Faith

1.    Why is faith necessary in relation to a Christian life?

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him [God],” Hebrews 11:6, first part of verse.

2.    Why can we not please God without faith?

“For he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,” Hebrews 11:6, last part of verse.

3.    As this Christian virtue cannot be void in the life of anyone wishing to please God, what is faith?

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” Hebrews 11:1.

4.    How can we obtain this evidence of things not seen, or how is faith acquired?

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” Romans 10:17.

5.    From what source do we derive the word of God, which through hearing and receiving will give us faith?

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God,” II Timothy 3:16.

6.    The scriptures having come from God, to the degree that having a knowledge of them will give us faith, what should be our daily practice?

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” II Timothy 2:15.

7.    Why in making a study of the scriptures and prophecies do we not find contrary statements and contradictions thus destroying faith?

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,” II Peter 1:21.

8.    How does a study of the scriptures give us evidence of things not seen, or faith?

“Produce your cause, saith the Lord, bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Shew the things that are to come hereafter,” Isaiah 41:21-23.

9.    How does God expect us to have faith in Him, and know that He is God and that there is none like Him?

“I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done,” Isaiah 46:9, 10.

10.    As God claims the right to His position, and expects us to have faith in Him on the grounds that He declared the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, what evidence can we give in support of His claim?

“I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass,” Isaiah 48:3.

11.    Why have we faith that all good things God has promised us, which we have not realized, will come to pass?

“And ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof,” Joshua 23:14.

12.    As our faith for future conditions being realized, is based on the evidence we have of God’s promised declaration in the past always being fulfilled, we will give the following evidence for future conditions.

At one time in the history of the world, Babylon was the most magnificent city ever known. It stood towering in grandeur sublime, sixty miles around with its hanging gardens, terrace upon terrace, and was surrounded with mighty concrete walls 85 ft. thick and over two hundred feet high. It was the capitol city of the world, but today there is nothing left of this once glowing city, to mark where it stood.

13.    What did God say of this place nearly three thousand years ago?

“Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant . . . . Then shalt thou say, O Lord, Thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate forever,” Jeremiah 51:37, 62.

NOTE: The Bible has also spoken in striking language about the future destiny of other cities, as well as races of people, nations, world kingdoms, and even individuals. The history of the past, as well as the light of the present, has been carried out to the very letter. Not one promise has ever been broken; therefore we have strong and explicit faith, through our knowledge of these facts, that everything spoken therein regarding the future will likewise be verified in reality, according to His divine pleasure.

The day of grace will soon be past,

The world will weep and wail at last,

When mercy’s door is closed and fast,

Forever, Oh! Forever!

Their anguish then will not avail,

Nor cries for open door prevail,

No answer to their bitter wail,

Forever, Oh! Forever!

They scorned the Saviour’s pleading voice,

The love of sin was made their choice.

Their doom is death while saints rejoice,

To live with Christ forever.

They come from death and everywhere

To meet the Savior in the air,

While sinners sink to dark despair,

Forever, Oh! Forever!