“These all died in faith.” — Hebrews 11:13

Behold the epitaph of all those blessed saints who fell asleep before the coming of our Lord! It matters nothing how else they died, whether of old age, or by violent means; this one point, in which they all agree, is the most worthy of record, “they all died in faith.” In faith they lived — it was their comfort, their guide, their motive and their support; and in the same spiritual grace they died, ending their life-song in the sweet strain in which they had so long continued. They did not die resting in the flesh or upon their own attainments; they made no advance from their first way of acceptance with God, but held to the…

way of faith to the end. Faith is asprecious to die by as to live by.

Dying in faith has distinct reference to the past. They believed thepromises which had gone before, and were assured that their sins wereblotted out through the mercy of God. Dying in faith has to do with thepresent. These saints were confident of their acceptance with God, theyenjoyed the beams of His love, and rested in His faithfulness. Dying infaith looks into the future. They fell asleep, affirming that the Messiahwould surely come, and that when He would in the last days appear uponthe earth, they would rise from their graves to behold Him. To them thepains of death were but the birth-pangs of a better state. Take courage, mysoul, as thou readest this epitaph. Thy course, through grace, is one offaith, and sight seldom cheers thee; this has also been the pathway of thebrightest and the best. Faith was the orbit in which these stars of the firstmagnitude moved all the time of their shining here; and happy art thou thatit is thine. Look anew to-night to Jesus, the author and finisher of thyfaith, and thank Him for giving thee like precious faith with souls now inglory.

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Producer: Todd Adkins
Voice Artist: Ian Cullen