Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:11-12.

 

“By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.  Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”  Hebrews 11:11-12. 

 

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Sarah “considered Him faithful who had promised”.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar.  So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.  Please go in to my maid;  perhaps I will obtain children through her.”  And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.  After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.  He went in to Hagar, and she conceived;  and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.”  Genesis 16:1-4.

 

In addition, it is possible (although we don’t have Scripture to inform us one way or the other) that Sarah may have had fleeting thoughts that they would only have spiritual children, children of faith.  We may want to “spiritualize” every promise of God, so that every promise of God will “only” have a spiritual fulfillment such as heaven.

 

It is not clear to me all the thoughts that Sarah had.  As one example, compare the bookends of Genesis 16 in which we read of Sarah’s suggestion of Hagar.  Nothing is mention of what Sarah knew of the promises of God to Abraham in Genesis 15.  Whereas, later in Genesis 18, the promise is directly revealed to Sarah.  However, I think that we can infer that Sarah knew of these promises of God at the time she took things into her own hands.

                              

 

Most importantly, today’s Scripture informs us that Sarah did have faith and did receive the ability to conceive and did eventually have “as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”

 

There is hope that even if we experience lack of faith at some point of our lives, we may gain faith and rest on that faith and be viewed by God simply as having faith.  We may not be faithful at every point of our lives.  But, God is entirely faithful. 

 

The lesson for today is not that we should focus on Sarah and think how great she is.  But, rather, the lesson for us today is that we should focus on God and think how great He is.  Like Sarah, we should consider God “faithful who had promised”. 

 

God has made all these “precious and magnificent promises” to us.  God is entirely faithful to fulfill all of them.   

 

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”  2 Peter 1:2-4.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:8-10.

 

“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance;  and he went out, not knowing where he was going.  By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;  for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”  Hebrews 11:8-10.

 

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“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6. 

 

Abraham believed that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him.  He “obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance”.  He expected an inheritance.  “By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise”.  Although he lived as an alien in the land, he considered that land “the land of promise”.  He “was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God”.  He had high expectations.

 

“For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise;  but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.”  Galatians 3:18

                            

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”  Ephesians 1:13-14.

 

We preach and teach God’s Word “…for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,”  Titus 1:1-2. 

                                            

“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.  For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also;  but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.”  Hebrews 4:1-2.  

 

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.                                   

                                      

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:7.

 

“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”  Hebrews 11:7.

 

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Noah literally “prepared an ark for the salvation of his household”. 

 

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ark in part as “1 a : a boat or ship held to resemble that in which Noah and his family were preserved from the Flood b : something that affords protection and safety …”  Click here: Ark – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

 

We can believe that God is calling us to build a church or enter a church that is more faithful to God’s Word.  In a sense thereby, we are building and entering an ark for the salvation of our household.

 

Christian Schools can be considered arks.  They provide protection and safety for our children.  They are built in faith and entered to provide salvation for our households.   

 

Our ancestors even believed that God called them to leave their country to come to our country where they would have more religious freedom.  They got on ships, in a sense you can call them arks, to come to America for the salvation of their household.

 

Even our Reformed Confessions can be considered arks in the sense that they afford us protection and safety from heresy.  They are statements of faith.  We enter and stay within these Reformed confessions for the salvation of our households.

 

And, other arks may come to your mind. 

 

We can build arks.  Or, arks can be built for us.  But, in any event, we need to enter the arks.

 

Genesis 7:1
“Then the LORD said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.”

 

Genesis 6:18
“But I will establish My covenant with you;  and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.”

 

“Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Hebrews 10:19-22.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:6.

 

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6.

 

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Here are three examples of faith seeking the ultimate reward.

 

Abraham “… was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”  Hebrews 11:10.

 

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt;  for he was looking to the reward.”  Hebrews 11:24-26.

 

“But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God;  for He has prepared a city for them.”  Hebrews 11:16.

 

 

 

 

We know it to be heaven, the ultimate reward.

 

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:5.

 

“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death;  and he was not found because God took him up;  for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.”  Hebrews 11:5.

 

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“Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.  Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.  So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.  Enoch walked with God;  and he was not, for God took him.”  Genesis 5:21-24.

 

From today’s Scripture and Genesis 5:21-24, we can infer that Enoch was pleasing to God, because Enoch had faith and “Enoch walked with God”.  We also note with interest that Enoch was father to Methuselah, a great high priest and type of Christ as we learned earlier in Hebrews.

 

We note no accomplishments by Enoch that the world would think is great.  Enoch simply lived by faith and walked with God.

 

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  Ezekiel 36:27

 

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:25

 

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16

 

Jesus said:  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart;  and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy, and My load is light”. Matthew 11:28-29. 

