Four times over the Bible reminds us… “The just shall live by faith.” Praise God we are not left to endure these days by our own feelings or our own understanding. Faith is the conviction that God is true about everything. Feelings come and go with the weather, our health, and outward circumstances.
When great evils arose in Habakkuk’s day, God assured Habakkuk that Messiah would come but while they wait, “The just shall live by faith.” In other words, God will be faithful to His Word, even while tyranny arises, so hang on to what God says for… “The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:4,14).
Paul quoted this verse in Romans and the Galatians, and the writer of Hebrews quoted it last, reminding us that our salvation began by faith in Christ, and we continue to grow, and live triumphantly over evil, by the Word of our God who cannot lie.
It is the promise of the Cross that Christ will keep safe forever all who have come to Him for forgiveness and righteousness. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, while we endure the evils of our generation, to glorify Christ to our hearts and minds. The Spirit does not exalt Himself but is always pointing us to Christ’s promises, power, and love toward us (John 16:13-15). And it is the guarantee of Christ’s return to avenge the children, His people, and every wrong on this earth, that keeps us waiting in patient faith, sharing the Gospel, and not becoming vigilantes.
“Right now abides faith, hope, and love, these three. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Faith will give way to sight, hope will blossom into realization, but love will last forever, for loving Christ is the root of faith and hope.
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