Articles
Living By Faith
Four times in the Scriptures we are told, “The just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38). The very beginning of our life in Christ is based on faith. Biblical faith is defined by Thayer as a belief of the facts, a confident trust that God will do what He has promised, conjoined with obedience to whatever, if any, terms and conditions God has revealed. It is true that no one has seen God, but we believe that He exists because of the physical evidence revealed in nature and the truths revealed about Him in Scripture (Hebrews11:6). None of us walked with Jesus as He taught in Israel nor did we see the miracles He did; but we believe Jesus to be the Son of God because of the things that are written (John 20:30-31).
Concerning our faith in Christ Paul writes, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (5:1-2). Romans 10:17 states, “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”
Our conviction, that when we obey the Lord in baptism we have the forgiveness of our sins, is the result of our faith and trust in God to keep His promises (Col. 2:11-13). We cannot see feel or taste the blood of Christ as it cleanses us from our past sins, except by the faith that we have in Christ as God’s Son and in God who loves us and is faithful and true. It is from this humble beginning that our life of faith grows.This same faith and trust in God must lead us as we strive for heaven. The life of one walking by faith is a very distinct life. Faith enables us to join with Paul in 2 Timothy 1:12b to say, “…For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” Faith enables us to face the temptations of life and overcome them. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4). It is by taking the “shield of faith” that we are able to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph. 6:16).
A Christian’s life of faith is different in that we do not ever have to wonder what we should do or how we should live our lives to be pleasing to God. These facts are settled once and for all and by our faith in God, for God’s Word is our only source of instruction. When we develop this mindset we will acknowledge Jesus as the ruler of our life and like Peter say, “…Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
Have you obeyed the Lord’s words pertaining to eternal life?
