Sermon #1136 The Just Shall Live by Faith

Sermon #1136 The Just Shall Live by Faith What do you know about the book of Habakkuk? What scriptures from Habakkuk can you quote? The prophet Habakkuk lived about six centuries before Christ and was a contemporary of Nahum and Zephaniah. Although both the prophet Habakkuk and the book of Habakkuk are relatively unknown, we intend to bring them out of obscurity this morning with one of the most significant quotes of the Old Testament. Habakkuk 2:4 reads, "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith. That last phrase, the just shall live by faith is quoted in three different New Testament books. The apostle Paul uses it to make his case in Romans1:17, For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith. " Then, the phrase plays a role in Paul s argument in Galatians 3:11, But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for the just shall live by faith. " Finally, we see this golden nugget in Hebrews 10:38, Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." No wonder the Hebrew writer uses this great passage to set up one of the New Testament s most memorable chapters. Jewish Christians faced pressure from their Jewish peers to drift back into Judaism with the Mosaic Law, the Levitical priesthood and its animal sacrifices. Their weakened resolve compelled the Holy Spirit to inspire the book of Hebrews. By using the words of their prophet, Paul found familiar territory to establish that if they REALLY WERE the people of God, then they would follow the example of the great heroes of the Jewish faith. When we talk about someone being just, we mean someone deemed righteous. The Greek word here is translated just thirty-three times and righteous forty-one times. This helps when we read Paul s summary of the gospel in the book of Romans. First of all, as Paul puts it in Romans 3:10, There is none righteous, no, not one This leads naturally to the question, How does a just or righteous God justify or render righteous ungodly people? Paul anticipates the question in Romans 4:5, But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness The Spirit informs us in Romans 3:26, that [God] might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Or, put another way, that God might be righteous and make him righteous who believes in Jesus. Paul adds in Romans 5:19, For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Don t misunderstand: those justified or made righteous must change their lives. The apostle says in 1 John 3:7, 10, Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. We notice a series of illustrations of how, The Just Shall Live by Faith, after our song Hebrews 11 serves as an abbreviated survey of Old Testament Bible history. More importantly, no chapter in the Bible is more saturated with the topic of faith. Hebrews 11:1-3, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. When the writer says faith is 1

The Just Shall Live by Faith by Brett Hickey, sermon #1136 2 of 5 the substance of things hoped for, he is not crossing his fingers; he is not agonizing in uncertainty. The word hope refers to a confident expectation. So, faith is the substance (the reality) of things that a Christian may confidently expect to enjoy. Faith makes them real, though invisible. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Faith is the objective indication of the reality of things unseen. Of course, faith is not absolute proof because once something is seen it can no longer involve faith, but gives us sufficient confirmation based on the collective, harmonious testimony of reputable men. As Paul puts it in Romans 10:17, So, then faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God. Faith comes from hearing the word of God. We see the prominence of faith in Hebrews 11:6, But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. You CANNOT please God without faith. It is impossible. Don t miss this! Faith means believing that God is, that God exists, but true faith means more. Faith demands we believe that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. Folks, there are only two places to go; we are either rewarded or punished. So, true faith demands believing that God will NOT reward everyone, but instead those who diligently seek Him. Listen, no one is getting into heaven by accident; the reward is only extended to those who have purposefully sought to please Him. This faith saves! Back to Hebrews 10:38 the just shall live by faith. From what we ve learned that is the same as the righteous shall live by faith. Simply accepting the reality of God s existence is not enough. Mental acknowledgement of the risen Christ does not qualify as living by faith. By faith the just shall LIVE; by faith the righteous shall live. Faith is not only an idea; faith is a lifestyle. Being saved by faith means being saved by what s on the inside because of what it produces on the outside. Watch how God shows us what faith looks like! Repeatedly in chapter 11, Paul follows a simple formula: by faith + the name of a righteous man or woman + how the righteous lived or how they responded to God. In Hebrews 11:4, the writer shows how faith impacts worship: By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. Without faith one cannot worship God acceptably. A flawed faith generates false worship. Abel gave God what He asked for a bloody animal sacrifice--while Cain substituted a bloodless agricultural offering. Jesus confirms that faith leads to proper worship in John 4:24, God is Spirit, and those who worship Him MUST worship in spirit and truth." Don t think God will render you righteous if you, like Cain, substitute your own worship for New Testament worship. Hebrews 11:5, By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him ; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Enoch pleased God with daily godly living. Those who live by faith do so not only on the Lord s Day, but seven days a week. Those who live by faith act with reverential fear on behalf of their families spiritual welfare. Hebrews 11:7, By faith Noah (the just), (shall live) moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the 2

