The Just Shall Live By Faith
Romans 1:17
Romans 1:17 is arguably the most influential sentence that has ever been written, even more than the beloved John 3:16. This is because of how this verse transformed Martin Luther’s life and became a central theme to the Reformation of which we are on the threshold of its 500th anniversary. Although Dr. Trueman in his lecture to the Master’s Seminary students seems to think that Luther’s tower experience was somewhat imaginary event based upon the fact that Luther wrote about it late in life and had faulty memory, I think there is more to the event than Trueman admits. Even if some of the details are obscured by its being processed with other events in Luther’s life and stands as a summary of what became central to Luther’s life, it is certain that something happened in the tower to serve as a focus to this statement. At any rate, the idea of justification by faith alone became one of the central solas to the Evangelical and Reformed faith.
So in this commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, it behooves us to look back and remember, realizing that our thoughts have built on this theme for 500 years. What does the Bible say about justification by faith, and especially, how does Paul understand it.
To do this we need to put this verse in its proper contexts. First of all, Paul is not making an original statement but is quoting Habakkuk 2:4 from the Scripture written hundreds of year before his time. The book of Habakkuk like the other prophets is a call to repentance on the part of Judah. He laments the coming judgment by the Babylonians upon her and calls upon the LORD for deliverance. How could God use such a wicked nation to punish people, even though they had sinned before the LORD who were more righteous. The LORD does not call back his judgment upon Judah but gives Habakkuk a promise. For those who humble themselves before the LORD and be faithful to Him during this time shall live and not die. On the surface this seems to differ somewhat from Paul’s use of the verse. We shall see later that it does not.
Paul is not the only New Testament writer who quotes this verse, nor is Romans the only time that Paul refers to justification by faith. This means that this theme of justification by faith was not a novelty of Paul but was an important theme in the entirety of the New Testament Church. James talks about the doctrine of justification by faith in the 2nd chapter of his epistle. Here he is railing against those that faith is a mere intellectual assent to the gospel. He emphasizes the importance of a living faith that proves itself in works. Abraham was justified because he obeyed the Lord who told him to sacrifice Isaac and would have carried through with it had not the LORD stopped him. This seems to contradict Paul on the surface even more than Habakkuk, and James might be addressing believers who may have claimed to be following Paul here.
Luther himself did not know what to make of James, at one point calling it an “epistle of straw.” He wanted to relegate it to deuterocanonical or a second-place status. To him some Scripture was more inspired than others. James did not measure up to Paul. This is indeed easy to understand of Luther who was fighting the Roman establishment with its emphasis on salvation by works. Faith was understood as being created by acts of charity which was their interpretation of Galatians. Luther was not sticking his neck on the block without being certain of his position. Clarity in the face of persecution was essential. One does not die for possibilities and to entertain dispute and discussion was for more settled times. Melanchthon might be able to discuss this but not Luther. If justification by faith alone is the central theme of the gospel, all else must be subservient to it.
Hebrews quotes the verse in Hebrews 10:38. Whether written by Paul or not, its context is that of believers facing persecution for their faith. Apparently, some of them had already lost their citizenship to the cities they had lived in and had their homes and possessions confiscated and were cast homeless. This is why Hebrews admonishes other Christians to receive these believers in their homes and mentions how Abraham entertained angels unawares. This application seems on the surface closer to Habakkuk. This was not time to lose one’s heart or faith. They would find life in their persistence.
So from this, we see what appears to be considerable diversity of interpretation. But if we affirm that Scripture is the perfect, inspired, and infallible word of God, then we have to struggle with these various interpretations. What we can see here is the importance of faith, works, love, faithful living, and justification. How do all these things relate?
So now we need to understand the place of justification by faith has in the Book of Romans. It is pretty clear that justification by faith is very important to Paul. But is it the central point of Romans. If is is, everything else in Romans is supportive of this doctrine. If something else is central, then justification by faith is supportive of it.
When one looks at Romans 8:22 we have an interesting statement that all of creation groans for redemption, not just humanity. This verse is far more important to Romans than one might think. In fact, the restoration of creation is very important to Paul. The fall of Adam affected all of creation. The God who chose to redeem rather than roll up all of creation and start over is truly the God who is revealed in Scripture. Man is part of this creation. In Psalms 8, it says he made humankind a little less than himself as it says Elohim in the Hebrew Scriptures and not “angels.” The reversal of the curse had to redeem all the universe, of which man was of central importance. Romans 5 and the comparison of Adam and Christ shows this. It seems here that not only is creation to be restored and man redeemed but that God in the end will restore man and creation to an even more glorious state than Eden. Sin did abound, but grace more than abounded. Adam and Eve were in a garden, but we shall be in the city of God. The greater light ruled that day and the lesser the night, but in the restored creation, there will be one eternal light. And that light will be Christ himself! Adam and ever were, naked, but we shall wear white garments. Adam and Eve communed with the LORD in the cool of the day, but we shall have communion with him without limitation. Indeed, this is the telos. This is the central point of all of Scripture.
