These All Died in Faith
Dying in faith means living and dying in the confidence of God's promises and acceptance, trusting in Jesus Christ as the author and finisher of one's faith.
C.H. Spurgeon reflects on the epitaph of the saints who died in faith, emphasizing that their lives were characterized by unwavering faith in God, which provided them comfort, guidance, and support. He notes that these saints did not rely on their own achievements but remained steadfast in their acceptance of God's promises until the end. Dying in faith encompasses belief in past promises, present assurance of God's love, and future hope in the coming Messiah. Spurgeon encourages believers to take courage, recognizing that their journey mirrors that of these faithful saints, and to continually look to Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith.
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Behold the epitaph of all those blessed saints who fell asleep before the coming of our Lord! It matters nothing how else they died, whether of old age, or by violent means; this one point, in which they all agree, is the most worthy of record, "they all died in faith." In faith they lived--it was their comfort, their guide, their motive and their support; and in the same spiritual grace they died, ending their life-song in the sweet strain in which they had so long continued. They did not die resting in the flesh or upon their own attainments; they made no advance from their first way of acceptance with God, but held to the way of faith to the end. Faith is as precious to die by as to live by.
Dying in faith has distinct reference to the past.
They believed the promises which had gone before, and were assured that their sins were blotted out through the mercy of God. Dying in faith has to do with the present. These saints were confident of their acceptance with God, they enjoyed the beams of His love, and rested in His faithfulness. Dying in faith looks into the future. They fell asleep, affirming that the Messiah would surely come, and that when He would in the last days appear upon the earth, they would rise from their graves to behold Him. To them the pains of death were but the birth-pangs of a better state. Take courage, my soul, as thou readest this epitaph. Thy course, through grace, is one of faith, and sight seldom cheers thee; this has also been the pathway of the brightest and the best.
Faith was the orbit in which these stars of the first magnitude moved all the time of their shining here; and happy art thou that it is thine. Look anew to-night to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith, and thank Him for giving thee like precious faith with souls now in glory.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Dying in Faith
- The Characteristics of Those Who Died in Faith
- The Benefits of Dying in Faith
- Faith is Precious to Die By as to Live By
- To Them the Pains of Death Were but the Birth-Pangs of a Better State
- Dying in Faith has to do with the Present
Key Quotes
“Faith is as precious to die by as to live by.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“To them the pains of death were but the birth-pangs of a better state.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Faith was the orbit in which these stars of the first magnitude moved all the time of their shining here;” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- Hold onto faith as your guide and comfort, trusting in God's promises and acceptance, even when you can't see the future.
- Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, and thank Him for giving you like precious faith with souls now in glory.
- Cultivate faith by trusting in God's promises and acceptance, and by holding onto the way of faith to the end.