Faith

Abraham believed God and it counted unto him for righteousness; but Abraham's faith was a living , and therefore a bearing and doing faith . What is your faith doing ? It is not our doing that will be our justifying righteousness in the great day ; but it is a doing faith , and not a dead one ,that unites a believer to Christ and so saves him . It is not the activity of the believer that recommends him to the judge as righteous ; but it is an active believing that makes Christ' righteousness his . Said Jesus , to the fallen and restored disciple , "Simon , son of Jonas , lovest thou me ? "  "Yea Lord , "replied Peter , " thou knowest all things , and thou knowest that I love thee, " There is a noble confession ; will it suffice ? No , if it be dead ; and it is dead if it remain alone . Here are the fruits which must flow from its life , and prove that it is living :-" Follow thou me ;" "Feed my sheep ;" "Feed my Lambs ."  If Peter's faith be living it will do these commandments ; his faith by uniting him to Christ , saves him ; and these works are the life of his faith in exercise . When a disciple is "rooted in him " the more fruit that his life produces , the deeper his faith strikes down for support into the riches of redeeming love ;  as the living tree must penetrate farther into the sustaining earth for every increase in the area of its fruit bearing branches .

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