Believing Without Effect

Brief Devotion “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” (I Cor. 15:1-2)  Apostle Paul preached the Gospel, which is the fact that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, “by which also ye are saved.”  Salvation does not exist outside of the boundaries of this fact, plus nothing and minus nothing.  If this simple fact is tainted by adding anything or removing anything it become perverted and is no Gospel at all.  One is only able to be saved by believing into this truth of the Gospel of Jesus as preached by the Apostles.  This comes not by believing about but by believing into.  It is being plunged into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  This is the effect of the Gospel of Jesus. The words “if ye keep in memory” from the language carries the thought of “having in one’s possession.”  It is not just agreeing with the pronouncement of the Gospel; rather, it is possessing the Gospel which has been embedded by the Holy Spirit unto the birth of a new creature born out of God, saved unto the uttermost.  We are saved IF we have truthfully in our custody the fact that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose by the power of God in a bodily resurrection.   “Unless” means “if not”; that is, if one is not in possession of the Gospel by the sovereign power and grace of Almighty God plunging him into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, then all of his believing about and all of his religious activities has been for nothing.  “Believed in vain” means “believed without effect.”  That is to say, if one possesses in his spirit the Gospel a change will take place inwardly and outwardly conforming him to the righteousness of Christ Jesus.  One saying he believes with no conversion unto righteousness is still in his sins, because his believing has had no effect.  He possesses not the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.   From the Pastor:  Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAITH AND SENSE

From a sermon by Ebenezer Erskine on Song of Solomon 8:5 –

"Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning upon her Beloved?"

Question. What is the difference between the life of faith and the life of sense? . . .

1. Sense regards only what a man hath in hand, or presently enjoys; but faith looks to what a man hath in Christ, and in the well ordered covenant. Sense is like a child that is better pleased with a penny, or any little trifle the parent gives it, than if he were giving it a charter to the whole estate; but faith, although it will not despise any thing that comes from the hand of the Father, yet it is particularly taken up with the charter of the promise or covenant, and the estate lying in the hand of the great covenant-head, Christ Jesus; it views the promise as it is "yea and amen in Christ;" it views the covenant as confirmed by his death and blood, and says, with David, "This is all my salvation that he hath made with me," in my new covenant-head, "an everlasting covenant, well-ordered in all things, and sure."

2. Sense is ready to judge of the love of God by the aspect of Providence, or his present carriage; and whenever he seems to frown or hide, it razes all to the foundation, crying, "The Lord hath forgotten to be gracious;" but faith reads the love of God in the face of Jesus Christ, in the acceptance that the Surety has met with, and in the declarations, offers, promises of the word: "In his word will I hope, (says faith); Remember the word upon which thou hast caused thy servant to hope." Hence it follows,

3. Sense and sight is a variable and fluctuating thing; but faith is steady and fixed, like Abraham, "who against hope believed in hope, and staggered not at the promise through unbelief." . . .

Ebenezer Erskine (1680-1754) and his brother Ralph were famous Presbyterian ministers in Scotland, and close friends of Thomas Boston. Their father was Henry Erskine, under whose preaching the youthful Thomas Boston came to Christ.