HOW SHALL THE BELIEVER LIVE?
By W. G. Guy
AND THE ANSWER IS - BY FAITH!
Habakkuk 2:4 – …..but the just shall live by his faith.
What is faith? – Unquestioned belief in God (and His Word) that produces a confident knowing, assurance and trust in what He has promised and provided.
Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is basically putting your trust in God to guide, direct, help, protect, provide for what you need. Faith is a force of the unseen that brings divine results. Faith is TRUST. Trust in God, His promises, and what His Son, Jesus Christ did for mankind to restore our relationship and fellowship with Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.
Isaiah 26:3-4 – Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD forever; for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Believers in God live by their faith and trust in Him having assurance in a life that He watches over, and is also pleasing to Him. As is stated in His Word multiple times:
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.
2 Corinthians 5:7 – …for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Galatians 3:11 – But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Hebrews 10:38 – Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Living by faith produces a life that is changed from the rest of the world.
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.
Romans 12:1-2 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Thus by faith you are easily identified as a child of God; a true Christian: it should show by how you live.
Galatians 4:6-7 – And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
True believers are known by their trust and faith in the LORD. Their faith is evident by their faithfulness and obedience to Him and His Word, or how they live. Faith and trust in the LORD is greatly rewarded.
Psalms 9:10 – And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
Psalms 28:7 – The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him.
Psalms 32:10 – Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
Psalms 34:8 – O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.
Psalms 112:7 – He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
If the just, the born-again, redeemed, the righteous live by faith, how do the unjust, the unrighteous, and the sinner live? They don’t even have the life (zoe) of God/Christ in them! They have no divine hope or help to call upon. They have nothing of substance to put their trust in. They could be likened to the “walking dead” (from a recent abominable TV series). These unbelievers may put their trust in man, in government, in some religious pretext, but there is nothing in any of these things that actually cares for them. This leaves them with nothing – empty.
Psalms 118:8-9 – It is better to trust in the LORED than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes (government rulers).
There are some that may put their trust in the military, but they cannot match God’s ability to defend and fight for you against the enemy.
Psalms 20:6-8 – Some trust in chariots, and some in horses (military forces): but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen; but we are risen, and stand upright.
Faith is the awesome power of God that works in and through us.
Ephesians 3:20 – Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
If you want to be on God’s good side, trust Him; His blessings will overtake you as one of His own dear children!
Hebrews 11:6 – 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.
Trusting and believing in Him starts with accepting what God provided in His Son, Jesus, who was crucified for our sins and rose again the third day and ever lives to make intersession for us believers.
John 3:16-18 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 14:6 – Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Hebrews 7:25 – Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
That is how much He cares for you who live by faith in Him!
