6. Knowledge Does Not Insure Salvation.--James of old chided his brethren for certain empty professions (James 2:19). Said he in effect: You take pride and satisfaction in declaring your belief in God; you boast of being distinguished from the idolaters and the heathen because you accept one God; you do well to so profess, and so believe; but, remember, others do likewise; even the devils believe; and, we may add, so firmly that they tremble at thought of the fate which that belief makes sure. Those confessions of the devils, that Christ was the Son of God, were founded on knowledge; yet their knowledge of the great truth did not change their evil natures. How different was their acknowledgment of the Savior from that of Peter, who, to the Master's question "Whom say ye that I am?" replied in practically the words used by the unclean spirits before cited, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:15-16; see also Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20). Peter's faith had already shown its vital power; it had caused him to forsake much that had been dear, to follow his Lord through persecution and suffering, and to put away worldliness with all its fascinations, for the sacrificing godliness which his faith made so desirable. His knowledge of God as the Father, and of the Son as the Redeemer, was perhaps no greater than that of the unclean spirits; but while to them that knowledge was but an added cause of condemnation, to him it was a means of salvation.--Abridged from _The Articles of Faith_. FOOTNOTES: [379] Note 1, end of chapter. [380] John 8:48. [381] John 4:4; for incidents following see verses 5-43. [382] Note 2, end of chapter. [383] Gen. 33:19; and Josh. 24:32. [384] Acts 8:5; 9:31; 15:3. [385] John 4:44; compare Matt. 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24. [386] John 4:48; read verses 46-54. [387] John 2:23, 24. [388] Note 3, end of chapter. [389] Luke 4:14, 15; read verses 16-32. [390] Note 4, end of chapter. [391] Luke 4:18, 19; compare Isa. 61:1, 2. [392] Luke 4:22; compare Matt. 13:55-57; Mark 6:3; John 6:42. [393] Note 5, end of chapter. [394] Luke 4:32; compare Matt. 7:28, 29; 13:54; Mark 1:22. [395] Luke 4:33-37; and Mark 1:23-28. Note 6, end of chapter. [396] The Jews' Sabbath began at sunset Friday and ended with the setting of the sun on Saturday. [397] Luke 4:41; compare Mark 1:34; 3:11, 12; 5:1-18; Matt. 8:28-34. [398] Pages 6, 7. [399] Matt. 10:8; see verse 1; compare 4:24; Mark 1:32; 16:17, 18; Luke 9:1 [400] Matt. 8:32; Mark 1:25; Luke 4:35. [401] Mark 9:25. [402] Luke 10:17, 18; compare Rev. 12:7-9. [403] Matt. 8:29-33; Mark 5:11-14; Luke 8:32-34. [404] Matt. 8:14, 15; Mark 1:29-31; Luke 4:38, 39. CHAPTER 14. CONTINUATION OF OUR LORD'S MINISTRY IN GALILEE. A LEPER MADE CLEAN.