Old Doxoblogy

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

The Just Shall Live By Faith

This phrase is used four times in Scripture. Habbakuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38.
Habbakuk, of course, coined the phrase, so to speak. More accurately, these are the words he used to convey what the Spirit was saying through him. A close look at the context of Habbakuk shows us the backdrop of the phrase. Judah is in a state of rebellion against God. Habakkuk cries out asking God why He lets this continue. God answers Habakkuk's prayer by telling him that Judah's sin will not go unpunished. He is raising up the Babylonians, who will come into Judah and carry them away captive.
But for Habakkuk this raises more questions. Surely God would not allow a nation more wicked than Judah to be the executers of His judgment on them. God responds to this prayer of Habakkuk by saying that the Babylonians are coming to execute judgment on Judah, but that they in turn will also be judged by another nation that God will raise up. As for Judah, they are to hear the proclamation of judgment, repent, and if they will not repent, then to wait for that judgment.
And then we come to the verse that we started with.
"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."
These words are spoken in a context of warning and assurance. Warning, because when Judah thought that they were strong, they were found to be weak. Assurance, because when those who trusted God for their strength were found to be strong. Not by their own merits, but by faith in God who is their Strength and Sustenance.
May these be words of warning to us, that we may by faith cast out all prideful thoughts of human abilities and trust in God who makes us just and alive. For it is by faith that the just will live.

8 comments:

John R. said...

Thank God for the blessing of faith.

"It is the only thing you can do without doing anything."

Seems I heard that once recently.

JRush

Joe said...

Habakkuk, the watchman praying for revival and for the glory of God to come down and fill the earth, as, indeed, it did and will do in Jesus!

Rose~ said...

Jeremy,
Good, succinct post. It is a challenge to always remain humble even though we have the confidence that comes along with our relationship with God ... It is an encouragement to be reminded that we don't have to live in our own strength, but we can fall into our Father's arms and cast our every care on Him. Thanks.

Jeremy Weaver said...

John,
It's the anti-work, too!
:-)

Rose~ said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

It seems that all you calvinists think God does it all, without partnering with mankind. Doesn't that make us all robots?

Juan the Concerned.

Shawn said...

anon,

Looking at the scriptures and what they say Jeremy doesn't have anything different than scripture says. What does this have to do with calvinism? I can't see what you are referring to.

The question we should be asking, Do we have boasting in your own works or is our boasting only in the cross of Christ alone?

Of course God works through the means of grace in our lives to make us holy and more mature and like Him, but it doesn't start from a work of us. It never does it's all from him

Look at the book of colossians, it's a great book about Christ and how you are becoming more holy.

It starts with the glory of Christ in Chapter 1, then talks about the sufficiency of Christ in chapter 2, then it says THEREFORE meaning because we are delighting and enjoying Christ alone and that we are HIDDEN WITH CHRIST in GOD. Then because of this we mortify the deeds of the flesh and put on the works of the spirit.

It's Christ alone who is our hope and the author and perfector of our faith. Not something great in us, but starts from seeing and delighting in Christ and rising and following Him.

Jeremy Weaver said...

Juan,
Who are you and have you read the rest of my blog? Take a look at my post titled, 'Four Views of Monergism and Synergism.'