A deeper understanding of The Just Shall Live By Faith

Quote from unknown Source:
The Just Shall Live by Faith Bible Study
The faith of the head is the faith that is dead; The faith of the heart is better in part;
But the faith of the hand is the faith that will stand, For the faith that will do must include the first two.

 This will only happen upon the revelation of Jesus Christ giving us this understanding by the Holy Spirit)...John 14:26 KJV  King James Bible 

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you

To understand in a deeper way how incapable we are to "do" things of God without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, I invite the reader to Brother Cal's work titled "The deceitful lie of free will teaching":

https://www.thethirdheaventraveler.com/2020/05/the-deceitful-lie-of-free-will-teaching.html



.


 The passage of scripture verse, "The Just Shall Live by Faith" is written 4 times  within 4 different contexts throughout the Bible first
appearing in Habakkuk 2:4, followed by Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and in Hebrews 10:38.
Note: Significant meaning of 4 in the Bible. Special emphasis on creation and the ministry of Jesus Christ in 4 Gospels.
Repetition in the Bible is used for EMPHASIS. An Intense purpose to show something important. It is a very rare for a passage to be repeated as many times. This should demand the attention of the serious student of the Bible.
Continuing, these verses are structured as 4 architectural pillars. A pillar is an architectural load bearing, support structure, placed at certain distances by two and two. Two and two is Four.
A pillar literally is designed as a compression point to transfer vertical force from the superstructure to the foundation and into the ground. See meaning and purpose of a column or pillar.
Pillar definition:

column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. The term column applies especially to a large round support.

Examples of the significance of the word pillar in the Bible is a passage of scripture found in 1 Timothy 3:15: “... in the house of God which is  the ekklesia (body of Christ) of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

The basic building structure of a house has a foundation, 4 pillars and a superstructure.  Note that the other passage used 4 times in the Bible is the structure of the family beginning in Genesis 2:24 “For a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.” Also found in Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:7, and Ephesians 5:31.

Beginning from the first appearance of THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH   is Habakkuk 2:4.
Rabbi Simlai (c. 250 AD) summarized
the issue well; Moses received 613 precepts in Torah, David reduced them to eleven (Ps. 15),
Isaiah to six (33:15-16), Micah to three (6:8), and Habakkuk to just one: יחיה באמונתו וצדיק) .:2:4)
The context of each time this verse appears  within scriptures is most revealing.

Let's begin with Habakkuk 2:4. :
“ Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”
Since Habakkuk is under the dispensation of the Law, the context used here is a warning that only those who are compliant as being faithful to God will be saved from the pending destruction of the Chaldeans. For a study of Dispensationalism please refer to the following  link:




The Next Pillar to support TRUTH is Romans 1:17 which is under the dispensation of the age of Grace also known as the church age.  
Romans 1:17 KJV  For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Here we see a very important change in context of the passage. It is now God's gift of faith he literally gives by grace to man and  not works of man’s faithfulness that makes man justified before God. From Faith to Faith shows God's faith given to man's faith. Note: FAITH is the key element. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH AND NOT BY WORKS.

A detailed exegesis by William A. Ross on the use of Habakkuk 2:4 by Paul in Romans 1:17 can be summed up as follows: “The essential difference, then, may be shown as follows:
Habakkuk “The righteous one will live
by his faithfulness”
Paul “The one righteous will live”
by faith…”
https://williamaross.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/welmers-exegesis-paper-rom-1-17.pdf


Then is the second pillar supporting TRUTH in the age of grace is found next in Galatians 3:11.  The significance of the second use of this verse in the age of grace is a confirmation that obtaining right standing before God cannot be found through the human work of Faithfulness in law keeping but only through God's gift of faith alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This Faith is given by the Holy Spirit when we come to Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Galatians 3:11 KJV
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.


Finally we see in Hebrews 10:38 a shift in contextual language of faith.
Hebrews is primarily  addressed to the Jews and is under the law, not the church.  We can see works employed and not grace.

