American minister & theologian (1804-1859)
No doctrines will be unimportant, though some will lie closer to our bosom than others. But doctrine--doctrine--doctrine--is that which faith desires. It is lamentable that the Christianity of our day desires it not.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
Faith
Religion is a living process. When the Spirit takes hold of a man to transform him into a child of grace, working faith in him, and opening his eyes to see the boundless riches of grace, the work goes on continually. There is growth of knowledge, faith, and hope. The more the spiritual process advances, the more does religion become distinguished from all its outward forms, and attain likeness to the infinite benevolence of God.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
Faith
Religion is not the tame and sleepy thing which some suppose. This misapprehension is derived partly from erroneous views of doctrine, but yet more from the examples of actual Christianity among us, which fall so far short of the biblical standard.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
Faith
There are regions beyond the most nebulous outskirts of matter; but no regions beyond the Divine goodness. We may conceive of tracts where there are no worlds, but not of any where there us no God of mercy.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
attributed, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers
Virtue consists in doing our duty in the several relations we sustain in respect to ourselves, to our fellow men, and to God, as known from reason, conscience, and revelation.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
attributed, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers
While the object of faith, or truth to be believed, remains constant or invariable, faith itself has degrees. It may be weak or strong, and the weak as well as the strong may be saving. It is the object, not the receptive instrument, which saves. If it had been anywhere said that he who believes enough shall be saved, we might be forever doubtful whether the standard had been reached. But the promise is, "He that believeth shall be saved." A feeble hand may as effectually endorse a check for a hundred thousand pounds as the hand of a giant. The entire charge of an electro-magnetic system of batteries may be drawn out by the touch of an infant.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
Faith
A soul--a soul--an immortal soul! Think of its capacity, its duration, its value! Think of the hell it must endure, if impenitent; of the heaven it shall possess, if pardoned. Think of the price laid down by the incarnate Son of God.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
The Revival and Its Lessons
If faith, about which we are now speaking, were so inscrutable, undistinguishable, and complex a product of our activity as many suppose, we might have expected numerous and most guarded definitions of it in the Scriptures. As faith is the instrument of salvation, we might expect that so doubtful an act of the soul would be set forth by numerous distinctive tests. If the faith of true experience is so utterly diverse from all the believings of mankind about all other things, we might confidently look for certain marks of difference. On the contrary, often as believing, belief, and faith are mentioned in the Scriptures, they are always introduced as if with a presumption that the words are to be taken in their ordinary sense. This gives us much reason to conclude that evangelical faith is a simpler thing, and more familiar to us every day, than the theologians sometimes teach. The fear of such theologians is, lest faith shall be made so easy, and so little diverse from common natural acts of man, that careless and unconverted sinners will flatter themselves that they have faith when they have none. They therefore interpose numberless cautions, to prevent mistake as to faith. They sedulously distinguish various kinds of faith. They refer faith to various so-called faculties or powers of the soul; the nomenclature of which faculties varies with every system. They dissect the act of faith into several parts, nicely following one another, and of which no one must be wanting, or the faith is spurious. And they succeed in hopelessly confounding some, and landing others on the unscriptural conclusion that faith is something different from believing, or accepting truth as true.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
Faith
In proportion to our faith will be our desire for the increase of knowledge.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
Faith
No man can be any greater or any stronger, in Christianity, than his faith.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
Faith
Truth is the fulcrum of the lever, faith. Particular truths are so many polished stones, which faith builds into the wall of the spiritual temple.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
Faith
If faith ever rises to manly vigour, it must be by enlarging the mind's acquaintance with the whole extent of saving truth. Believers who would be strong and healthy, must not be detained upon the milk of babes, but must aspire to strong meat, and go on unto perfection. For faith to be strong and conquering, we must have variety of food. The entire truths of religion must enter into the regimen.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
Faith
The life-boat may have a tasteful bend and beautiful decoration, but these are not the qualities for which I prize it; it was my salvation from the howling sea! So the interest which a regenerate soul takes in the Bible, is founded on a personal application to the heart of the saving truth which it contains.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
attributed, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers
To be the instrument of converting a single soul, is so great a blessing and honor, that if there were no other way to accomplish it, any true Christian would be willing to lay down his life.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
The Revival and Its Lessons
Repent TODAY, because refusal to do so is inconsistent with a desire to repent. Unconverted persons never more decieve themselves than when they plead that they have a sincere wish to return to God. If you credit their assertions, there is nothing which they so strongly desire as to have experience of true religion. But such a desire, if genuine, would instantly break up all these habits of indolent lingering. He who desires to be healed, flies to the physician. He who means to escape shipwreck, loses not a moment in lashing himself to some buoyant material. He who craves deliverance from conflagration, instantly rushes from amidst the flaming timbers. And he who longs to be saved, puts aside every other interest and engagement as unimportant, and devotes all the energies of his soul to this single point, that he may escape from the wrath to come.
JAMES WADDEL ALEXANDER
The Revival and Its Lessons