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. (text and Habakkuk 2:4; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38): — When the Spirit frequently repeats Himself, He thereby appeals for special attention. A doctrine so often declared — 1. Must be of the first importance. 2. Should be constantly preached. 3. Should be unhesitatingly received by the hearer. We will treat the four texts — I. AS ONE: 1. Life is received by the faith which makes a man just. A man begins to live — (1) By a full acquittal from condemnation and penal death so soon as he believes in Christ. (2) As one raised from out of spiritual death so soon as he has faith in Christ o form of works, or profession, or knowledge, or natural feelings, can prove him to be an absolved and quickened man; but faith does this. 2. Life is sustained by the faith which keeps a man just. (1) He who is forgiven and quickened lives ever after as he began to live, viz., by faith. Neither his feelings, devotions, nor acquirements ever become his trust; he still looks out of himself to Jesus. He is nothing except so far as he is a believer. (2) He lives by faith as to all the forms of life. (a) As a child and as a servant. (b) As a pilgrim proceeding and a warrior contending. (c) As a pensioner enjoying, and as an heir expecting. (3) He lives by faith in every condition. (a) In joy and sorrow. (b) In wealth and poverty. (c) In strength and weakness. (d) In labouring and languishing. (e) In life and death. (4) He lives best when faith is at its best, even though in other respects he may be sorely put to it. He lives the life of Christ most blessedly when most intensely he believes in Christ. 3. Hearty belief in God, His Son, His promises, His grace, is the soul's life, neither can anything take its place. "Believe and live" is a standing precept both for saint and sinner (1 Corinthians 13:13). II. SEPARATELY. 1. Habakkuk exhibits faith as enabling a man to live on in peace and humility, while as yet the promise has not come to its maturity. While waiting, we live by faith and not by sight. We are thus — (1) Able to bear up under the temporary triumphs of the wicked (Habakkuk 1). (2) Preserved from proud impatience at delay. (3) Filled with delight in confident expectation of good things to come. 2. Paul in the text exhibits faith as working salvation from the evil which is in the world through lust. The chapter presents an awful view of human nature, and implies that only faith in the gospel can bring us life in the form of — (1) Mental enlightenment of life as to the true God (vers. 19-23). (2) Moral purity of life (vers. 24, etc.). (3) Spiritual life and communion with that which is Divine and holy. Naturally men are corrupt. The law reveals our death (Romans 3:10-20); but the gospel imparts spiritual life to those who receive it by faith. 3. Galatians exhibits faith as bringing us that justification which saves us from the sentence of death. Nothing can be plainer than the declaration that no man is justified before God except by faith. 4. Hebrews exhibits faith as the life of final perseverance. (1) There is need of faith while waiting for heaven (vers. 32-36). (2) The absence of such faith would cause us to draw back (ver. 38). (3) That drawing back would be a fatal sign. (4) From that drawing back we are saved by faith.Conclusion: 1. What can you do who have no faith? In what other way can you be accepted with God? 2. On what ground can you excuse your unbelief? 3. Will you perish sooner than believe? (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. |
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