“Let it be remembered therefore, that with respect to our own personal salvation, the smallest portions of faith, as they are from Christ, do prove an union with Christ, as truly as the largest gifts the Lord may be pleased to bestow upon His members. The drop of water in the dew, is as truly water as all the rivers of the world. It is the same in nature & in quality, though not in quantity. The same may be said in respect to faith. And this ought to comfort & encourage a poor child of God under weak faith, whose cries for an increase of faith are great & continual (Luke 17:5). Moreover those portions of faith, which are of the operation of the Spirit of God, however small & inconsiderable, yet carry with them the true marks of a child of God.
“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29) Faith is the gift of God. And wheresoever this grace is given, it proves the possessor of it to be a child of God. For when Paul preached among the Gentiles, we are told, that as many as were appointed to eternal life believed (Acts 13:48).
And as to the act of being justified by faith, it is plain from the whole tenor of Scripture, that while it is blessed to have strong & lively acting of faith on the person, work, & righteousness of God our Savior, yet the babe in Christ, as well as the strong man in the Lord, is as truly justified, because it is Christ which justifies, and not the strength of our faith in Christ which contributes thereto. By Him, (says Paul) that is, by Christ, all that believe, whether slender faith or strong faith, all that believe are justified from all things (Acts 13:39).”
- Robert Hawker, The Poor Man’s New Testament Commentary, Volume 1
comments on Matthew 17:14-21
No comments:
Post a Comment