'He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is

The simple conception of faith suggested by the words used in the Old

Testament may be expressed in some such way as this, 'Faith says amen to

anything that God has said'.  Whatever the doctrine or the practice that may

be the subject at the time, faith bows the head and says, 'That is true'.  Of

course I do not pretend that such a statement either exhausts the subject or

takes in every point of view, but this simple primary definition will bring

comfort where philosophy may bring distraction.

A.  If your suggestion is that when Abraham believed in the Lord he just

bowed his head with a humble 'amen', I see this echoed in the words of Romans

'He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was

strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that,

what He had promised, He was able also to perform'.

It is certainly very simple and rids the subject of a great deal that

does not properly belong to it.  However, I should appreciate a few words on

the question of 'how' we believe.

A.  Your previous suggestion that the Old Testament conception of faith could

be expressed in some such way as: 'Saying Amen to all that God has said', is

certainly simple, but to my mind does not seem impressive enough.

B.  I do not mean to teach that such a statement exhausts the meaning of

faith, but I do believe that it lies very near the foundation.

A.  It seems to me that if a man is dead to everything spiritual until the

Lord gives him life and light, then faith must be something more miraculous

and wonderful than your suggestion would lead us to suppose.

B.  Yet, after all, for a man spiritually dead and at enmity with God and His

truth to turn and believe is something very marvellous.  On the other hand

the Scripture does not seem to turn our attention so much to the metaphysical

side of the question of faith, but lays before us a more matter of fact and

everyday presentation of it.  Would you cease to breathe because you could

not satisfactorily resolve the problem as to which comes first, life or

breathing?  Why disturb your mind with unprofitable speculations?  Let us see

how faith is used in the Scripture.  Think of the well -known words of Isaiah

53:1, 'Who hath believed our report?'  You know what it is to believe, or

give credit to, a testimony or a report, well this aspect of faith is one

that is found in Scripture.  This passage from Isaiah 53:1 is quoted by Paul

in Romans 10 where one or two further thoughts on the nature of faith are to

be found.  Will you turn to Romans 10 and tell me what you discover?

A.  (Reads the passage silently) The first thing that strikes me upon reading

this chapter is this.  Instead of saying, as I have rather thought, that

faith is a matter of great height and depth, Paul quotes the words of Moses,