Faith First to Last

'For in the gospel the righteousness of 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

When I meditated this verse ,God opened up to make me understand Faith and its importance in Christian life. Most of us see faith more towards our worldly needs like when we pray to God we have a miracle to have God help us in these situations, faith is not only God to fulfill every need of us by trusting him, but it is a very key principle to make us righteous with God. Let’s take a step forward to understand this verse in detail.

What is Gospel ?

The verse starts “For in the gospel “ What is this Gospel that Paul is talking?, what is your definition of Gospel ?Gospel is the good news of salvation through the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to rescue us from the wrath of God. The wrath of God is a result of ungodly behaviour or unrighteous characters that we may live.

What is Righteousness ?

We read the word righteousness in Bible, what does that mean ?

• The word “righteousness” means ‘equity, justice, integrity.’ The idea presented is ‘conformity to a standard.’

• Righteousness means to give to each man his due based upon his conformity or lack of conformity to the divine standard of God.

• Conformity to the holy character of God in his word brings blessing.

• A failure to conform to the divine standard brings cursing.

• Any falling short of this standard of moral perfection brings the full curse of God upon the offender.

What is Righteousness of God ?

We read 'For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed - “The righteousness of God” is the free gift of God to those who believe in Jesus Christ. What God requires, he gives without cost or merit in the gospel

• That is not something that we can earn or deserve. It is something that comes down from above from God himself, that he gives freely without cost.

• If we do not have the righteousness of God, we are not right with him and are under his just condemnation, you can call as we are ungodly towards God, this ungodliness invites the wrath of God, the next verse explains the need for us to seek the righteousness of God 'The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ' Romans 1:18

• The righteousness of God is received freely from God, but with terms the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith

• The terms is simple - its accessed only if you have Faith in Jesus, its received only thru Faith. Outside that there is no other means.

What is Faith ?

• The faith Paul talks is a comprehensive understanding that involves the mind, heart, and soul.

  • With the mind, a person must know the essential truth of the gospel, thats the word of God or Bible.

  • Once the word goes into his mind, He must then be persuaded of its truthfulness in his heart. He must be convicted of his need for the righteousness of God.

  • Finally, he must make the decisive commitment of his life to Jesus Christ with his soul.

  • When the all the three actions are complete, faith acts as a gateway to get the righteousness of God

• This faith has to be personal, A person must entrust all that he is to the Lord Jesus Christ. No one else can make this decision for him. It is a personal commitment that only he can make. His wife cannot make it for him. His parents cannot make it for him. His children cannot make it for him.

• True faith does not sit still in his own sinful ways, this faith does not sit back passively. Faith does not simply think about Jesus Christ and the salvation he offers.

• Faith does not merely have warm religious feelings about Christ. True faith actively goes to Christ and embraces Him. It looks to Jesus and receives his word

• Something’s to note on Faith

  • Faith must be placed in Jesus Christ as He is presented in the word of God. Jesus Christ must be the sole object of saving faith.

  • Faith in a religious ritual or moral activity is a misplaced faith.

  • We must exercise faith exclusively in the person of Jesus Christ.

  • Any faith in anything outside Jesus invites the wrath of God.

Actions of faith

Obedience

'Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. ' Romans 1:5

• Paul describes the actions of faith in verse five of the opening prologue. Paul describes the necessity of “the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake”

• This means ‘the obedience that comes from faith.’ In other words, genuine faith always produces obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Simply put, obedience flows from true faith. Conversely, disobedience is the result of unbelief. 'You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.' James 2:24,26

• Paul writes in James 2:24, just having faith alone is not enough, Faith is only a portion of what our actions gets us to the righteousness of God. Faith without works is mere empty “so faith without deeds is dead”. Genuine faith is an obedient faith. The one who truly believes in Jesus Christ comes under the authority of his lordship and walks in obedience to his word.

• It happens when the mind , heart and soul believes the word and starts to obey, then he receives the righteousness of God. Even though he is not perfect to the level of God’s standard he accepts him and takes him away from the wrath of God

Effects of Faith

• The Bible says, ‘Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). The picture is two swords rubbing against each other, sharpening the cutting edge of their blades. This is what Paul desired in his anticipated trip to Rome.

• We all need other believers to stoke the flames of our heart in our mutual fellowship with one another. This is the power of faith as it impacts other believers.

• We are transformed once we obey through faith, this action can impact others to see the power of Christ through us, a very different person is revealed and the old us is gone. It acts as testimony to others to come to Christ and experience this righteousness of God.

Faith First to Last

It’s written “a righteousness that is by faith from first to last”

• First to last indicates, Every area of our Christian life is to be lived by faith.

• This refers to not just our church lives, but to our business lives, our family lives, and our recreational lives. Every component part of our lives is to be lived by faith.

• We are not meant to be self-reliant. None of our lives should be lived in self-dependence. We should always be anchored to God in every aspect of our lives. We need God, not only for our relationship with Him, but in all of our relationships upon the earth. Every aspect of our lives is to be lived by faith.

Live by Faith

it’s written “as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

• Live by faith is the gift of God. When God gives this divine enablement to believe in Jesus Christ, it is a steadfast faith that will never stop believing, It may weaken at times, It may slow down at times, but it will never cease believing in Christ.

• Faith perseveres till the eternity.

  • This truth is important, because faith is not merely repeating a scripted prayer, walking an aisle, raising a hand, and joining the choir, and then assuming that a person is automatically in the kingdom of God.

  • If they fail to move forward and live by faith, that is not the mark of true, saving faith. If such a person goes back to the world system and lives in sin the same way they previously did, that is not the mark of true saving faith. True faith perseveres.

  • That is a false faith of self-deception. True conversion begins with genuine faith, and it continues day by day in a walk of faith, a life of faith.

Make a promise to embrace the Gospel and Jesus to inherit the righteousness of God thru Faith and live faith from first to last in every aspects of life to avoid the wrath of God. Some may not know what this wrath of God can do or take it very light hearted, if you meditate Paul writing on Romans 1:18-31, its so scary. I will have a detailed post of this next week as a continuation to this message.