Doctrinal faith, a mental assent to theological truth, is not mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. The righteous shall live by faith does not mean if we believe and confess certain doctrinal facts we will go to Heaven when we die. This approach to salvation is more like Gnosticism than it is Christianity.

The righteous shall live by faith means just that—it means we are to live with Christ as the Center and Circumference of every thought we think, every word we say, every act we perform. The righteous shall live by faith is speaking of how we live, not of what we believe. The righteous live by faith in God rather than in their worldliness, lusts, and self-willed pride.

The currently held concept is that it is not essentially important how the believer lives because he is saved by faith, he is declared righteous because of his faith. The Christian ministry is contrasting faith and righteous behavior.

Can you imagine the Lord Jesus contrasting faith and righteous behavior? It is no wonder the light of the Church is flickering and going out. Christ is removing our lampstand. He is removing it because He knows our works, and our works are not righteous.

A faith that does not produce righteous behavior is worthless to God and worthless to man.

We hear believers stating today that if we have enough faith we can get what we want in the world. If these ignorant, self-centered believers will read the Scriptures they will discover the blessing of God comes on the righteous, not on those who seek to manipulate their surroundings by "faith." It is righteous behavior that is the emphasis of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. When we walk righteously, we inherit the blessings of the Lord. It is as simple and direct as that.

The current emphasis on magical faith is leading Christian people away from faith in Jesus and into spiritual pride and presumption. It is of Satan, not of God. Magical faith is an attempt to get the blessing of God by a means other than patient, cross-carrying obedience to the Lord Jesus.

It is fashionable for the believers in the so-called "faith message" to consider every thing or event that makes them unhappy as being of the devil. They continually are giving glory to Satan rather than to God.

Our problems actually are coming from the Lord, although He uses Satan to chasten us. When we learn our lessons we will have no more occasion to worry about Satan. God will meet our needs and take care of the demons if we will walk with Him and serve the Lord Jesus Christ in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God.

If we will spend our days seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, God will deliver us from every devil. When our ways please the Lord He will make our enemies to be at peace with us.

There is a place in the Kingdom of God for casting out devils. The casting out of devils is the first sign to follow the believers. But God wants the emphasis to be on resisting the devil rather than rebuking the devil. We resist the devil by drawing near to God and overcoming temptation through the wisdom and power He gives us. If we will do more resisting of the devil there will not be nearly as much need to cast out the devil.

To be continued.