Living By Faith; the Only Way to Live

“The just shall live by faith.” Habakkuk 2:4

As Martin Luther struggled with understanding how he could relate with God, he read this Old Testament verse which Paul quoted in Romans 1:17. Suddenly the answer to Luther’s long questioning became apparent—the just shall live by faith. Three times in the the New Testament we find this short verse repeated and I came across something very fascinating concerning the emphasis in each one. In Romans 1:17 the word “faith” is the focus. In Galatians 3:11 “just” gets the attention. Then in Hebrews 10:38 we find “live” as the word to note. A pretty big discussion could come out of looking at all three of these verses in the New Testament, but as we are now studying Hebrews 10:19-39, I am looking forward to investigating further just what living by faith looks like in our everyday lives. Do we really trust God concerning everything in our lives? Do we obey all that we understand in what He has told us to do? Are our lives full of His abundant life?

I’ll see you in Thursday morning to talk all about living by faith. Please join us for this great time of encouragement.

Now the just shall live by faith: We need to follow in the footsteps of the just who will live by faith, and endure to see the promise fulfilled.

i. Every word in Hab 2:4 is important, and the Lord quotes it three times in the New Testament just to bring out the fullness of the meaning!

ii. In Rom 1:17, when Paul quotes this same passage from Hab 2:4, the emphasis is on faith: “The just shall live by faith.”

iii. In Gal 3:11, when Paul quotes this passage from Hab 2:4, the emphasis is on just: “The just shall live by faith.”

iv. Here in Heb 10:38, when the writer to the Hebrews quotes this same passage from Hab 2:4, the emphasis is on live: “The just shall live by faith.”

A Clear Conscience--Part 2

“And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God….For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:11-12, 14

What a perfect week to spend time studying and meditating on the significance of Christ’s death on the cross. My heart is very full this morning as I have been considering how this event in history changed my life, actually gave me a flourishing life, from the time I was about twelve years old. Christ took the punishment I deserved when He suffered and died on the cross. As I believed and embraced this amazing truth my soul was set free to love, worship and serve Him—exactly the purpose we all were created for but are unable to accomplish apart from His complete forgiveness. Won’t you take some time to soak your thoughts with this astounding sacrifice made by the God of the Universe for you?

This Thursday morning as we gather to encourage one another concerning God’s wonderful goodness to us we will be digging into Hebrews 9:11-10:18 (questions on page 196 in our study guide).

Don’t forget our worshipful Good Friday service this week at 6:30 pm.

A Clear Conscience--Part 1

“And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.” Hebrews 8:11

Alexandar MacLaren profoundly commented on this somewhat difficult verse in the following three paragraphs.

“‘They shall know Me.’ Perhaps I can best explain what I take it to mean by commencing with an analogy or two which may help us to apprehend what is the significance of these words. We all know the difference between hearsay and sight. We may have read books of travel, and tell of some scene of great natural beauty or historic interest, and may think that we understand all about it, but it is always an epoch when our own eyes look for the first time at the snowy summit of an Alp, or for the first time at the Parthenon on its rocky height. We all know the difference between hearsay and experience. We read books of the poets that portray love and sorrow, and the other emotions that make up our throbbing, changeful life; but we need to go through the mill ourselves before we understand what the grip of the iron teeth of the harrow of affliction is, and we need to have had our own hearts dilated By a true and blessed affection, before we know the sweetness of love. Men may tell us about it, but we have to feel it ourselves before we know.

To come still closer to the force of my text, we all know the difference between hearing about a man and making his acquaintance. We may have been told much about him, and be familiar with his character, as we think, but, when we come face to face with him, and actually for ourselves experience the magnetism of his presence, or fall under the direct influence of his character, then we know that our former acquaintance with him, by means of hearsay, was but superficial and shadowy. ‘I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eyes see thee.’ Can you say that? If so, you understand my text - ‘They shall no more teach every man... his brother, saying, Know the Lord, and make acquaintance with Him’ as if He were a stranger - for ‘all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.’ There is all the difference between knowing about God and knowing God; just the difference .that there is between dogma and life, between theology and religion. We may have all articles of the Christian creed clear in our understandings, and may owe our possession of them to other people’s teaching; we may even, in a sense, believe them, and yet they may be absolutely outside of our lives, and it is only when they pass into the very substance of our being, and influence the springs of our conduct - it is only then that we know God.

Now, I maintain that this acquaintance with Him is what is meant in our text. It may not include any more intellectual propositions about Him than a man had before he knew Him, but it has turned doctrines into fact, and instead of the mere hearsay and traditional religion, which is the only religion of millions, it has brought the true heart-grasp of Him, which is the only thing worth calling a knowledge of God.” A. MacLaren

Please join with our Ladies Bible Study group on Thursday morning for a great discussion of Hebrews 8:1—9:10.

If you can bring cookies for Bill MacLean’s memorial service on Saturday, please let me know.

Also, Mitzi’s surprise birthday party is this Saturday at Crossroads Church at 10:30.