Heart Faith
"If thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus; and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead shalt be saved," Romans 10:9
This is the one thing that is essential - you must
"believe in thine heart". Beloved friends, this I urge upon you,
"examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith". I would do nothing
to rob any true believer of the joy of confident assurance. But I must warn all
men to guard against religious presumption. It is Satan's cheap counterfiet.
FALSE FAITH CAN BE VERY
DECEPTIVE. False faith produces good works - it excites the emotions. It
reforms the outward life. It performs deeds of religion. It causes sorrow for
sin. It speaks well of Christ. It does works of charity. It trembles under the
preaching of the gospel. False gains high offices in the church. It secures
peace of mind. It walks in the company of great preachers. False faith even
holds out to the day of judgement (Mt. 7:22-23}. My friends, BEWARE OF FALSE
FAITH! Remember Lot's wife, Judas, Simon, Demas, and Diotrephes. Be not
numbered among them.
TRUE FAITH
IS THE HEART KNOWLEDGE, TRUST, AND SUBMISSION TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. God
has revealed Christ to us in the gospel, by which we know our desparate need
and his saving power and fulness. Trusting Christ alone as our all-sufficient
Savior, we commit ourselves, body and soul to him. And where there is true
faith, there is the submission of heart to Christ as our sovereign Lord and
King. This faith comes not by heredity, not by the logic and persuasiveness of
the preacher. It is the gift of God. Christ is revealed in the heart by the
gospel.
THIS HEART
FAITH CAN BE BY THOSE WHO POSSESS IT. Have we believed? If so, we have
firmly, cordially, and voluntarily received Christ in all his offices. To them
that believe, Christ is precious. Heart faith purifies the heart and weans it
from the world. Heart faith works by love, lives in hope, and rests in Christ.
This is true faith. This is heart faith. F-oreaking
A-ll I T-ake H-im.
Don Fortner