Live by Faith!?

Martin Luther, a Catholic priest who lived 500 years ago, took issue with his church and their teachings on salvation and made his thoughts public on October 31.  He was one who feared God (the thunderstorm), greatly desired to please God and was diligent to follow the teachings of the church as to how to do it, yet had no peace.

He was much like the Apostle Paul who also feared God, desired to please God and worked diligently to do so.  Paul said this of his life prior to saving faith:  “…concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:5-6) – yet not saved!

Such was Martin Luther, pouring over Scripture as a priest and for personal peace came across this phrase: “The just shall live by faith.”  Hab. 2:4, Rom 1:17, Gal. 3:11 and Heb. 10:38.

The prophet Habakkuk was in a fuss with God over God’s ways when he received this from God:  I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.  Then the Lord answered me and said: “Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith, (Hebrews 2:1, 4).

What?  What was this teaching?  What did “live by faith” mean?

Paul after realizing his works fail and only genuine faith saves: But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish (Philippians 3:7-8).  AND, We are the circumcision (those truly saved) who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3).  Have no confidence in the flesh!

And if saved – as Paul: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”  (Romans 1:16-17)

And as E. E. Hewitt declared in the hymn My Faith Has Found a Resting Place:

My faith has found a resting place, Not in device nor creed;
I trust the ever-living One, His wounds for me shall plead.

I need no other argument, I need no other plea;
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves, This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him, He’ll never cast me out.

Note: No trust in self works or words to save, but only a trust in the work of Jesus on the cross.

And Paul about salvation by faith alone:  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life, Titus 3:4-7.  Two points: Salvation is 1.) not by personal doings, but 2.) by God’s doing!

And the story of Lydia of Philippi who was desiring, diligent and devoted but not saved until God moved in her heart: Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized (Acts 16:12-15).  She was devoted, but not saved by works – only by the work of God in Jesus and in her heart!

“The just live by faith!” was the truth Luther learned and embraced and with that came peace, hope, joy and love.  Today, “the just shall live by faith.”  You???