Read: Hebrews 11:1-6
Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith — Open Door To God’s Gifts
“A few years since, a college friend… was bowing with many others as a seeker of full salvation… As I knelt by him to encourage and instruct him, he said: ‘O give me a promise, give me a promise!’
“I repeated in his ear, ‘Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him’ (Heb. 7:25). The words were scarcely off my lips before he exclaimed: ‘That is what I wanted; I believe it; praise the Lord, O my soul, I am fully saved'” (S. A. Keen, Faith Papers).
Why must we have faith in order to be sanctified wholly? In our scripture for today God’s Word gives us the answer. We are reminded that faith is the open door to all of His gifts of grace — “He that cometh to God must believe.”
Paul tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith.” It is true also of entire sanctification. Peter declares, “God, which knoweth the hearts… put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” Of this gracious, cleansing experience we must say, it is “by grace… through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our Lord settled that issue as clearly as words can state it when He sent Paul to the gentiles to “open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).
Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, And looks to that alone; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries, “It shall be done!”
— Charles Wesley