In our present day culture successful living is obtained by the achievement of results, the attainment of rewards and the acquisition of resources. “He who has the most toys, wins” is the slogan of many. The temptations of this culture are displayed without restrictions or restraint. Through all aspects of our communication media, all age groups are bombarded with the propaganda of pleasure, prosperity, and prestige. The attack upon our senses is not content with limiting its invasion into our homes, our workplaces, and our places of recreation. This attack has invaded our religious institutions and, more importantly, our Christian churches. The various formulas for living the successful life can be summarize by the concept of “self”, specifically: “self-realization, self-satisfaction, and self-effort”.

With the wide spread growth of a metaphysical, heretical movement whose basic theology is a clever mix of orthodox Christianity and mysticism; a movement whose foundational doctrine is the so-called “force of faith” has gained a place of prominence in today’s culture. This unbiblical view of faith, promotes the belief that they can use words to manipulate the faith-force, and thereby create what they claim are Scripture promises, (i. e. health, wealth, etc.). They claim that the laws governing the faith-force operate independently of God’s sovereign will and are at the disposal of the followers of this movement. Through the manipulation of the “force of faith” through “positive confession”, one has the ultimate formula for living the successful life.

Not so for the Christian. Found mentioned first in the brief book of the Prophet Habakkuk and second in three separate letters in the New Testament is the Biblical formula for living the successful Christian life. This formula is, “The Just Shall Live By Faith” and nestled in the 2 Corinthians 5:7 is the phrase: “For We Walk By Faith, Not By Sight”. These verses collectively express the principle: the successful Christian life is a life of faith. It is: (1) a life received by faith (Romans 1:16-17: “For 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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”); (2) a life sustained by faith, (Galatians 3:11: “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”) and; (3) a life lived by faith, (Hebrews 10:38: “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man drawback, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”).

Rather than attempting to review the entire text of “By Faith”, I will concentrate on the Concept of Faith and briefly cover the three New Testament verses dealing with “The Just shall live By Faith”.

THE CONCEPT OF FAITH

God has created man to be a being of faith. Every human being lives by faith. Without faith, there would be nothing but anxiety, isolation and intense distrust. Instead of living by faith man would be living in fear. Everything we do is a result of belief, trust and acting upon our faith. You see, faith, first of all, believes that something or someone is able to perform as advertised. Second, faith trusts that that something or someone will perform as advertised. Finally, faith is belief and trust in action.

Effective Faith is Dependent upon the Object of Faith…

The notion that the strength of one’s faith is more important than the object of one’s faith is absolutely wrong. This is clearly illustrated in the encounter between Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:22-38.

The prophets of Baal, throughout their portion of the trial, exhibited great faith in an impotent object. That object being the false god Baal. Elijah, while making the task more difficult, demonstrated his faith in the One who was able and did in fact complete the task requested of Him.

Biblical Faith Is an Inner Conviction Based upon God and His Word (Rom 10:17: “Faith cometh by hearing; and hearing by the Word of God.”).

In Romans 4:17-21, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul, presents the object of effective biblical faith. This is that same faith through which is received the righteousness provided by God. In Romans 4:17 the object of effective faith is identified as “God”: “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God…” Paul continues on to give unparalleled qualifications of God the Object of Effective Faith as the One “…who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” In the common ordinary language of today, this verse is telling us that effective faith has as its object, “God”, Who brings life out of death and Who makes something out of nothing. Through verses 18-21 Paul presents (1) confident faith in verse 18, “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be”; as (2) perceptive faith in verse 19, “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:”; and as (3) steadfast faith in verses 20 and 21, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” In brief, confident faith is “hope based on God’s Word”, perceptive faith is “the ability to look beyond one’s immediate circumstances and to focus on God’s promise” and steadfast faith is “the ability to give God the glory before the promise is realized. In summary then, the object of Biblical Faith, of Saving Faith is God; Who is brings life out of death, Who makes something out of nothing, and Who performs all that He promises”.

 THE THREE NEW TESTAMENT VERSES ON THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

Romans 1:16-17 – The Christian Life Is A Life Received By Faith (“For 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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”). To be just is that act of God by which He declares the believing sinner righteous through faith in the redeeming work of Christ on Calvary.

Galatians 3:11 – The Christian Life Is A Life Sustained By Faith (“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”). The Christian life is not sustained by self-effort, trust in treasures, nor pride of prestige. The Apostle Paul attested to the sustaining power of faith as he states in 2 Tim 1:12 “…for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”.

Hebrews 10:38 – The Christian Life Is A Life Lived By Faith (“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”). One who has sincerely and truly received Christ as Savior and Lord will not sincerely and willingly take up the practice of sin as a lifestyle. The true believer is subject to the conviction of the Holy Spirit who dwells within him and the chastening hand of God that corrects him.

BY FAITH Is Available On All Online Bookstores And May Be Ordered From Your Local Bookstore.