E. J. Waggoner
(Chapter 41 of the original Everlating Covenant, London, 1900.)
“THE scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.”
Much is lost, in reading the Scriptures, by not noting exactly what they say. Here we have literally, "the faith of Christ," just as in Rev. 14:12 we have "the faith of Jesus." He is the Author and Finisher of faith. Heb. 12:2. God has "dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Rom. 12:3), in giving Christ to every man. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17), and Christ is the Word. All things are of God. It is He who gives repentance and forgiveness of sins. {80}
My disbelief of the fact does not affect its truth.
"When God calls a man a sinner, he is a sinner; and when He calls a man righteous, he is righteous in reality, as much so as if he had never sinned. There is no virtue in mere intellectual assent. God never declares a person righteous simply because he makes an acknowledgment of the truth. And there is an actual, literal change from the state of sin to righteousness, which justifies God in making the declaration." Ellet J. Waggoner
The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, My people do not consider.” says the Lord. Isaiah 1.3.
Therefore the wisdom of this world does not rise to the level of the intelligence of brutes. Yes, it sinks men below the level of brutes, when it is given full chance to develop