And the apostles said to the Lord,
"Increase our faith."
So the Lord said,
"If you have faith as a mustard seed,
You can say to mulberry tree,
'Be pulled up by the roots
and be planted in the sea,"
and it would obey you.
Luke 17: 5-6
The illumination of faith has shown that the ground for saving faith is due to the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit. That principle was the adhering factor sustaining them while they obeyed and went about announcing the truth demanding that this truth be received instantly even under the pain of eternal death. This fact is never to be taken lightly for that is the two choices, believe and be saved or don't believe and be condemned. Did not Jesus Christ demand the same? For He said: "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18). How is it that one who is totally depraved believe? As has been elucidated; God calls you and draws you, and enables you, to have the faith to believe, when you decide to act on that calling and live your life according to His Word is the choice you make towards that calling. God will continue to chastise you until you act upon that faith, Jesus demanded immediate action of faith, this demand was the message preached by the Apostles, this message that seems so harsh to the natural mind, yet that demand was reasonable and just. Yet, we do not enjoy what God will do, how far He will go because of His love for His children: "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens (Proverbs 3:11-12), and scourges every son whom He receives" (Hebrews 12:5-6). This immediacy to receive that which the Lord provides is reasonable on the ground of the evidence of the truth. But, to say that the external evidence provides proofs of the Divinity of Christ and of His Word could not be that which is needed for saving faith, for there were and are many who have not heard that Gospel, no could it be that grounded on rational proof or philosophical arguments for even then few have or can appropriate or apprehend such evidence, this avails nothing, cannot produce appreciation to produce saving faith. How then can we receive this evidence so demanded by God at the moment of it announcement? It is grounded on the truth itself. Now if this assent be obligatory and to dissent or unbelief be a sin as the above Scripture so plainly declares, then the nature of the evidence must be so that to those who do not believe, being corrupt, his very soul cannot by his insensibility receive it: "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bond servants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:3-6).
What is learned from the Scriptures so stated is that when and where this Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached the evidence of His Divinity is plainly revealed as the glory of God shines in His face. If any man fails to see that light, it is because the god of this world has blinded their eyes to the truth, this light available to illuminate the truth and bring to them saving faith. Now if any do believe and receive that light, it is not because they have somehow conjured up enough faith, or lean upon some good works they have done, NO! it is because of that inward illumination given to them by Him, the One who commanded that the light shine out of darkness. This is the supernatural, nothing is more supernatural that the fact that our faith, that saving faith is due to the work of God for there is no other way that man who has been blinded by the god of this world can receive such faith. Paul writes: "As it is written: 'There is none righteous, no not one" (Ecclesiastes 7:20); "There is none who understands (Psalms 14:1-3); "There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one" (Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20); "Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit" (Psalms 5:9); "The poison of asps is under their lips" (Psalm 10:7); "Their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known" (Isaiah 59:7-8); "There is no fear of god before their eyes" (Psalms 36:1), (Romans 3:10-18). Do not despair for with God who saves there is hope for in His righteousness and our sins justified, paid for by His Son Jesus Christ: "but now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom bod set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:21-26).
Looking at Christ and the Apostles we see them acting on this principle and so have all faithful ministers, those missionaries being for us examples of that principle and acting on that principle. It is plain to see, they do not have any expectation that men would be saved by some historical evidence or evidence produced by philosophical means or arguments: They depended on the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. All that historical evidence and all the philosophical arguments can do is give some aid to our faith, but cannot produce that faith, saving faith, that is the work of the testimony inward in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
"Blessed are those whose
lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
Blessed is the man to whom
the LORD shall not impute
sin."
Romans 4:7-8
May the Peace of God Fall
Upon you!
Richard L. Crumb
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