FAITH OR FEELING.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 215, 13 August 1887, Page 1

FAITH OR FEELING.

"If I could only feel il," said a young Officer to me, when I pressed on him that enough had been done by Christ on the ( cross fco save his soul. "Bui," I said, "you are not called to feel it, but to believe it. You are to be saved by faith, not by feeling. I blieved in Christ for about a fortnight before I knew that I was saved : I might have known it at once, only Iwas waiting to feel saved. At last I said, "Well, if I don't feel saved, until I find myself in heaven, still I'll rest solely on the Word of God. God hath said in that Word, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." I know thafc now Ido believe on Christ ; I used to trust in my prayers, or something that I could do myself ; but I don't trust in any one now except Christ, and his work on the cross, for my salvation ; therefore I have everlasting life. God's word says it. Tnen Satan whispered, "Do you feel you have everlasting life?' I could not say I felt it. " Then you cannot have it," whispered that arch-liar ! I remembered "It is written," "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." I knew that I really believed on Christ ; therefore I had everlasting life, whether I felt it or not. God said it is so, and I surely must be right in believing Him, despite every feeling. Thus I found 1 was safe, not because I felt it, but because of God's Word, which is unchangeable. I did not (as it so happened) feel joy or peace until long afterwards." " I declare I believe you are right," said the young man, who had been listening with the greatest attention ; "I have all along been thinking that I had to bring good feelings to God before I could be saved." Reader, Satan has been misleading souls for nearly six thousand years. He is an experienced foe, and not to be overcome except by " the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Take care that he is not misleading you — tempting you to " trust in feeling instead of in Christ," or " to wait to feel saved," when you should " believe and be saved." Feelings are changeable things at the best—liko the quicksilver in the barometer, sometimes xip sometimes down. Mark now the officer was kept from salvation by waiting for "feelings;" Satan tempting him to bring feelings to God, instead of simply relying on the blood of Jeaus, in the condition in which he then was. What are you doing, dear reader ? Are you one who believes in Jesus, yet cannot feel saved ? If you are really trusting in Jesus, there is ground for your enjoying perfect peace of mind at all times, since God hath " raised him from the dead, that your faith and hope might be in God," and that, " being justified by faith," (not by feelings,) you should " have peace with God." Let me ask you, then, when " the offering of the body of Jesus Christ " has been given and accepted by God, as an all-sufficient sacrifice for sins, is it not just of him to justify you, if you are a believer in Jesus ; and does He not also delight in doing so ? You say, 'I am sure He does, because I know He Himself has given the blood to make an atonement for the soul, and ' the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin ' — but I don't feel that I am justified ; therefore, sometimes I think I cantot be." But God says, "All who believe are justified from all things." And it is a suggestion of Satan, that because you do not teel justified upon believing, therefore you cannot be justified. Dear friend, Satan deceived me for a long time in this way ; so I thank God for allowing me to expose his snai'es to others. I had rested for upwards of four years simply on the blood of Christ as the atonement for my sins, and I rest on the Word of God, and not on my feelings, as the ground of my security. Where is there firmer ground ? Is it to be .found in the state of my feelings? No— the more Satan would tempt me to look to my feelings as the ground of my security— the more I see him the subtle disturber of the peace of my soul. If you rest on Jesus as your Saviour, and on His blood as having made a complete atonement for your sins, you are warranted in knowing that you are, through faith, justified by Him from all things, whether you feel it or not — just because God hath said it is so. Hear His Word, then, and enter into peace with God , for , "by Him all who believe are justified from all things."