Through Faith for Faith

-


Scripture:

Rom. 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”

Observation:

This entire concept of living by faith was new to those who had been under the law. As far as Paul is concerned prevenient grace is at work as the righteousness of God is revealed to Jew and Gentile alike.  Therefore we see prevenient grace opening the eyes of humankind to the righteousness of God. As we respond to God’s grace in our lives through faith we see the righteousness of God and are prompted to respond. One cannot be in the presence of the righteousness of God for long without sensing a need to respond through faith and it is in this step of faith that we are brought to faith. Therefore it is only by responding to what has been revealed to us by faith that we may experience faith for salvation and in this is transformation, for the one who has now experienced the righteousness of God through faith will live the sanctified life day in and day out by faith.

Application:

There is something, by nature,  inherently evangelical in this scenario. As the people of God respond in faith to the revealed righteousness of God they are transformed by faith. Through faith - for faith. The result ought to be an ongoing revelation of Jesus Christ in the personal life of the one living in faith. As we live in faith then it is through our faith that the righteousness of God is revealed to others around us — drawing them through our faith to faith.

This makes me wonder what may be happening in a church where there are very few being drawn toward faith. It seems to me that it speaks volumes about the faith of those who are already in the church, for it is through faith that people are brought to faith.

Maybe this phrase ought to make us examine our own walk with the Lord today. Have I been walking in faith — in a faith that reveals the righteousness of God? If others were to describe God by what they see in us, what would God look like to them?

The truth is simple. We are to walk in faith, a faith that reveals God’s righteousness in all that we say and do, thus our lives become a channel of God’s prevenient grace.

Prayer:

Lord, as I walk in a foreign land today, may your lead me, in faith. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a time when we try to carry
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her
Read more

The Advantage of Sanctification

-
Scripture: Rom. 6:22 But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Observation: Two sides of life are presented here in great contrast.  One is a life of sin and enslavement to evil.  The other side of life is freedom which provides the advantage of sanctification (or holiness as some translate the word) that leads to eternal life.  The options here are a life of sin, slavery and death; or freedom, holiness and eternal life.  The advantage of holiness or sanctification is the benefit of the life of freedom.  Jesus died so that we might be made holy like him and this is something that is offered as a “fruit” or “advantage” right now.  The end is eternal life — but the living of life is that it can be lived out in holiness.  The next verse is really just an affirmation of the verse 22.  Sin will lead
Read more