Page 183 - Pleasant Words from the Gospe

The Joy and Rapture of Faith

According to the Gospel

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty
conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
(Hebrews, 10:22)

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees
got together. One of them... tested him [Jesus] with this ques-
tion: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law
[among God's commandments]?" Jesus replied: "'Love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and

with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest command-
ment." (Matthew, 22:34-38)

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to
you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts,
you double-minded. (James, 4:7-8)

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because any-
one who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that
He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. By faith Noah,

when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an

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