Spurgeon Faith's Checkbook: April 20 - BY FAITH NOT FEELING

Imported boundary: April 20, "BY FAITH NOT FEELING" from CCEL's all-text Faith's Checkbook cache. Preface, scripture index, CCEL navigation, and page apparatus are not mirrored.

Scripture heading: Rom. 1:17.

> "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.