April 20
Charles Spurgeon · Faith's Checkbook
BY FAITH NOT FEELING
"The just shall live by faith" Rom. 1:17
I shall not die. I can, I do believe in the Lord my God, and this faith
will keep me alive. I would be numbered among those who in their lives
are just; but even if I were perfect I would not try to live by my
righteousness; I would cling to the work of the Lord Jesus, and still
live by faith in Him and by nothing else. If I were able to give my
body to be burned for my Lord Jesus, yet I would not trust in my own
courage and constancy, but still would live by faith.
"Were I a martyr at the stake
I'd plead my Saviour's name;
Intreat a pardon for His sake,
And urge no other claim."
To live by faith is a far surer and happier thing than to live by
feelings or by works. The branch, by living in the vine, lives a better
life than it would live by itself, even if it were possible for it to
live at all apart from the stem. To live by clinging to Jesus, by
deriving all from Him, is a sweet and sacred thing. If even the most
just must live in this fashion, how much more must I who am a poor
sinner! Lord, I believe. I must trust Thee wholly. What else can I do?
Trusting Thee is my life. I feel it to be so. I will abide by this even
to the end.