“The just shall live by faith” (Heb. 10:38).
It is by faith we are justified, by faith we live, by faith we stand and by faith we walk.
Now this is true of all Christians, and all should seek to enter into it fully. Every child of God is called to live by faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him [God]” (Heb. 11:6). It is a very grave mistake, indeed, to single out certain individuals who happen to have few or no visible source of temporal supplies and speak of them as though they only may live by faith. According to such a view of the question, ninety-nine out of every hundred Christians would be deprived of the precious privilege of living by faith.
If a man has a settled income, if he has a certain salary, if he has what is termed a secular calling by which he earns bread for himself and his family, is he not still privileged to live by faith? Do none live by faith save those who have little or nothing in regards to material support? Is the life of faith to be confined to the matter of trusting God only for food and raiment?
To live by faith is to be completely and continually shut up to Him in everything; fully dependent upon Him apart from and above every natural confidence, human hope or earthly expectation.
C. H. Mackintosh (adapted)