For
in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by
faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by
faith.”
— Romans 1:17
Faith is a word the apostle Paul used
often in his writing. When writing to the Thessalonians, he wanted to know
about their faith.
While the word faith means belief or
absolute trust, it’s more than that—the word also implies loyalty and
commitment.
Faith means being convinced that something is true.
In 1 Corinthians 15:17, the apostle told the Corinthians that if Jesus
did not rise from the dead, their faith was meaningless. He was saying that all
they believed was utterly useless. True faith acknowledges that the message of
Jesus’ death and resurrection is true.
True faith begins when we’re receptive—when we’re
willing to listen. It starts with a kind of mental assent—it seems reasonable that
it’s true. But that’s not true faith. True faith happens when we say, “Not only
does it make sense to me, but I’m willing to stake my life on it.”
Paul quoted from Habakkuk 2:4,
saying that the just—the righteous—shall live by faith. One way to think of the
just is to think of those who were “justified,” or made right, by the death of
Jesus Christ on the cross.
If we are justified, it means that God treats us as
though we are not and have never been sinners. He treats us as His own—His
beloved children. Instead of being God’s enemies, we’re His friends. Instead of
fighting Him, we serve Him.
When God calls us just, or righteous, we enter into
a relationship of love, confidence, and friendship. We need not fear or worry
because there is no punishment for us.
When Paul says the just and upright shall live by
faith, he means that those of us who have been made right with God live by our
faith. That is, we live by our trust in the God who reaches out to us.
This is where many must fight the wiles of Satan.
Instead of focusing on all God has done for us, they listen to the devil
whisper, “Do you remember when you lost your temper?” “You’re worried about
paying your bills, and if you worry, you don’t have faith, right?” “If you’re
supposed to be a Christian, how could you have said what you did?”
The torments are there, and Satan never passes up
the opportunity to remind us of past failures. All have failed, and we will
continue to fail, but when we do, we can repent and move on.
I went through a particularly difficult time
several years ago when there was absolutely no joy or peace in my life.
Unhappiness filled most of my days. I repeatedly asked the Lord what was wrong
with me, really wanting to know what my problem was. I was working so hard to
please the Lord and trying to be the kind of Christian I thought I should be,
but I certainly didn’t feel like any progress was being made.
Then one day, I came across Romans 15:13 (AMPC) in a box of scripture cards: May
the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through
the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may
abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. That was it! I got
it!
I had plunged into doubt and unbelief, allowing the
enemy to torment me with his evil lies. As a result, I had become negative,
grouchy, short-tempered, and impatient. I was making myself miserable, and
Satan was thrilled at the stronghold he had over me!
This scripture changed all of that old thinking! I
knew the answer. Jesus loved me so much that He not only forgave all my sins of
the past, but He also looked ahead and forgave me for those moments of weakness
when I’d fail in the future. I’m not referring to deliberate sin, but to human
weaknesses, those times when I just don’t live up to all the truth I know.
“Just think,” I told my husband, “two thousand
years ago Jesus not only died on the cross for all my sins before I even knew
Him, but for all of my sins and failures until the day I meet Him face to
face.” That was such a powerful thought to me.
Then I pondered the words of Paul in Romans 1:17. I finally understood the concept of
living from faith to faith. I don’t have to allow Satan to sneak in with
questions or unbelief. I can live every moment moving from faith to more faith
to more faith.
Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus Christ, I am
in awe of Your love for me, which is so great and so powerful that You not only
died for all my sins before I was born, but You’ve provided for all my weak
moments in the future. I am so thankful to You for Your love, and I rejoice in Your
holy name. Amen.
