FAITH, THE GROUND OF ALL

And without faith it is impossible to please Him. HEBREWS 11:6 NASB

We may separately consider faith as being implied in what it means to be altogether a Christian. Yet faith cannot actually be separated from the love of God and of our neighbor. It is, rather, the ground of both. Very excellent things are spoken of faith in the Word of God. Everyone who “believes…is born of God” (1 John 5:1 NASB); “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12 NASB); and “This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4 NASB). Our Lord Himself declared that one who believes in the Son has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life (see John 5:24). But let none deceive his or her own soul. The faith which does not result in repentance, love, and all good works is not that true, living faith but a dead and devilish one. Even the devils believe the Old and New Testaments. They believe that Christ was born of a virgin, that He worked miracles and declared Himself very God. They believe that He suffered death to redeem us from everlasting death, that He rose again, is at the Father’s right hand, and will judge the living and the dead at the end of the world. Yet they are devils still, and remain in their damnable estate, lacking the true Christian faith. We must have a living faith.

Wesley, John (2011-02-01). Renew My Heart (Classic Insights) . Barbour Publishing, Inc.. Kindle Edition.