A Lecture for Little Faith

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2 Thessalonians 1:1-3

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:…

I. THE INCONVENIENCES OF LITTLE FAITH.

1. When faith begins it is like a grain of mustard seed, but as the Spirit bedews it with His grace it germinates, begins to spread and becomes a great tree. When faith begins it is —

(1) Simply looking unto Jesus, perhaps through a cloud of doubts, with much dimness of eye.

(2) When faith grows it rises from looking to coming to Christ.

(3) That done faith lays hold on Christ, sees Him in, His excellency, and appropriates Him.

(4) Then it leans on Christ, casting on Him the burden of its sins and cares.

(5) Next, faith puts in a certain claim to all that Christ is, and has wrought.

(6) Lastly, it mounts to full assurance, and out of heaven there is no state more rapturous and blessed. But there are some Christians who never get out of little faith. There are many such in the "Pilgrim's Progress." There is Ready-to-halt, who went all the way to the celestial city on crutches, and then left them when he entered Jordan; Feeble-mind, who only lost his weakness when he came to the same place where he buried it; Mr. Fearing, who used to stumble over a straw, and get frightened if he saw a drop of rain; Mr. Despondency and Miss Much-Afraid, who were so long locked up in the dungeon of Giant Despair that they were almost starved to death.

2. The inconveniences of this little faith.

(1) While it is always sure of heaven it seldom thinks so. Little-faith is as sure of heaven as Great-faith. When Christ comes to count up His jewels, He will take to, Himself the little pearls as well as the great ones. Little-faith cost as much as Great-faith. God loves Little-faith and will do so to the end. Yet he is so afraid — because he feels himself unworthy, doubts that he has been called aright, his election, and that he will not hold out to the end. But Great-faith is sure of all these points.

(2) Although he has grace enough he never thinks so. Great-heart wont have more than sufficient to carry him to heaven, and this is what Little-faith has. But see the latter in trouble — he says he will never be able to keep his head above water; in prosperity he is afraid that he will intoxicate himself with pride; when he meets with the enemy he fears defeat. How different with Great-faith!

(3) When tempted to sin he is apt to fall. Strong-faith can well contest the enemy, for his courage and strength are full and his weapons sharp.

II. RULES FOR STRENGTHENING LITTLE-FAITH. If you would have your little faith grow you must —

1. Feed it, by meditation on the Word. He who deals largely with the promises will soon find that there is room for believing them.

2. Prove the promise. When in distress take the promise and see whether it is true. The older you are the stronger your faith should become for you have so many facts to support it. Every instance of God's love should make us believe Him more.

3. Associate yourselves with godly and much tried people. Young believers will get their faith much refreshed by talking with well-advanced Christians.

4. Labour to get as much as possible free from self. Live above the praise and censure of self, and wholly on Christ. Self is like the sucker at the bottom of the tree which never bears fruit, but only sucks away nourishment from the tree.

5. Many can only get faith increased by great trouble. How do the old oaks become so deeply rooted? Ask the March winds and they will tell you. We don't make great soldiers in barracks. So with Christians. Great faith must have great trials.

6. Exercise what faith you have. The reason why the blacksmith does not tire is because he is used to it. It is no wonder that lazy Christians have little faith. It ought to be little; you do but little, and why should God give you more strength than you mean to use. If you want to get warm, don't rub your hands in front of the fires but run out and work. True works won't save you, but without works faith is frozen to death.

7. Commune with Christ, then you cannot be unbelieving. When you cannot see Him, then you doubt Him.

III. A CERTAIN HIGH ATTAINMENT TO WHICH FAITH MAY IF DILIGENTLY CULTIVATED, CERTAINLY ATTAIN. A man's faith can never grow so strong that he will never doubt. He who has the strongest faith will have sorrowful intervals of despondency; but he may so cultivate his faith that he may be so infallibly sure that he is a child of God, that all his doubts and fears will not get an advantage over him. A man may in this life be as sure of his acceptance in the beloved as he is of his own existence. "I know whom I have believed."

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