THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH
THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.
The verse Habakkuk 2:4: The just shall live by faith, is of great significant to the Church. The just shall live by faith. 'The just?’ you say. ‘There’s the problem. I’m not just.’ That’s the whole premise of the Book of Romans. Who is just? Who is righteous? Is it the one who’s keeping rules and regulations —
beating his body, laying outside when it’s freezing, fasting, confessing, praying, studying? Is that who ‘the just’ is? Paul answers that question.
'As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is
none that seeketh after God. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without
the deeds of the law.' Romans 3:10-11, 27-28 Paul says, ‘No one does good. None really seeks after God. People might try and impress you with their piety, they might flaunt their spirituality — but it’s not real. In ourselves, apart from Jesus living in us, there is none that doeth good. We’re all corrupt. We’re all polluted.’ Then how can a man be made just? We are justified by faith.
The word, ‘justified’ is a judicial term meaning, 'just as if I never sinned’. When the judge hits the gavel and says, ‘This man is guilty, but we’ll put him on probation,’ — that is not justification.
When the judge hits the gavel and says, ‘This man is guilty, but I forgive him anyway,’ — that is not justification. When the judge hits the gavel and says, ‘This man has never sinned. The charges are untrue. The accusation is unacceptable — that’s justification.
You see, in Christ Jesus we are more than just forgiven — we’re justified. It’s not that God simply says, ‘I forgive you and I’ll put you on probation.’ He says, ‘I pronounce those of you who live by faith to be justified — as if you never sinned at all.’
If you say, ‘Thank you, Lord. I know
I’m not good. My rules, regulations, and piety don’t make it. But I see Jesus on the Cross at Calvary, paying the price for my sins — every sin I’ve ever committed, am committing, or ever will commit — and I allow His blood to cleanse me,’ you are justified in God’s sight. Why? Because a
wonderful thing happens to those who simply by faith believe that Jesus is the propitiation, the satisfaction, the Lamb slain: The red blood of Jesus Christ strikes the blackness of our sin and makes it white as snow. How can that be? Well, how can a brown cow eat green grass and produce white milk? I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:6-9
The just shall live by faith.
The verse Habakkuk 2:4: The just shall live by faith, is of great significant to the Church. The just shall live by faith. 'The just?’ you say. ‘There’s the problem. I’m not just.’ That’s the whole premise of the Book of Romans. Who is just? Who is righteous? Is it the one who’s keeping rules and regulations —
beating his body, laying outside when it’s freezing, fasting, confessing, praying, studying? Is that who ‘the just’ is? Paul answers that question.
'As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is
none that seeketh after God. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without
the deeds of the law.' Romans 3:10-11, 27-28 Paul says, ‘No one does good. None really seeks after God. People might try and impress you with their piety, they might flaunt their spirituality — but it’s not real. In ourselves, apart from Jesus living in us, there is none that doeth good. We’re all corrupt. We’re all polluted.’ Then how can a man be made just? We are justified by faith.
The word, ‘justified’ is a judicial term meaning, 'just as if I never sinned’. When the judge hits the gavel and says, ‘This man is guilty, but we’ll put him on probation,’ — that is not justification.
When the judge hits the gavel and says, ‘This man is guilty, but I forgive him anyway,’ — that is not justification. When the judge hits the gavel and says, ‘This man has never sinned. The charges are untrue. The accusation is unacceptable — that’s justification.
You see, in Christ Jesus we are more than just forgiven — we’re justified. It’s not that God simply says, ‘I forgive you and I’ll put you on probation.’ He says, ‘I pronounce those of you who live by faith to be justified — as if you never sinned at all.’
If you say, ‘Thank you, Lord. I know
I’m not good. My rules, regulations, and piety don’t make it. But I see Jesus on the Cross at Calvary, paying the price for my sins — every sin I’ve ever committed, am committing, or ever will commit — and I allow His blood to cleanse me,’ you are justified in God’s sight. Why? Because a
wonderful thing happens to those who simply by faith believe that Jesus is the propitiation, the satisfaction, the Lamb slain: The red blood of Jesus Christ strikes the blackness of our sin and makes it white as snow. How can that be? Well, how can a brown cow eat green grass and produce white milk? I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:6-9
The just shall live by faith.
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