OCTOBER 19, 1947 THE CREATIVE POWER OF FAITH H eb . 11:1-8, 39, 40; 12:1, 2
iioaJz fleview l THE CHRISTIAN AFTER DEATH, by Robert Ervin Hough, D.D. In twelve excellent chapters, the pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church, of Jackson, Mississippi, dis courses of the life to come. Such vital questions as the origin of life and death, the place of departed spirits, the nature of the resurrection body, the believer’s judgment, the recogni tion of believers in heaven, and other related themes, are discussed with scriptural authoritativeness. There is an earnest appeal in these messages which will reach the heart of every reader. 169 pages. Moody Press, 153 Insti tute Place, Chicago 10, 111. Cloth. This is a unique collection of ex pository sermons by the distin guished president of the Providence (R. I.) Bible Institute, on the general theme of Christ’s appeal to the hearts of all men. It is evident that the author’s only purpose is to exalt the Lord Jesus and to persuade the reader to give Him His rightful place. Devotional and well-written, the language is often lofty. This vol ume is recommended for devotional reading and Bible study. 158 pages. Zondervan Pub. House, Grand Rapids, Mich. Suede covers. Price $1.00. THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD, by Harold J. Ockenga, Ph.D, This book is composed of fifteen sermons on the Holy Spirit, delivered by the author to his congregation, the famous Park Street Church of. Boston. Scholarly and spiritual, this sermon series is a valuable contribu tion to the entire church of Christ. 176 pages. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York, N. Y. Cloth. Price $2.00. RUTH, THE ROMANCE OF REDEMPTION, by J. Vernon McGee, Th.D. In sixteen chapters, the head of the English Bible Department of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles cov ers thoroughly the historical, dispen- sational, genealogical, doctrinal and spiritual aspects of the charming little book of Ruth. In addition, the subject is treated warmly and fer vently as a love story should be, which results in a very readable volume. 139 pages. Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. Cloth. Price $2.00. PAGE FORTY-ONE Price $2.00. UNTO ALL, by Howard W. Ferrin
Points and Problems "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for" (Heb. 11:1). This statement exalts faith to an amazing height. The word substance is the word of special interest. The Amer ican Revision renders it assur ance. Acording to Greek scholars, it may be translated title-deed. Thus the passage would read, “Faith is the title-deed of things hoped for.” In other words, if a person has real faith, it is as good as though he had in his possession right now all the things promised the redeemed soul. Heaven is already his and all the things that are related to the heav enly life. The soul who trusts in Christ carries in his heart a title to all that heaven offers. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain" (11:4). Faith always presupposes knowledge. A man cannot believe unless there is something to believe. The Scripture says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Thus, in the case of Abel, his faith pre supposes a revelation from God as to what was the proper offering to be brought. He acted in harmony with that revelation; Cain failed to do so. In like manner today, God has provided the proper basis for saving faith in His Word; some, like Abel, act in harmony with it; others, like Cain, prefer a substitute. "By the which he [Noah] con demned the world" (11:7). Noah’s ark was . a sermon in wood. The building of it from keel to roof was a testimony to his faith in God. As such, it condemned those who had nothing to do with Noah’s God. The light of a faithful witness was pres ent in the world in those days, but men loved the darkness of their own unbelieving ways more than the light, and thus were condemned. It was even so when Christ came into the world. He was the light of the world but men brought condemna tion upon themselves because they loved darkness rather than light (John 3:17-19). For the Children A J ourney to a N ew L and (H eb . 11:8-13; G en . 12:1-9) M emory V erse : “I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength” (Isa. 12:2). When your friends see you pack ing your trunks and suitcases, they are always anxious to know where you are going. Would they not laugh if you told them that you had no idea where you were going?
Outline and Exposition T he U nderstanding of F aith (H eb . 11:1-8) Faith lays hold upon the future and gives it reality and verity in the present; it lays hold upon the un seen and gives it value and visibility. This is not a definition of faith; it is an explanation of what faith does. The elders walked by faith, not by sight. There is no difference between the substance of the walk of faith in the past, and that of the present. The object of faith may be more clearly seen in the present, but the principle of the walk and life is the sarhe. The point here is that faith will do today for those who walk by it what it did for the elders: Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham. These men brought reality and verity into the present, and gave value to the un seen by their faith. Their faith in cluded confidence in the fact that He [God] is a living God, who is far above and better than all the gods of pagans. T he P atience of F aith (H eb . 11:39, 40) The elders had revelations from God, and rendered obedience to His exhortations and •commands con tained in them, thus expressing the faith by which these servants ob tained a good report. Being fully as sured that God’s promises were true, their faith gave substance to those pledges while the latter were await ing fulfillment. They were to have patience, and wait in faith until the entire com pany had come to perfection, or ma turity. They without us could not have had the fulfillment of the prom ises for this could not have hap pened until all had been made per fect, or had come to full growth. T he E xhortation to F aith (H eb . 12:1, 2) Living by faith was no easier for the elders than it is for the believer of today; the world, the flesh, and the devil are still Unchanged, and continue to oppose the Christian. But the elders proved that living by faith is possible. They are the witnesses by whom we are surrounded. Their faith swayed their lives and they ran the race of Christian living with patience (Jas. 5:7-11). Let us therefore run our race as they did theirs, laying aside all en cumbrances that hinder progress, and run with patience. For this, there must be a continual looking unto Jesus, who is Himself the file leader. S E P T E M B E R , 19 47
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