Living By Faith Series

“Faith During Uncertain Times”

“Living by Faith”

Part 3

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been talking about Faith During Uncertain Times. I started by talking about Tested Faith and how when it seems as though our prayers are not being answered that how that is God testing our faith which causes our faith to grow. Then that was followed up with Faith in Action, which covered the first 3 verses of chapter 2 of Habakkuk. I stated how we must be in the proper position to hear what God is saying, we must separate ourselves from what is going on, get into God’s presence, write the vision which is God’s preferred future for our lives, wait for it to come to fruition, and in the meantime remember God is in control and remember past blessing and answered prayers.

Then we come to part 3 which is Habakkuk 2:4 which says “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

Habakkuk 2:4 is said to be one of the greatest declarations of faith to be found in all the Bible. It presents a contrast between those who are arrogantly rebellious, and those who are humbly submissive. It reveals the striking difference between the proud and the just man. Although Habakkuk wrote this in the 7th century B.C. it is extremely relevant today, because we are dealing with the arrogance of the prideful, looking at the corruption of the sinner, praying fervently and waiting see what God is going to do. Understand wickedness carries with it its own destruction Psalm 10, but the just shall live by faith.

Everyone lives by a measure of faith; it is a fact of life. We trust in things and people to live from day to day. We trust in chairs to support us, cars to transport us, elevators to carry us up floors, employers to pay us, computers to function with everyday life, telephones for communication, the red light is going to stop the traffic from coming the opposite direction, and so on. Unfortunately, over time we learn that some things and some people prove more reliable than others. Cars break down, computers crash, telephones become outdated clothes wear out and people fail us, the only exception is God and His Word Deuteronomy 31:8 says “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed”; Matthew 24:35 says “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” Hebrews 13:5 says, “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”. God is the only sureness we truly have and can depend on.

When one is living by faith on a regular basis it produces stability deep within the soul. Over time, God’s Word becomes more and more real to you and more important than our ever-changing feelings or circumstances. God’s Word gives us a basis for strength and stability in our thinking, the choices we make daily, and therefore, gives us the ability to stand during uncertain times.

It’s easy to be afraid when you have had people fail you repeatedly. However, God never fails, He never fails His people, and His faithfulness is everlasting. Knowing this the just can live by faith. The kind of faith described in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews is faith that the just shall live by: - Hebrews 11:33-34 says “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, performed righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to fight the armies of the aliens”. That’s the kind of faith the just live by.

PRAYER: -

SCRIPTURE: - Habakkuk 2:4 which says “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

The meaning of “the just shall live by faith” has been misunderstood since the time of the Protestant Reformers. Acknowledgement and Agreement with certain doctrinal statements has been emphasized at the expense of righteous behavior. It has been emphasized that if we maintain certain theologically correct statements, if you pay your tithes, repeat a certain amount of penance, perform manmade rituals and hold to the rudiments of man then we will go to Heaven when we die. This is totally different from what God tells us in His Word - the Bible says in Leviticus 11:44, 45 Leviticus 19:2, Leviticus 20:7, 1 Peter 1:16 for example “Be ye Holy for I am Holy”. Ritualistic obedience is different from the individual whose personality and behavior are acceptable to God. The way one thinks, speaks, and acts as one who loves God, seeks His face, lives according to His word, obeys, and trusts God is living by faith when the other is just going through the motions with nothing more than a form of godliness and that is all.