The Just Shall Live by Faith by Brett Hickey, sermon #1136 3 of 5 righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Noah (watch the action words!), moved and prepared. When you ignore the warnings given by God against worldliness, you do not demonstrate the kind of faith Noah had. When you demonstrate indifference to your children s spiritual welfare by haphazard church attendance, irregular Bible reading and infrequent Bible discussions, does that demonstrate faith we re reading about? Of course not! I like the directness of Hebrews 11:8-10 on HOW the just live by faith: By faith Abraham OBEYED when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. God doesn t talk to us today as He did to Abraham, but, if he did, and told you to move to Brazil, Nigeria or Russia, how would you react? God ordinarily asks much less of you and me; how do we react? Do you have faith? Abraham did; he obeyed. By faith the just obey! By faith we can do for God with His help what we could not otherwise do. Jesus taught in Matthew 17:20, if you have faith as a mustard seed nothing will be impossible for you. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. In the same spirit, Hebrews 11:11 reads, By faith Sarah bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude--innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. Senior women, imagine being told at age ninety that you would be having a child. How would you react? Sarah carried the child to term and gave birth to a healthy child whose posterity fill the earth. Through her one child the Jewish nation, Jesus, and Esau s descendants, came. The just shall live by faith. On to Hebrews 11:17-19, By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, In Isaac your seed shall be called, concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith, the just - the righteous - like Abraham, put God first, even ahead of family. By faith we know that obeying God will always be in our family s best interest no matter how difficult, no matter how troubling it may appear. Watch the action words that follow the just living by faith to the very end even on their deathbed in Hebrews 11:20-22, By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. Those who live by faith keep the works of God before their mind until the end; they finish strong. Let s move on to Hebrews 11:23, By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command. The righteous, like Moses parents, Amram and Jochebed, fear God over government. We can be thankful we do not have to make the choice Moses parents had to make. Some people in some places still do. From 1979 to 2015 China enforced a law limiting one child per couple. In some cities, residents who give birth to a second child, shall paid a social child-raising fee between 3-6 times their last year's income. Wealthy parents pay fines in the tens of thousands in US 3

The Just Shall Live by Faith by Brett Hickey, sermon #1136 4 of 5 dollars. After a second child, 107 million Chinese women underwent mandatory sterilization. i During this period of extreme social engineering, the lives of 336 million babies were aborted most of which were forced. ii iii Much of the brutality executed on women seven to eight months pregnant is too graphic to share. iv Would you walk in faith like Amram and Jochebed if it came to this? Mark it down! The just shall live by faith. Moses teaches us about the faith that sacrifices in Hebrews 11:24-27, By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. Genuine faith does this. It empowers us to choose loyalty over royalty; the people of God over the people of the world; the reproach of Christ over the riches of this world. By faith the just shall overcome the difficulties, challenges and persecutions that come against them. Do you think you have insurmountable obstacles? Do you think you suffer much for your faith? Compare your life to the list in Hebrews 11:32-39, And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. All of what we have read is even more impressive because none of them had what we have yet they remained faithful. Hebrews 11:40, And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. None of them had Jesus; none of them enjoyed the blessings of the new covenant; none of them were in the body of Christ. And yet, we read in Hebrews 11:13-16, These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having SEEN them AFAR OFF were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Inspiring words! They walked by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). They could see with the eyes of faith what they could not see with their fleshly orbs. The Holy Spirit confronts believers today with the same challenge issued to Jewish believers in Hebrews 10:35-39, Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 4

The Just Shall Live by Faith by Brett Hickey, sermon #1136 5 of 5 For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. The just shall live by faith! No doubt about that. The only question is: are you truly living by faith? Don t you believe the story of Jesus? Won t you act on the truths of God s word? Galatians 3:26-27, For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Stay with us for a closing word, after our song Thank you for watching Let the Bible Speak. For a free transcript, CD, or DVD of this message, 1136, The Just Shall Live by Faith, text your address to 870 736 0774, call Toll Free 800-380- 5827, or order through our new website ltbs.info. You may request at no cost our new six lesson introductory OR intermediate Bible study. Watch videos, hear audio, or read transcripts of new messages at ltbs.info and over 400 additional messages at LetTheBibleSpeak.com. Do us a favor and visit, like, and share the Let the Bible Speak Facebook page. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to view the weekly message at your convenience. We say with the apostle Paul in Romans 16:16, the churches of Christ salute you. Until next week, goodbye and God bless. Are you searching for the truth of God's word and have a sincere desire to learn about the Bible? Do you want to know what the Bible says about salvation and about Christ and His church? If you are looking for Bible Founded discussion on these topics and many others, then please accept this invitation to explore "Let the Bible Speak" and then contact us for additional studies. We are members of the church of Christ as found in the New Testament. We are not members of a denomination or earthly religious organization. We are a brotherhood of believers, joined by a common bond, Jesus Christ. We try to live and worship following the patterns found in the New Testament. (For manuscripts of other sermons visit: www.letthebiblespeak.com) COPYRIGHT Let The Bible Speak. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Express permission is granted to distribute any video, audio, or transcript of any broadcast message as long as the material is: unedited and attribution is given to Let The Bible Speak; a hyperlink to LetTheBibleSpeak.com is included for electronic distribution; a text reference is included to www.letthebiblespeak.com for printed distribution; and the original author receives attribution. An irrevocable, world-wide, royalty free license for distribution is granted as long as such distribution has the intent of: supporting the truth as presented; giving glory and honor to God; and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. i http://www.china.org.cn/english/government/224913.htm ii http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9933468/336-million-abortions-under-chinas-onechild-policy.html iii http://www.allgirlsallowed.org/forced-abortion-statistics iv https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/horrors-of-one-child-policy-leave-deep-scars-inchinese-society/2015/10/30/6bd28e0c-7e7b-11e5-bfb6-65300a5ff562_story.html?utm_term=.9abfadf3822e 5