Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Whose Faith Follow

A valuable little blog called Footsteps is establishing an excellent resource to "support young people who respect the Bible and want to understand more about how to live rightly in an unsympathetic environment".

The motto of the blog is 'whose faith follow…' John Owen comments on this part of Hebrews 13:7 that follow means “to imitate” "This remembrance of our guides is prescribed with reference unto the duty of following their faith: “Whose faith follow;” — ‘So mind them and their work, in preaching the word of God, as to follow or imitate them in their faith'". "It is such a following as wherein we are fully conformed unto, and do lively express, that which we are said to follow. So a scholar may be said to follow his master, when, having attained all his arts and sciences, he acts them in the same manner as his master did. So are we to follow the faith of these guides". He qualifies this: "No mere man, not the best of men, is to be our pattern or example absolutely, or in all things. This honor is due unto Christ alone". This is wrapped up in what Paul goes on to say "Considering the end of their conversation Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Is the whole goal and tendency of our life here to point to the unchangeable, never enough admired Altogether Lovely One?

This endeavour will have done valuable work for God in this generation if it encourages this spirit in a rising generation.