The principle of faith is the moving cause of all action. A man must
have faith to believe that God will answer his prayers before he will
offer them. It requires faith to accomplish any given work to which we
set our hands.
Noah had faith in the promise God made to him, while the world of
mankind perished through their lack of faith. Faith caused Noah to act,
while the unbelieving people of his day, who had not faith, derided and
refused to accept his testimony, and the result was that Noah and his
household were saved, while destruction overtook the unbelievers.
Lot believed the word of the Lord and fled out of Sodom while the
people stood still and perished.
The same results follow the acceptance or rejection of the principle in
all ages of the world.
{287} "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God" (_Rom. x._, 17). "But without faith it is impossible to please
Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He
is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (_Heb. xi._, 6).
"For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto then.: but the
word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with _faith_ in
them that heard it" (_Heb. iv._, 2).