Hebrews 10:38 KJV
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
In Hebrews we are clearly shown a shift in dispensation from the church age also known as the age of grace.

 The imperative is clear: The Righteous will live by faith- BUT (here comes to works part, the  condition that must be kept by man -  and God will not be pleased if this condition is not met.  

This means the believer has to accomplish acts of faith by works and not by a freely given gift of faith from God.

Nonetheless,  we still see the capital command is FAITH being the key.


Conclusion:  
We are shown in God's word that the only way to live is to be righteous before God, and this can only be obtained by the free God given gift of Faith for the body of Christ in this blessed age of Grace.  For those including the old Testament Saints, Tribulation Saints and Millennial kingdom believers, Faith was and will be obtained by the work of Faithfulness.
How truly blessed we are in this age of Grace. How fortunate. Truly our finite human minds cannot fully appreciate or grasp this.
Praise God!
Maranatha!


Further Study and Notes on Righteousness-
For therein is the righteousness G1343 of God revealed from faithG4102 to faith G4102: as it is written, The justG1342 shall live G2198 by G1537 faithG4102.
G1343
Original: δικαιοσύνη
Transliteration: dikaiosunē
Phonetic: dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay
Thayer Definition:
in a broad sense: state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God
the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God
integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting
in a narrower sense, justice or the virtue which gives each his due
G1342
Original: δίκαιος
Transliteration: dikaios
Phonetic: dik'-ah-yos
Thayer Definition:
righteous, observing divine laws
in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God
of those who seem to themselves to be righteous, who pride themselves to be righteous, who pride themselves in their virtues, whether real or imagined
innocent, faultless, guiltless
used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God, and who therefore needs no rectification in the heart or life
only Christ truly
approved of or acceptable of God
in a narrower sense, rendering to each his due and that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others, whether expressed in words or shown by the manner of dealing with them
Origin: from G1349
TDNT entry: 05:02,2
Part(s) of speech: Adjective
Strong's Definition: From G1349; equitable (in character or act); by implication innocent, holy(absolutely or relatively): - just, meet, right (-eous).
G4102
Original: πίστις
Transliteration: pistis
Phonetic: pis'-tis
Thayer Definition:
conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it
relating to God
the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ
relating to Christ
a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God
the religious beliefs of Christians
belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same
fidelity, faithfulness
the character of one who can be relied on
Origin: from G3982
TDNT entry: 08:54,8
Part(s) of speech: Noun Feminine
Strong's Definition: From G3982; persuasion, that is, credence ; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truthitself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.
G2198
Original: ζάω
Transliteration: zaō
Phonetic: dzah'-o
Thayer Definition:
to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead)
to enjoy real life
to have true life and worthy of the name
active, blessed, endless in the kingdom of God
to live, i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living and acting
of mortals or character
living water, having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul
metaphorically to be in full vigour
to be fresh, strong, efficient
as adjective active, powerful, efficacious
Origin: a primary verb
TDNT entry: 15:52,3
Part(s) of speech: Verb
Strong's Definition: A primary verb; to live (literally or figuratively): - life (-time), (a-) live (-ly), quick.
G1537
Original: ἐκ ἐξ
Transliteration: ek ex
Phonetic: ek
Thayer Definition:
out of, from, by, away from
Origin: a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause
TDNT entry: literal or figurative
Part(s) of speech: Preposition
Strong's Definition: A primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence motion or action proceeds), from, out (of place, time or cause; literally or figuratively; direct or remote): - after, among, X are, at betwixt (-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for (-th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in,. .. ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with (-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of completion.

Comments

Featured Blogs

Who are you Amir Tsarfati? - My Brother in Christ or A Ravenous Wolf in 'Sheep's Clothing

CHRISLAM CONFIRMED: Led By Pope Francis, Leaders Of The World’s Religions

Rebuking Dr. Eugene Kim BBC INTERNATIONAL