Roman 5:1, 5:5
The bible made us to understand that THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH in four different part of the scriptures, from the old testament down to the new. Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38. All these four scriptures tell us the same thing: The Just Shall Live By faith.
One thing that we must understand is that faith is much more than a biblical concept. FAITH is a lifestyle. It is not a worldly lifestyle, it is a kingdom lifestyle. In the Kingdom wherein we belong, faith is a way of life. In the World, some believe culture is a way of life. As Christians (Just – as God referred to us), we believe to live. In the world, people see to believe. But in the kingdom, you believe to see. Faith is the substance and the evidence of the unseen (Hebrews 11:1)
There is nothing that we have attained, or would attain that is not by faith. Take for instance; our justification is by faith (Romans 5:1). Our salvation is by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). How we would ever walk to please God in this present ungodly and immoral world is by faith as well (Colossians 2:6-7). Faith is so important that God made us to know in Hebrews 11:6 that “without faith, it will be impossible to please Him.” That simply tells you that pleasing God is by faith. In other words, your tithe may not please God, your offering (in financial terms), may not please Him. Being religious may not please Him as well. But something does please God, and that is FAITH.
Romans 14:23 says whatsoever that is not being done by faith is a sin. This is where your motive must be right when dealing with God. When the motive behind your actions isn’t in consonance with faith, the action is as good as a sin. I didn’t say that, the bible said it. Let us look at the children of Israel for example. Israel failed to attain righteousness because they didn’t have faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 9:32). A larger percentage of the Jews today didn’t believe that Christ is the Messiah that God promised them He would send.
Many of them prefer to stick with the Law of Moses and protect it. They didn’t believe that Christ is the end of the Law when it comes to the issue of being right with God (Righteousness of Faith) (Romans 10:4). They never believe that having faith in man called Jesus can make them right with God forever. And so, because they didn’t believe in Him, they rejected him and eventually got him killed. Till tomorrow, some Jews who didn’t believe are still hoping that God would send a messiah, not knowing that the messiah had come and that they have killed Him.
This is the point I am trying to make here. Israel wants to preserve the Law of Moses handed down to them, which is a good motive. Their actions were right – they don’t want the law to be forgotten! But their motive was wrong and so, they got Jesus crucified on the tree. Many of them up till today prefer to preserve and uphold the Law of Moses rather than accept the true messiah.
Faith is essential and important for a victorious walk with God. Verse 3 of Romans 5 also says something fundamental. The Apostle Paul said “we glory in tribulation”, why? Because there is a shock absorber to see us through the tribulation, which is faith. Tribulation becomes uninteresting when it is not being endured with faith.
The apostles were able to endure all that they endured because they have faith in who they believed – Jesus. In 1 John 1:1, Apostle John said it would be impossible to deny these things because “we have seen it handled and believed it. And therefore, we bear witness of it.” They knew each tribulation experience brings them closer to the final prize. No wonder Apostle Paul was able to say boldly that “for him to live is Christ, and for him to die is gain.”
The mindset you should have as a believer is that each tribulation experience is aimed at producing something worthwhile in your life – perseverance, character and hope. These three things will bring you closer to your testimony if you don’t fail when you are being tested. Tribulation is a test, or a trial. And after every successful test is promotion – if you don’t fail. Have faith in God to see you through it, and in the end, you would be glad that you didn’t buckle in. God bless you.
