In Christopher Columbus we have an excellent example of living faith and its demonstration. Impelled by an inward urge to visit lands that he had not seen but that he believed existed, this bold explorer suffered privation, survived mutinies, and endured imprisonment for the realization of his dream. Denying even the remote possibility of defeat, he passed relentlessly toward his chosen goal.
It is this absence of doubt that makes one insensible to the possibilities of failure. To be surrounded by, but unafraid of, the pitfalls is the genius of true faith. The moment the apostle Peter ceased to concentrate on the objective, his awareness of his surroundings increased, and he began to sink. The safe driver concentrates on the road, not on the sheer cliff or the sudden drop of the ground to the canyon thousands of feet below. He knows that it is there, but it cannot claim his attention if he is to reach the heights.
There is no fear in living faith. Consider the evangelist who is sent to a city that is blissfully unaware of his existence. He can claim no invitation from the Chamber of Commerce. His mission? To capture that town for Christ. A thousand things can go wrong in such an enterprise. The evangelist knows this, but such things cannot claim his first attention. He must believe!
Living faith sees beyond existing conditions. It ignores the record of past failures and refuses to be influenced by them. To faith, there are no difficult territories or hard fields, no imponderables or insurmountables, no lions in the way. The walls of Jericho are sand and her giants are ants before the mighty onslaught of unwavering faith.
Faith looks beyond difficulties, and lays hold of the unseen, even Omnipotence, therefore it cannot be baffled. Faith is the clasping of the hand of Christ in every emergency.—Gospel Workers, p. 262.
In faith, the evangelist publishes handbills, placards, and newspaper ads, employs radio, television, and any other mediums to propagate his message. True, he knows not what will prosper, but this does not deter his sowing. Flames of revival burn on the altar of his soul. Faith is within him a consuming fire. It cannot be contained, it must be shared.
Paradoxically, the exercise of living faith involves doubt of one's own sufficiency. A man cannot rely upon God and upon himself at the same time. Emerson's essay on "Self-Reliance" expresses a philosophy that has pagan overtones. Human nature is, at its best, quite unreliable. The apostle Paul expresses it this way: "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing" (Rom. 7:18). Such a statement should indeed inspire the abasement of oneself and the exaltation of Christ. God-reliance, not self-reliance, is productive of great good and assures Heaven's blessing in one's affairs.
In the darkest days, when appearances seem most forbidding, fear not. Have faith in God. He knows your need. He has all power. . . . And He will bestow upon His faithful servants the measure of efficiency that their need demands.—Prophets and Kings, pp. 164, 165.
Many of us are plagued with worries during an evangelistic campaign. Not the least of these concerns is what the audience reaction will be when certain testing truths are presented, or how many will be baptized at the close of the effort. Living faith eliminates these worries. It teaches man to live a day at a time (a good ulcer preventive), trusting God for the consequences.
When we give ourselves wholly to God and in our work follow His directions, He makes Himself responsible for its accomplishment. He would not have us conjecture as to the success of our honest endeavors. Not once should we even think of failure. We are to co-operate with One who knows no failure.—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 363.
Living faith refuses to be limited by the successes of fellow evangelists or by one's own past performances. It prays for the unlimited success of a brother while with selfless effort it presses toward its chosen mark. The man of faith is as unsatisfied with the mediocre as auto designers are with last year's models. Living faith is ever hungry, never satisfied.
Finally, living faith must spring from selfless motives. This will involve a bit of individual heart searching The evangelist should frankly confront himself with the following questions before every meeting:
"Is it my chief aim to outdo a fellow evangelist?
"Do I wish to make this meeting the springboard to an administrative post?
"Do I so enjoy the applause of the saints and the praise of the brethren that I conduct this meeting to receive this opiate?
"Will I conduct this meeting for fear of being declared an unfruitful tree?"
All of the foregoing questions suggest selfish motivations. The presence of any one of them will stifle faith as water does fire. Our motives must spring from a God-given sense of spiritual urgency irrespective of the possible results to ourselves.
Ours is the assurance that faith-filled, Spirit-led men will cover the earth with a knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea. A famishing world pleads for a gospel that will humble the potentate and exalt the slave to a plane of common brotherhood. The bleakness of the present outlook has caused scientists to brood and statesmen to tremble. But to God-called men of living faith it is a challenge and an opportunity.
E. E. C.