                                      

What is a yoke?  According to Oxford American Dictionary, published in 1980 by Oxford University Press, a yoke is a “wooden crosspiece”.  It is a foundation for pulling or work.

After reading this definition of yoke, I thought of the cross.  The cross is a wooden crosspiece that was fastened to Christ as a foundation for His work of carrying away the sins of the world.  The yoke that Christ endured was the cross, but the yoke that Christ give us is His Spirit.

The Pharisees lay law upon law on the people:  “And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men’s shoulders;  but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”  Matthew 23:4.

In contrast, Christ tied up the heavy loads of the law and laid them on His own shoulders and gave us His Spirit as a yoke:  “in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”.  Romans 8:4.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:4.

 

“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.”  Hebrews 11:4.

 

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What sacrifice do we offer to God?  It may not be best in the eyes of the world.  But, by faith, we determine what is best for us to do in the eyes of God.

 

We may not receive the thanks or recognition from our fellow saints that we think we deserve.  But, by faith, we believe our sacrifice pleases God.

 

And though neither the world nor our fellow saints speak much about our sacrifice;  by faith, we rest in peace speaking through our sacrifice.

 

There are all kinds of good things that we can do.  We feel pressure from the world to do some of those good things.  We feel pressure from even our fellow saints at church to do other good things.  But, we only have limited spiritual gifts, limited time, limited strength, limited wisdom, limited passion, limited focus, and other limited resources to do that one best thing (or few things) as well as we should do it (or them).  

 

Do we please the world and do those good things that they want us to do?  Do we please our fellow saints and do those good things that they want us to do?

 

Or, do we do what is best and please God?

 

There may be times when it is best to do some of those things that the world and our fellow saints want us to do.  We must respect authority. 

 

But, there are times when it is best to resist that pressure.

 

Who can know what is best in the eyes of God?!

 

 

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

 

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”  Psalm 32:8.

 

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

 

By faith, we believe God’s Word.  By faith, we determine what is best for us to do in the eyes of God.  By faith, we do what is best in the eyes of God.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:3.

 

“By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”  Hebrews 11:3.

 

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It is a matter of fact that God created the heavens and the earth, whether we believe it or not. 

 

But, it is a matter of faith that we understand it.  Today’s Scripture teaches:  “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” 

 

And let us not think that just because creation is also a matter of faith, it is not important.  We recognize that salvation is also a matter of faith, but we recognize how important salvation is and that our faith is essential to our salvation.

 

Let us consider that Hebrews Chapter 11, “The Hall of Fame for Faith” presents the use of faith to understand creation as one of the very first few uses of faith.  In other words, an element of our faith is a belief that God created the heavens and the earth.  It is that important. 

 

The Westminister Larger Catechism gives creation a proper place of importance when it states:

                      

Question 15:  What is the work of creation?

Answer:  The work of creation is that wherein God did in the beginning, by the word of his power, make of nothing the world, and all things therein, for himself, within the space of six days, and all very good.

The Heidelberg Catechism, in specifying what a belief in God the Father entails, starts out with an understanding that out of nothing, God made heaven and earth.

Question 26.  What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?

Answer.  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them;  who likewise upholds and governs the same by his eternal counsel and providence) is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father; on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body:  and further, that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears turn out to my advantage; for he is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.

Let us consider how strongly and often creation is presented in Scripture.  Here are some examples to build our faith. 

Genesis 1:1
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

 

Genesis 1:21
“God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.”

 

Genesis 1:27
“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him;  male and female He created them.”

 

Exodus 20:11
“For in six days the LORD madethe heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day;  therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.”

 

Psalm 104:30
“You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;  And You renew the face of the ground.”

 

Psalm 148:5
“Let them praise the name of the LORD, For He commanded and they were created.”

 

Isaiah 40:26
“Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name;  Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.”

 

Isaiah 40:28
“Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired.  His understanding is inscrutable.”

 

Isaiah 41:20
“That they may see and recognize, And consider and gain insight as well, That the hand of the LORD has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it.”

 

Isaiah 42:5
“Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it,”

 

Isaiah 43:1
“But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;  I have called you by name; you are Mine!”

 

Isaiah 43:15
“I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.”

 

Isaiah 45:8
“Drip down, O heavens, from above, And let the clouds pour down righteousness;  Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, And righteousness spring up with it.  I, the LORD, have created it.”

 

Isaiah 45:12
“It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it.  I stretched out the heavens with My hands And I ordained all their host.”

 

Isaiah 45:18
“For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), “I am the LORD, and there is none else.”

 

Amos 4:13
“For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The LORD God of hosts is His name.”

 

Mark 10:6
“But from the beginning of creation, God MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE.”

