this was now the land of his inheritance. Then assurance was made doubly sure. At the palpable manifestation described in Gen. 18, where Jehovah in human form talked with him about the impending destruction of Sodom, faith grew to certainty, and when Isaac was born, it became knowledge.

      The confirmation of our faith also comes in the path of obedience. The man who begins by taking God at his word and obeying him is walking in that path of dawning light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. His faith becomes assurance; his assurance, certainty; certainty, knowledge; so that no longer any sneer, scoff, or argument could remove the evidence of the fact of God's dealing with him.

      This growth of faith is beautifully illustrated by the case of the nobleman recorded in John 4:46-53. At the first this man had enough faith to go to Jesus for help. Jesus sent him away, telling him his son lived, and he had the faith to go without question. "The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his [82] way." Now, arriving at home, he learned that it was even so, and that the fever had left his son at the very hour Jesus had spoken. Then the last lurking fear and doubt were dispelled, and again with a new emphasis John uses the word believed: "And himself believed, and his whole house." It was faith on top of faith.

      Jesus pleaded with his disciples to believe that he is in the Father and the Father in him, if only for the very works' sake. Only believe me! Then he makes them the promise of another Comforter on condition of their obedience, and foretells the day when they should know the thing he had just asked them to believe; for if they showed their love by obedience, he also would show his love, and would manifest himself unto them. Judas (not Iscariot) was perplexed about this. He wanted Jesus generally known, not simply to be manifested to a few. But Jesus reassured him that it was not only to them, but "if a man"--any man--"love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:11, 20-23.) Thus does faith go on to certainty.

      God cannot be reasoned out. He cannot be grasped by the intellect. The moral sense alone apprehends him. No man was ever made a believer or an unbeliever by a mere logical argument. It is only the way of faith and obedience that leads into perfect assurance concerning him and his word.

[TAG 81-83]