This seems to me, to make the doctrine of justification by faith a supporting doctrine. This does not diminish its importance at all. If one is not justified, then one will not participate in this more than restored creation. It becomes useless to speculate on the Kingdom unless one is going there. Romans, as well as all of Scripture affirms the need of justification. We must be transformed and cannot transform ourselves. So how could we throughly corrupted people participate in the Kingdom?
The answer is that what is impossible for us to do is possible with God. Not only is it possible, this is what He has willed. And what God wills will infallibly come to pass. So now we must examine how this is possible. The bible teaches it is by the person and work of God’s son, Jesus Christ, whom Paul begins Romans by referring to his call to proclaim the gospel of the Son, who was humanly born Son of David. This Jesus is our Lord. This Jesus was raised from the dead by the Spirit of holiness. This Jesus was promised beforehand in the Scripture. Paul shows through Romans the need of justification and how we are justified by faith in this Jesus and not ourselves. Faith in Jesus is the doorway to heaven.
For those who are not believers, it is essential to show them that they stand under the wrath and judgement of God and facing eternity in Hell apart from God. They must know that they must not rely on false means of being made worthy to enter heaven. So what is most important is that they know that they are outside the door to the Kingdom and at a loss of means of attaining this kingdom. So for them, justification by faith alone is the very most important matter. This faith has an object, the LORD Jesus who died for our sine and rose as proof of our justification if we will but believe on Him.
For those who have been admitted by the grace of God through faith in Jesus, we now face what is the central goal of Scripture which is the journey to the Kingdom. We are in the Kingdom, but we are far from ready for the marriage. The process of transformation called Sanctification begins as the LORD prepares those whom He has called for the ultimate participation of the Kingdom. So when we understand this, Habakkuk, James, and Hebrews do not disagree with Paul at all. Paul affirms living by faith as much as anyone. And Luther was no friend to antinomianism either. In fact, legalism leads to antinomianism. One just needs look at the Roman Catholic church of the late Middle Ages for proof. The Roman church was a cesspool of immorality, violence, and greed which even extended to the popes themselves. What good was all their canon law, penances, pilgrimages, fasts, monasteries, and the like? Just look at the way they lived. And for the Methodists, has their emphasis on doing good works fared any better? It is against our thinking to think that gospel grace leads to holy living, but this is what the Bible itself teaches and example proves.
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Once we have been graciously granted admittance, the change of focus does indeed turn to faithful living. Faith is something we live by and find life in. We can say that Abraham’s faith was a living faith. James does bring this out in Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. However, one sees that Abraham was actually justified earlier in chapter 15 where he believed God’s promise, and it was reckoned for righteousness. Paul talks about Abraham also and cites Genesis 15. This is the doorway as we have noted. James talks about the proof of this faith. He was already justified as we can see. But faith leads to works. It becomes the way we live. We have to have faith before we can live faithfully. We must be granted life before we can live. We who were dead in trespasses and sins had to be born again. So Habakkuk talks about a different aspect of faith. So does Hebrews. Because the believer had been saved by their faith in Jesus, they would naturally reach out to homeless fellow believers.
So we can see, there is really no conflict at all between and of these interpretations of justification by faith. So what one does with Habakkuk 2:4 depends upon what side of the door one is on. Dead people have no faith at all. Through the power of God who first spoke all creation into existence had ordained preaching of the Gospel by human beings called to that purpose to speak life to the dead. This word of preached faith believed opens the door to paradise. Then we have a faith that we live by, and by the power of the Holy Spirit are transformed and kept. We have entered into life and shall live evermore, even in time of the impending judgment of both the world and the church. As we read, judgment begins at the house of God, and where will the sinner and ungodly appear.
Never has reformation in our church been more needed. If the truth be known, we have reverted to the corrupt church of the Middle Ages. Judgement is coming to the church and to the world. And those who would come like the Babylonians to make us captive are having a field day corrupting God’s prized vineyard. We might wonder why God allows those so wicked to scourge us, but it is God’s purpose. Those who have faith will continue to live faithfully and live. So we should not be alarmed, for we know that for those who are called by God and beloved of him will see all these things worked out for good. So even in the face of confusion and judgment, we can sing a song of thanksgiving even as Habakkuk does.