 

Romans 1:20
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

 

Romans 1:25
“For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.  Amen.”

 

Colossians 1:16
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

 

1 Timothy 4:4
“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;”

 

1 Peter 4:19
“Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”

 

Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

 

Revelation 5:13
“And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:2.

 

“For by it (faith) the men of old gained approval.”  Hebrews 11:2.

 

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“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6 

 

And then, Hebrews Chapter 11, the Hall of Fame for Faith, proceeds to give examples of how men and women of faith gained approval.  God willing, we will cover these inspiring examples of faith in upcoming devotions.  “And all these, … gained approval through their faith …”  Hebrews 11:39.

 

“¹³ The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
¹⁴ From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
¹⁵ He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
¹⁶ The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
¹⁷ A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

                                  

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”  Luke 2:14

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 11:1.

 

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:1.

 

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There is a component of faith that God is good to us and that is assured that God will show lovingkindness to us.  Compare “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Verse 1) with “he who comes to God must believe that … He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). 

 

To get a better understanding of this component of faith, contrast those without faith who “shrink back into destruction” (Hebrews 10:39) with those with faith who “draw near (to God) with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).  

 

How do we consider the hands of God?  Consider those without faith:  “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31).  Consider those with faith:  “Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He is gracious to us.”  Psalm 123:2

 

In conclusion, the Heidelberg Catehism nails down this component of faith that God is good to us and that is assured that God will show lovingkindness to us.

 

Question 26.  What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?

 

Answer.  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them;  who likewise upholds and governs the same by his eternal counsel and providence) is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father;  on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body: and further, that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears turn out to my advantage; for he is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 10:32-39.

 

“³² But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, ³³ partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.  ³⁴ For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.  ³⁵ Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  ³⁶ For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

³⁹ But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  Hebrews 10:32-39.

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We don’t have faith in the strength of our own faith.  But rather, we have faith in God Who gives us that faith and Who preserves that God-given faith.  That is why we don’t shrink back.

Regarding the fact that God gives us faith, consider the following Reformed Confessions:

The Heidelberg Catechism speaks of true faith being “an assured confidence, which the Holy Ghost works by the gospel, in my heart”.

Question 21.  What is true faith?

Answer.  True faith is not only a certain knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in his word, but also an assured confidence, which the Holy Ghost works by the gospel, in my heart;  that not only to others, but to me also, remission of sin, everlasting righteousness and salvation, are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ’s merits.

The Belgic Confession likewise recognizes that “the Holy Ghost kindleth in our hearts an upright faith”.  

Article 22:  Of Faith in Jesus Christ.

We believe that, to attain the true knowledge of this great mystery, the Holy Ghost kindleth in our hearts an upright faith, which embraces Jesus Christ, with all his merits, appropriates him, and seeks nothing more besides him.  For it must needs follow, either that all things, which are requisite to our salvation, are not in Jesus Christ, or if all things are in him, that then those who possess Jesus Christ through faith, have complete salvation in him. Therefore, for any to assert, that Christ is not sufficient, but that something more is required besides him, would be too gross a blasphemy:  for hence it would follow, that Christ was but half a Savior.  Therefore we justly say with Paul, that we are justified by faith alone, or by faith without works.  However, to speak more clearly, we do not mean, that faith itself justifies us, for it is only an instrument with which we embrace Christ our Righteousness.  But Jesus Christ, imputing to us all his merits and so many holy works which he has done for us, and in our stead, is our Righteousness.  And faith is an instrument that keeps us in communion with him in all his benefits, which, when become ours, are more than sufficient to acquit us of our sins.

The Westminister Larger Catechism teaches:  “Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God”. 

Question 72:  What is justifying faith?

Answer:  Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assents to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receives and rests upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.

The Canons of Dordt points to “the gift of justifying faith” and “that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death”.

Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father;  that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death;  should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing;  and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.

Regarding the fact that God preserves that God-given faith, consider the following from the Canons of Dordt from FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints:

Article 3.  By reason of these remains of indwelling sin, and the temptations of sin and of the world, those who are converted could not persevere in a state of grace, if left to their own strength.  But God is faithful, who having conferred grace, mercifully confirms, and powerfully preserves them herein, even to the end.

Article 8.  Thus, it is not in consequence of their own merits, or strength, but of God’s free mercy, that they do not totally fall from faith and grace, nor continue and perish finally in their backslidings;  which, with respect to themselves, is not only possible, but would undoubtedly happen;  but with respect to God, it is utterly impossible, since his counsel cannot be changed, nor his promise fail, neither can the call according to his purpose be revoked, nor the merit, intercession and preservation of Christ be rendered ineffectual, nor the sealing of the Holy Spirit be frustrated or obliterated.

“But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  Verse 39.