Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

THE NATURE OF FAITH
had purchased for a burial ground. It seems that as they
continued in their pilgrimage their faith became clearer,
and they began to look beyond the literal to the spiritual
fulfilment of the promise, in the city which hath founda-
tions whose builder and maker is God, vs. 13-16. (e)
Joseph’s conviction with respect to the exodus of his
people from Egypt pertained to an event far in the future,
an event not seen, v. 22. (f) Moses, “the man who saw
an undying flame,” chose to share ill treatment with the
people of God, above the temporary enjoyment of the
pleasures of sin, because he “endured as seeing him who is
invisible” (vs. 23-29). In all these cases, faith was a
conviction with respect to things not seen.
(5) As in the various cases cited from Old Testament
history, so it is with respect to faith in the present dispen-
sation and under the new covenant: (a) our faith must
be something more than mere assent; (b) it must be
genuine conviction in order to work “unto the saving of
the soul”; (c) it must be conviction with respect to things
not seen, viz., God, the Son of God, the Spirit of God,
the future life, heaven, etc.; (d) this faith undergirds all
our spiritual blessings, aspirations and hopes (1 Cor. 2:6-
10).
Coiiclusioii: 1. This iiaspiyed definitioii of faith 2s
perfect mid conzplete. Nothing can be taken from it
without weakening its import. Nothing cart be added to
it that would give it greater force.
2. Christian faith takes in all those convictions with
respect to God, the Son of God, the Word of God, the
Spirit of God, immortality, heaven, and the like; all of
which are eternal realities above and beyond the realm of
time and space. Like Moses, we “endure as seeing him who
is invisible,” “looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter
of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). Like Abraham, we realize
that we are pilgrims and strangers upon this earth, that our
present dwelling places are but the tabernacles of a night-
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