3 Sermon Illustrations on Faith and Obedience

Ralph Erskine, that eminent Scotch divine of the seventeenth century, put the relation of faith and works in a most revealing way when he wrote, "True faith is never alone, but still joined with Gospel-obedience: 'As ye have received, so walk.' He that would separate faith from obedience endeavors to walk with one foot, which is impossible. Faith and works, faith and holiness, are the two feet by which a man walks in Christ; when the Spirit of Christ promotes the one, He promotes the other also. If a man should try to go upon one foot, he could not walk but only hop, which would be impossible for him to continue long. Neither can obedience be consistent without faith, and such consistency will be the measure of the Gospel-walk."

The biographer of “Father Morris,” an American preacher of some local celebrity, tells of him this incident:

He had noticed a falling off in his little village meeting for prayer. The first time he collected a tolerable audience, he took occasion to tell them something concerning the conference meeting of the disciples, after the resurrection. “But Thomas was not with them! Thomas not with them!” said the old man in a sorrowful voice. “Why, what could keep Thomas away? Perhaps,” said he, glancing at some of his auditors, “Thomas had got cold-hearted, and was afraid they would ask him to make the first prayer. Perhaps,” he continued, looking at some of the farmers, “he was afraid the roads were bad; or perhaps,” he added after a pause, “he thought a shower was coming on.” He went on, significantly summing up common excuses, and then with great simplicity and emotion he added: “But only think what Thomas lost, for in the middle of the meeting the Lord Jesus came and stood among them! Thomas was not with them when Jesus came.” (Text.)