Pursuing Faith - The Just Shall Live By Faith

    “…the just shall live by faith.”

    This statement is made four times in the Bible: Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38. It is a statement about how those pursuing righteousness would live – by faith.

    The Old Covenant, the Law of Moses, was exclusively for the Jews and had to be kept perfectly; if they transgressed one part of it they were guilty of all (James 2:10, Galatians 2:10) and would need to make daily sacrifices for atonement. The statement, “the just shall live by faith” spoke/speaks of the New Covenant, established at Jesus’ death (Hebrews 8:7-13; 10:9), a covenant allowing both Jew AND Gentile (Romans 10:11-12, Galatians 3:26-28) who believe that Jesus is the Son of God to have life in His name (John 20:30-31, 1 John 5:13). That is why Habakkuk was told to prophesy of this, that one day the just would live by faith – that time began in the 1^st century and continues today.

    Paul the apostle, a man of Jewish descent, declared that following the Old Law would not justify a man in God’s eyes, but rather a man who had faith and believed in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1-2, Galatians 2:16). He begged his Hebrew brethren who had become Christians to not return to following the Old Law, but to continue in their faith of Jesus and the gospel message (Hebrews 10:36-39).

    The righteous live by faith because without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)!

    Faith comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). In God’s word we learn that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, that He died for us, and that God has given us instructions that we must obey (John 14:15; 23-24, 1 John 3:23). God’s grace allows we who believe and obey to be saved, to have our sins forgiven, to live righteously before Him, and have hope of eternal life with Him (Ephesians 2:1-10, 1 Peter 1:3-9)! And EVERYONE in the world has this opportunity! EVERYONE can come to God through faith in Jesus!    

    Jesus came to save us, all of us – that’s how much he loves us! – He desires that you will have faith in Him, in who He is, and that you, through that faith will be obedient to God, living just as He lived, in full obedience (Hebrews 5:8-9, 1 Peter 2:18-25)! Believe Him! Believe in Him! Let go of any of your own notions and fully trust and obey God!

    Flee youthful lusts and pursue faith!                                    

    Let us have a heart that speaks as Paul spoke in Galatians 2:20:

“I have been crucified with Christ; 
it is no longer I who live
but Christ lives in me; 
and the life that I now live 
I live by faith in the Son of God, 
who loved me and gave Himself for me.”  
(NKJV)

You can do it! So can I!!