"'If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation,'" repeated the captain, adding the comment, "Let us notice that the belief which is unto salvation is evidenced by holy living; belief that is not unto righteousness is not a true and living faith. The devils believe and tremble, but theirs is not a saving faith, for they do not love and trust in Jesus. It is the faith which worketh by love that saves."
"Yes," said Mr. Dinsmore; "it is not enough to have no doubt of the truth of the Gospel—the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ—but we must give ourselves to him, love him and rejoice in his love to us."
"And oh, what a blessing that all may have that faith who will come to Jesus for it," remarked Mr. Embury; "every one, old and young. 'Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth.'"
"Yes," added Mr. Keith, "there are many good and desirable things to which some of us can never attain, but salvation by faith is within the reach of all who will come to Jesus for it. He says,'Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.'"
It was Mrs. Dinsmore's turn and she repeated: "'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.'"
"'Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,'" repeated Mrs. Keith.
Then Mrs. Embury: "'Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.'"
"And those who believe in Jesus are not to hide their faith, as that of which they are ashamed," said Grandma Elsie; "we are to confess with the mouth, letting it be known that we believe in Christ and take him for our Saviour. His own word is, 'Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.'"
It was Evelyn's turn. "In Habakkuk ii. 4," she said, "I read, 'The just shall live by faith.' Again in Romans i. 17, 'The just shall live by faith.' Galatians iii. 11: 'But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.' And here,"—again turning over the leaves of her Bible,—"Hebrews x. 38, 'Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.'"
She paused, and Lucilla repeated the next verse, "'But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.'"