From Faith to Faith
... The just shall live by faith ...
, by Emmanuel Higgins
Last week we were able to piece together part of God's glorious plan to save you and I from our sins and to fill our hearts with His wonderful goodness and righteousness!
Now, let's just briefly take a look at God's word and see just how we can make this truth a reality in our life. It's okay to talk about it, and marvel at the wisdom, power and love of God, but we need to be able to directly relate to and apply, what we learn.
What is our part in the great plan of salvation?
Again, let's read these powerful words from Romans:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. - Romans 1:16-17
Who could be ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Words cannot describe the gratefulness we ought to feel towards Jesus who has done all that can possibly be done to save us and who will reveal His righteousness in the life of all who believe!
We've already seen that the power of God unto salvation is "to every one that believes". So therefore the conditions to receiving the goodness and righteousness of God into our hearts is what??? Yes, to believe in God.
But what does it mean to believe in God?
As we seek to discover these answers, let's focus our attention on the last couple phrases of the verse we just read. Keep in mind that when this verse says "faith" it also means "to believe".
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith"
Where and how is the righteousness of God revealed? Remember we read last week from second Corinthians chapter four that the glorious light of God, His goodness and righteousness is given to every person who believes in Him. This righteousness does nothing other than empower us to live a life full of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, meekness, temperance, gentleness etc...
Now what does the Bible mean when it says the righteousness of God is revealed from "faith to faith"? Let's read another Bible passage for the answer:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
What two parts do you notice in this verse? Once we confess our sins, what two things does our faithful and just saviour do?
1. He forgives our sins
2. He cleanses us from all unrighteousness
You see, God's great purpose is to restore us back to a perfect and beautiful state of righteousness, just as God had first created us. But something must first be dealt with. That 'something' is the awful presence of unrighteousness or sin in our life. Before we can ever enjoy the bliss of heaven, we must ask and allow God to do two things in our life. That is:
1. To forgive us for our past sins, which means to no longer hold us as guilty. The only way this is possible is through what Jesus has done! Jesus died, paying the penalty of sin, and now through faith in Him we are forgiven and the righteousness of Christ imputed to us (or charged to our life account). This is essential because we know that no guilty man or woman can ever enter the pure city of God.
2. To cleanse us from all our unrighteousness, this work of cleansing is a day by day, moment by moment experience. As we continue to have faith in Jesus and believe the promises of His word, He reveals more and more unrighteous things in our life, things that we may never have been aware of before. As we see our great need we again confess and forsake the thing that has been revealed to us. Our faith is then strengthened, Christ imparts more of His righteousness and goodness to us and we continue to press forward ever growing closer and closer to our loving saviour.
This is what it means to grow from "faith to faith"! Our faith is daily increased and strengthened as we remain surrendered to Christ and we literally go from one height of faith to the next!
In fact, this daily experience of faith is the only way we can live a righteous life. Because the last part of the verse in Romans 1:17 says:
"The just shall live by faith"
"The just" simply means "the righteous". The righteous shall live by faith!
What wonderful love Jesus has for us! He lovingly desires that we come to Him to receive power and His righteousness. He promises to give us everything we need to live a righteous life, and to finally spend eternity with Him!
Next week we will look more closely at Faith. What is it? How do we exercise it?
"Says the prophet, "The just shall live by faith," and this truth, woven into the religious experience of every Christian, should be that by which the righteous shall live. True faith grows to a greater faith, increasing in strength." - Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, August 5, 1889
9 Comment(s)
Bill Cook 2 years ago - January 11, 2023 at 3:32 am
The Lord has been talking a lot to me about faith to faith. This study has helped me to understand just what it means. Come Lord Jesus! Thank you.
Gwendolyn Johnson 5 years ago - February 3, 2020 at 5:15 am
I goggled what does it mean to live by faith? That's when this blessing appeared. I had known and forgotten some of the scriptures pertaining to topic..So it brought back to memory. And Now I want to further understand greater since GOD told me last year HE WILL TEACH ME TO LIVE BY FAITH..Been thru much and I remained in Faith. Now He's teaching Living by Faith..Trying to understand more clearly ..SERK YE FIRST KINGDOM OF GOD..AND HIS RIGHTEOUS...which is Peace, Joy in the HOLY SPIRIT..got that..Buuuttt..how to seek His RIGHTEOUS...when it has been given by Jesus Once I accepted Vhrit....HELP ME ON THIS JOURNEY OF UNDERSTANDING THIS. ESSENTIAL AND IMPERATIVE I INCREASE IN THIS KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WORD..HEADED TOWARD HIS DESTINY FOR ME..MY CALLING AND ABUNDANT LIFE JESUS CAME THAT I MAY HAVE...
wllie B Woodberry 5 years ago - November 30, 2019 at 9:46 pm
to rally know what I can do to live by fath
Dipica Singh 6 years ago - May 21, 2019 at 5:54 am
Thanks:)
Desalegn Dawit 6 years ago - October 5, 2018 at 5:19 pm
Faith..... to move mountain, Peace..... above the storm,Hope....beyond this world, Truth ......without a doubt. What a wonderful words! I liked Stay blessed. These pleased my soul in Jesus!!
Diedra 7 years ago - November 8, 2017 at 1:48 am
I love that I found this verse and how much it meant to me. My son whom lives by God's word, had suggested I go to this sight, "Faith to Faith". I love it and I feel what I just read surged something within my soul. Awakening?
YOLANDA FRANKLIN 10 years ago - July 29, 2014 at 7:56 pm
YES,VERY BLESSED IT IS 4:56 AM AND THIS IS WHAT I NEED TO START MY DAY,THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU
Bill Stuart 12 years ago - June 11, 2013 at 10:01 pm
How does all of this mesh together with Gal. 2:20? Especially where Paul refers to "living by the faith of (not in) Jesus".
Many seem to stand by the belief that it was God's faith that saved us and day to day we are enabled with.
dottie 12 years ago - March 3, 2013 at 11:55 am
answered my question