5. Once we are empowered to become sons of God, what principle must direct our lives? Habakkuk 2:4, last part; Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38.
NOTE: ‘To be justified by faith, then, is to be justified by entire dependence upon the word of God. The just are those who are of the word of God. This is how men become just. Men must not only become just by faith, by dependence upon the word of God, but being just, we must live by faith. The just man lives in precisely the same way, and by precisely the same thing, that he becomes just. We become just by faith; faith is entire dependence on the word of God. We, being just, must live by precisely the same thing by which we become just; that is, by entire dependence upon the word of God. And this is exactly what Jesus said: Man shall live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” When Jesus said that, it is perfectly plain that He simply said, in other words, Man shall live by faith. There is no other way truly to live than by faith, which is simply living by the word of God. Without faith, without the word of God, men only die. Indeed, without the word of God everything only dies; for in the beginning everything came by the word of God. The word of God is the origin and life of everything; for, “He spake, and it was.”’ A. T. Jones: Review & Herald, March 7, 1899.
6. What supreme example of faith did Jesus hold up? Matthew 8:6-10.
NOTE: ‘One day a centurion came to Jesus, and said to Him: “Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” Matthew 8:6-10. There is what Jesus pronounces faith. When we find what that is, we have found faith. To know what that is, is to know what faith is. There can be no sort of doubt about this; for Christ is “the Author. . . of faith,” and He says that that which the centurion manifested was “faith;” yes, even “great faith.” Where, then, in this is the faith? The centurion wanted a certain thing done. He wanted the Lord to do it. But when the Lord said, “I will come” and do it, the centurion checked Him, saying, “Speak the word only,” and it shall be done. Now, what did the centurion expect would do the work? “The word ONLY.” Upon what did he depend for the healing of his servant? Upon “the word ONLY.” And the Lord Jesus says that that is faith. Now, brother, sister, what is faith?’ A. T. Jones: Review & Herald, December 6, 1898.