OT Illustrations of the Just Living By Faith

Having seen the connection between Habakkuk and the theme of Romans "the just shall live by faith" we were challenged and have a greater understanding of the book of Romans, but our information does not end there.  On this side of the story we have the privilege to read of the saints who endured the captivity, the story of the remnants release, and the stories of their journeys home.  In other words, we get to see exactly how it all played out with the “just” lived “by faith.”  We read the stories and laments of Jeremiah, the prophet who stayed back in Israel, the stories of Ezekiel who was the prophet carried away, the four who refused to eat the meat of Nebuchadnezzar—three of which were thrown into a fiery furnace where four appeared and the other who was thrown to the lions, all without any harm.  We can read the story of Esther.  All of these stories were direct fulfillments of the prophecy put forth in Habakkuk 2:4 and can be carried into our understanding of Romans. 

The connection may not be so obvious at first, but if we keep Habakkuk in the back of our mind as we read Romans we will so more and more how it relates.  The structure of the epistle is such that justification and faith are defined in a prolonged explanation.  Indeed, this is what most of the first eleven chapters tell us.  To have in mind the real life examples given to us puts flesh to the bones of what would otherwise simply be doctrinal statements.  They are the life behind the definitions.  They are the stories that help us connect the dots and make direct applications to our personal lives.

It goes beyond this though too.  When we look at the end of Romans 8 we can scarcely make the connection between Paul’s words and those of Habakkuk 3.  Romans 8:33-39 (NASB)

33Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?36 Just as s it is written,“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
         WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

37But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  May we each have the faith of these Old Testament saints.

The video version of this is available at www.youtube.com/users/churchoflittleton   FW # 66

Are you a Saint?

Romans 1:5 – 7 Through him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ: to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this first chapter of Romans, we have met the apostle Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ. He has reminded us of the prophecy that Jesus Christ would be born of the seed of David and declared to be the son of God through His resurrection.  Continuing on Paul reminded us that through Jesus Christ we received grace. Grace is favor. God chose to bless us even though we don't deserve it and could do nothing to deserve it.

God was gracious in making Paul an apostle through whom so many would come to obedience in faith.  Paul makes clear to the Romans that they were called of Jesus Christ to salvation through the preaching of God's word (Rom. 10:9-13) and by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. 

Individuals who respond to the call of God to salvation are called saints. Some believe that a saint is an individual who never does wrong and achieves some great status before God. In reality a saint is one who has been put in a position of sainthood by God. A saint is one who has been declared righteous, that is justified. To clarify, a saint is not one that is deemed a saint by the church. A saint is a person that is deemed a saint through salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ. Paul was addressed all the believers at Rome who had trusted Jesus Christ and Him alone for salvation. The same is true today.  Every individual who has trusted in the blood of Christ to cleanse their sins for salvation is a saint.

Paul finished his introductory paragraph in verse seven when he offered this blessing, “grace and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ." His desire was that these believers in Rome would continue to experience God's grace in their lives. This grace would come in many forms as they grew in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and  conformed to His image. This blessing also included peace.

When individuals come to Christ for salvation they are no longer enemies of God and experience peace not only because of this but also through trusting in Christ alone for guidance.   It is through this life of obedience that individuals recognize Jesus Christ as Lord.

 Our hope is that you too experience the grace and peace of God the father our Lord Jesus Christ.

The video version of this is available at www.youtube.com/user/churchoflittleton  FW # 61