LESSON XXVI. THE FAITH OF JESUS — A DEFINITION

Questions to Lesson 26^{*What is the faith of Jesus? What is said in Romans 3:20? What is the cause of all our woe? What makes known that cause? What alone can remove it? What is the sinner compared to? Who are sick? What is the cause of their sickness? What points out the cause? What is the only medicine that can cure them? Sin, the cause of our sickness, being removed by obeying the laws of health, what may we have? How can we expose our health again? What is the meaning of the word Jesus? What will he save his people from? What will they be saved from as a consequence of this? What is faith? What is the plan of salvation called? What does the faith include? What belongs to the faith of Jesus? In what character will the person, saved from sin by the faith of Jesus, enter the City?}

The faith of Jesus is the only way of salvation from sin. The commandments of God show us what actions are sinful; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20. All have sinned; but all they that believe may obtain righteousness by faith of Jesus Christ. Verses 22, 23. Sin is the cause of all our woe; the law of God makes known that cause, but the faith of Jesus alone can remove it.BIC 60.1

The law of God can no more save a sinner, than a sick man can be cored by telling him the cause of his sickness. Perhaps he has been out in the rain, and has taken cold. To tell him he is sick, and how he got his sickness will not cure him. His cold must be removed, and then he may recover. But supposing his cold is removed, and before he has wholly recovered from its effects he goes right out into the rain again. Should he not expect to be sick again? No doubt he would be worse than before. He violated the laws of health and was sick; being restored to health, he must keep those laws.BIC 60.2

Mankind are sick-they are suffering under the curse of God. Sin is the cause of their sickness. The law of God points out the cause, but does no more. The wages of sin is death. The faith of Jesus is the only remedy-the only thing that can cure the disease. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23. By faith in the blood of Christ, we can be cleansed from sin-the cause of our sickness can be removed, and by obeying the laws of health, we may have right to the tree of life. But let all who have applied to the Physician of souls for a cure, be careful not to expose their health again, by breaking the commandments of God.BIC 61.1

The name Jesus, means, Saviour; and our Lord was so called, for the reason that he would save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21. The faith of Jesus, then, is the faith of a Saviour from sin. Salvation from sin is the great thing that we need; for if we are saved from sin, we shall be saved from death and all the woes that sin has brought upon us.BIC 61.2

Faith is nothing more than firm belief; but it is of so much importance in the plan of salvation; that the whole plan is called “the faith.” In this sense, the faith is not merely an act of the mind, the same as belief, but it includes various requirements which are to be obeyed. So we find in Scripture such expressions as these: A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7. For obedience to the faith. Romans 1:5; 16:26. I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7. Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and [keep] the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:12. These passages show that the faith is something that can be obeyed or kept. Therefore we conclude that all that we are required to do in order to be saved from sin belongs to the faith of Jesus. The person thus freed from sin by the faith of Jesus, will enter the City of God as a commandment keeper the same as if he had never sinned. Revelation 22:14.BIC 61.3