PRAYER AND FAITH
od is love, and those who worship in the spirit of
love will not be forsaken. I am my Father's son and
am not to be worshiped. To make me the object of worship
and to put God in the background is all wrong. So I say,
you must love the Lord thy God with all your heart
and soul and mind and your neighbor as yourself (Mark
12:30-31), and offer your prayers in the name
of truth. If any name need be used, then let it be
the name of the Father, for his name is high
over all and the only name under heaven or earth that can bring
salvation.
What I have said applies to many other declarations
contained in the Bible, such as, “He that believeth on the Lord Jesus
Christ shall be saved” (Acts 15:11), and “There is no other name
under heaven whereby men can be saved” (Acts 4:12). These are enunciations
of a false doctrine that is misleading to the people who accept these
declarations as literally true. Of course, if these declarations are interpreted
to mean he who believes in the truths that I teach, then the objection is not
so great. Even then, the declarations do not go far enough, for people may
believe in these truths and that belief may be a mental one, accepted merely
by the mind's faculties without the exercise of any of the soul's qualities.
When faith is added to this mental belief, then this doctrine will be truly
stated and it will be understood what is necessary for one's redemption.
Belief and faith are not the same. Belief is of the mind and
faith is of the soul. Belief can and does change as phenomena and apparent facts
change. Faith, when truly possessed never changes and when possessed by a soul
causes all the longings and aspirations of that soul to become things of real
existence. Just as the house that is built upon solid rock can never be shaken
or destroyed (Matthew 7:24). Believe in God and trust in me, for you will not
be disappointed, and pray for God's love to enter your soul.
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