The Just Shall Live by Faith

Romans 1:14I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.15So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Habakkuk 2:4Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Galatians 3:11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Hebrews 10:38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Faith: Hebrews 11:1” Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
So faith is that firm belief in what we know is but that we have not yet seen. We know that Jesus is and that He is coming back but we have not seen Him with our eyes. We have experienced him, felt him, and we can testify to His power. We believe and that is faith.
Justification: Romans 3:20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Romans 4:24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Justification is to be made right, just, or reasonable. We can only be made right by the blood of Jesus Christ. Isaiah says that our “righteousnesses “ are as “filthy rags” meaning that whatever I do that is good, just, right, or favorable is still not good enough when viewed in the light of God’s glory. To be just is to be made right by the blood of Christ.
We need to understand just and faith to be able to understand that verse. I know these are simplistic definitions but they are accurate. If we have been born again through the blood of Jesus and we have faith in him as our savior then we are the just and we must live by our faith in Jesus Christ. We do not live by our faith in finances, credit cards, paychecks, jobs, talent, ability (men tend to live by faith in what they can do.) We do not live by faith in other people, or houses, or governments, or religion and churches. We live, we must live; we are commanded to live by faith in Jesus.
That is obviously easier said than done. We live in a society that teaches reliance on self, reliance on the government. We put faith in the tangible; our money and houses, and relationships. Where does that leave us when all that is gone? What happens then? The suicide rate in our nation has sky rocketed as the bottom has fallen out of everything we have believed in. Many people find themselves with nothing that has ever given them security. What about us? What about me? What about you?
You might be able to build for yourself a wall of security made up of finances, family, friends, and numerous other things and even if you hold it all together your entire life where does that leave you when you stand in judgment before God?
The just shall live by faith! That means that in these insane times we live in we are impacted by what goes on around us just like everyone else but we are not controlled by it. We trust God to provide just like He promised He would. That doesn’t mean we won’t face tough times, be hungry, be persecuted, etc. but it means we walk with a faith in our Lord Jesus Christ in all aspects of our lives and even if people think we’re nuts we still walk by faith and in so doing let our light shine before men. Walking by faith is not easy. It is a challenge but if we will strengthen our personal walk with God and build our selves up through prayer, serving, reading the Bible etc. we will have a faith that will stand in the good times and the bad. Jesus loves you, He died for you, and He is with you every single day.