We should be very careful of harboring a protracted view of righteousness by faith, for there are many who stop at the point of belief, without going on to the other important phases. Believing that Christ is our righteousness, and that His sacrifice on Calvary is sufficient for our salvation is important. But those facts must be translated into everyday experiences of life, permeating our decision-making processes, and affecting everything we do, how we think, and how we draw our conclusions, both in the temporal, and spiritual aspects of life.
In other words, righteousness by faith is more a way of life, rather than a mere belief. It’s a perspective which focuses squarely on the merits of Christ, His attributes, His obedience, His righteousness, word, power, and His abilities, to the point where we lose sight of our accomplishments, and credit everything to God alone. This perspective effectively hides the human agent behind the shadow of the cross, so that only Christ is seen and heard.
It seems as if the disciples had experienced difficulty in understanding this principle, which prompted the questions, and responses, as Jesus conversed with them. The apostle Paul, also repeatedly addressed the same issue, for it is central to the application of the gospel, in real time, and in literal ways, and it affects every aspect of a Christian’s life, to the point where it becomes much more than an intellectual assent, but more like the motif by which we live. Let’s read:
John 14: 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father,
and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
For this reason, we are going to focus more on the practical aspects of righteousness by faith, since, for the most part, the theoretical aspect is accepted by most of Christendom. Thus, it is in order that we do a brief synopsis of the concept, so that the ways in which it is applied can be made more, plain. After Adam sinned, God instituted the plan of salvation, which involved a sacrifice, by which reconciliation to God would be made possible. In addition to the sacrifice, A Substitute Head for the human family was ordained of God, in Christ, who would pick up the broken pieces of our existence, where the first Adam left off.
Christ’s perfect righteousness, His obedience, and His innocence would then be given as a free gift to all who would receive Him as Lord, and Savior. The plan was laid before the foundations of the earth, even in eternity past, before Adam was created, and thus, there was, and is no human input, either to augment, or to improve on the plan of salvation. We may accept it through our freedom of choice, or we may reject it, but it always was, and still remains an entirely free gift. Let’s read:
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
12 Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were
made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20 But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
Justification is by faith, and sanctification is also by faith. From the beginning of our Christian journey, to the very end, whatsoever we may do, think, and say, should all come under the umbrella of faith, for righteousness by faith produces literal results, the bulk of which are both manifested, and experienced in the temporal realm. This understanding is what is largely absent from contemporary Christianity, for many Christians view righteousness by faith merely as a theoretical belief, and not as a way of life.
Thus, the practical applications, such as obedience, and trusting in God fully, remain on the backburner, and that is one of the main reasons why the power of God seems to be largely absent in the lives of so many. After dealing with the meaning of faith in the book of Hebrews, Paul immediately delves into the many ways, and experiences which come as a direct result of believing and understanding, the doctrine of righteousness by faith. Let’s read:
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mocking and scourging, yea, of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Therefore, after expounding extensively on the very literal applications of righteousness by faith, Paul then summarizes it all by declaring that whatsoever we do, must of necessity stem from faith, or else it is sin. Let’s read:
Romans 14:23 For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Question: How then, does righteousness by faith translate into the temporal issues, decisions, and actions of life? There are three basic answers:
[1] By believing in God:
Believing in God is the beginning point, for nothing take can place without first believing. Last week, a particular Payless shoe store was scheduled to close permanently, and as a result they had a sale with 70 to 80% off. I just happened to be passing by, when a small voice said go take a look.
When I went in, I saw shoes that previously sold for $50.00, going for 8 or 10 dollars, so I immediately started to buy those items I’d always needed. After I was done, I went home and related the good news to my wife, and the rest is history, for she too went in the following day, and got a few items that still remained.
The savings she got began with believing, for if she did not believe, nothing was going to happen. The same thing goes for experiencing righteousness by faith, for the first step is believing, which opens up the gateways of unlimited possibilities, countless blessings, and eternal life, in and through Christ. It is important to note that this first step is not optional, but mandatory, and essential, for anyone to access the Righteousness that comes through Christ alone. Let’s read:
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe.
Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;
18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
But believing, in and of itself is not sufficient, if we do not allow the work of God’s Holy Spirit to take place in our hearts. This is where so many Christians in our day are stumbling, for millions claim to be of faith, but the corresponding work God desires to do in us is not allowed. In fact, the book of Revelation, which specifies what is the “Everlasting gospel” for our generation, focuses our attention squarely on works, to offset the imbalance that has thus been created by the doctrine of “Only believe”.
We look in vain, throughout the entire content of the three angel’s messages, to see if those words “Faith” or believe occur even once; but for some reason, they are conspicuously absent. In fact, the word “Faith” occurs only after, in verse 12, where it is directly coupled to works, the work of keeping the commandments of God. Let’s read:
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The reason why the words “Faith” and “Believe” are nowhere to be found in the three angel’s messages, is because righteousness by faith never leads one to trample on God’s law, as is the case with so many contemporary “Believers” of our day. Therefore, the messages are tailor-made to specifically address the areas in which we are deficient.
In the pharmaceutical world, Xarelto is used to treat blood clots, but is not recommended for diabetes. Similarly, the “Everlasting gospel” was given to treat the specific deficiency of lawlessness, masquerading under the umbrella of righteousness by faith. Thus, even though nominal Christianity is currently dead focused on faith in Jesus, The Lord is declaring to us unequivocally, that disobedience is never a by-product of righteousness by Faith. Never!
On the contrary, a nominal profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, without allowing Him to do the corresponding work, amounts to righteousness by presumption, the counterfeit of faith, which satan has introduced to the Christian world, and which currently stalks the land unrebuked, to a very great extent. In other words, there are very few pastors, televangelists, and Bible workers who are teaching, or preaching “The everlasting gospel” for our generation.
Thus, if a contemporary, believing Christian, who has already accepted the righteousness of Christ by faith, was to ask the all-important question, “What lack I yet”, the preferred response will be “Keep the Sabbath day holy”, together with all the other nine commandments, for this constitutes the essence of the messages to be given in our day. Which leads us to our second instruction on how righteousness by faith applies across the board.
[2] Live in obedience to whatsoever God says. The power of The Holy ghost is given to believers with the specific intention of enabling us to obey, not to trample on God’s precepts as some teach. In other words, The Holy Spirit empowers Christians to feed the poor, to help the homeless, and to tell others of God’s saving grace, but primarily, to obey God’s commandments, not to be saved, but because we are saved.
This sacred truth is as a light shining in a dark place, for very many sincere persons have been deceived by smooth-talking, money-laundering false “Profits” Let’s read:
Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus.
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins.
32 And so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
[3] Consult His revealed will in His word, in every matter, before making any move. It’s important for us to pray in every matter, so that God may guide us with wisdom and discretion. But God will never fault a person for sincerely obeying His word, even if he/she may not have had a full understanding of the truth in question. For instance, some of the early believers had no clue as to who The Holy Ghost was, and the important work He was to do in their hearts. Furthermore, some were not aware of Jesus Christ being their Savior.
Yet, in their ignorance, they were baptized, thus signifying that they followed truth as best they knew how. However, when greater light came, the same believers were baptized again. This instruction is very important for the many millions of sincere Sunday-keeping Christians, who sincerely love the Lord, but who may have been fed false doctrines inadvertently.
When the light of the validity of the 7th day Sabbath dawns on one’s conscience, in many instances, it will be appropriate for him, or her to be rebaptized, thus publicly demonstrating his/her faith in one of the central truths in the Bible, which pertains to our worship of God in His capacity as Creator. Let’s read:
Acts 19:1 And, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the
sea, and the fountains of waters.
In closing, it’s important for us to remember that the overwhelming majority of God’s true people are to be found in Sunday churches, and as such, we should be always ready and willing to lend a helping hand in the understanding of present truth. Thus, we close with a gentle reminder for all. Let’s read:
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, that faith without works is dead?
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word.
God bless!