There’s one little phrase in the Old Testament that gets a lot of press in the rest of the Bible: “The righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). As the Lord talked with Habakkuk about God’s coming destruction on arrogant unbelievers—especially the Babylonians—he included that little encouragement to true believers in God: “But the righteous will live by his faith.”
The apostle Paul picked up on that phrase as proof that we’re saved by grace through faith in Jesus. “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (Romans 1:17). That little phrase has brought peace and joy to millions of broken hearts: “The righteous will live by faith.” We’re saved by faith in Jesus!
That’s especially true this Holy Week. By faith, we’re about to celebrate events we never saw, with outcomes like forgiveness and salvation we can’t see, so that we can one day live forever in a place we’ve never seen, all while right now we’re fighting a hidden virus we can’t see, as God and his invisible angels protect us… Notice a common thread? There’s so much we can’t see!
So, “the righteous will live by faith.” May God give us faith that Jesus’ body and blood are given to us for our forgiveness in the Lord’s Supper. May God give us faith that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross took away the sins of the world—including ours! May God give us faith that the tomb was empty on Easter morning, just as our tombs will be when Jesus raises us from the dead. We live by faith. That one little phrase is the key to a Christian’s comfort and joy. “The righteous will live by faith!”
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