Does the righteous ‘live on faith’ or ‘live on every word that comes out of God’s mouth’? Now, Christ is the faith that was to be manifested (Gal 3:24), the incarnate verb, therefore, the just will live by Christ (Rom 10: 8). Everyone who has risen with Christ is because they live on faith, and the prophet Habakkuk testifies that those who live by faith are righteous.

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The just will live on faith

“But to him who does not practice, but believes in him who justifies the wicked, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Rom. 4: 5)

 

Introduction

The exposition of the apostle Paul is striking when he affirms that “God justifies the wicked” (Rom. 4: 5). Based on what does God justify the wicked. How can God, being righteous, declare unjust just? How to do it without compromising your own justice? If God said: “… I will not justify the wicked” (Ex 23: 7), how can the apostle to the Gentiles claim that God justifies the wicked?

 

Grace and faith

The answer is simple: God justifies sinners freely by his wonderful grace! Although the answer is simple, the question remains:  how does He do this? The answer is also simple: by faith “… To lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal 3:24).

In addition to God justifying the wicked, it is certain that man is justified by faith “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; whereby we also have an entrance by faith to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in the hope of the glory of God ”(Rom. 5: 1-2).

Does God justify because of the trust that man places in Him? Was man’s belief the justifying entity?

The answer is found in Romans 1, verses 16 and 17:

“Because I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first from the Jew, and also from the Greek. Because the righteousness of God from faith to faith is discovered in it, as it is written: But the righteous will live by faith” (Rom. 1:16 -17).

Although in the Old Testament, God repeatedly tells Israelite judges that they should justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, and declare about Himself: “… I will not justify the wicked” (Ex 23: 7), the apostle Paul uses Habakkuk who says,‘ The righteous will live by faith’, to demonstrate that God justifies the wicked!

 

God justifies man through Christ

Through the observation that the apostle Paul makes of Habakkuk, it is evident that faith does not refer to man’s trust, but rather to Christ, the faith that was to be manifested.

“But before faith came, we were kept under the law, and closed to that faith that was to be manifested” (Gal 3:23).

What faith would be manifested? The gospel of Christ, which is the power of God, is faith made manifest to men. The gospel is the faith that Christians are to strive for (Jd1: 3). the gospel message is the preaching of faith (Gal 3: 2, 5). The gospel is faith, through which grace was revealing. “For by grace you have been saved, through faith; and this does not come from you, it is the gift of God “(Eph. 2: 8). The gospel did not come from any man, but it is the gift of God “If you knew the gift of God and whoever is asking you: give me a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you living water” (John 4:10).

Christ is the gift of God, the theme of the preaching of faith, through which man has entrance to this grace. Therefore, when the Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God, it has to be said that the faith that pleases God is Christ, faith should be revealed, and not, as many think, that it is man’s trust (Heb 11: 6).

The writer to the Hebrews, in verse 26 of chapter 10 demonstrates that there is no sacrifice after receiving the knowledge of the truth (gospel) and that, therefore, Christians could not reject the confidence they had, which is a product of faith (gospel) (Heb 10:35), since, after doing the will of God (which is to believe in Christ), they should have patience to reach the promise (Heb 10:36; 1 John 3:24).

After quoting Habakkuk, the writer to the Hebrews goes on to speak of those who lived by faith (Heb 10:38), that is, men like Abraham who were justified by the faith that was to be manifested “Now, as the Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, he first announced the gospel to Abraham, saying,” All nations would be blessed in you “(Gal. 3: 8).

 

For God everything is possible

Abraham was justified because he believed that God would provide the Seed, something impossible in his eyes, just as it is in the eyes of men that God justifies the wicked “Now, the promises were made to Abraham and his descendants. He does not say: And to the offspring, as speaking of many, but as of one: And to your offspring, which is Christ” (Gal 3:16).

Christ is the firm foundation of the things that are expected and proof of the things that are not seen. “Now, faith is the firm foundation of things hoped for, and proof of things not seen. Because by it the ancients obtained a testimony”(Heb 11: 1-2), for the righteous live and receive a testimony that he has pleased God through Christ (Titus 3: 7).

The word that Abraham heard is what produced the patriarch’s belief, because “But what does it say? The word is with you, in your mouth and in your heart; this is the word of faith, which we preach… ” (Rom 10: 8), since “So that faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Without hearing the word that comes from God, there would never be man’s confidence in God.

The element that produces justification is the word of Christ, for it contains the power of God that makes it possible to justify the wicked “To know: If you confess with your mouth to the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Since with the heart one believes for righteousness and with the mouth one makes confession for salvation” (Rom 10: 9-10).

When man hears the gospel and believes, he receives power for salvation (Rom. 1:16; John 1:12), and discovers justification, as he passes from death to life because he believed in faith (Rom. 1:17). It is through the gospel that man becomes a child of God “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26; John 1:12).

 

The power of God

Why did the apostle Paul have the courage to claim that God does what He himself forbade the judges of Israel to do? Because they did not have the necessary power! To do a just unjust thing, it is necessary to have the same power that Jesus demonstrated in healing a paralytic after forgiving his sins.

“Now that you may know that the Son of Man has power over the earth to forgive sins (he said to the paralytic), I tell you, get up, take your bed, and go to your home” (Lk 5: 24).

Justifying faith is God’s power “… That we might be justified by faith” (Gal 3:24), because when a man believes he is baptized in the death of Christ (Gal 3:27), that is, he takes up his own cross, dies and is buried “Or do you not know that all who were baptized in Jesus Christ were baptized in his death?” (Rom. 6: 3). Now he who is dead and justified is in sin! (Rom. 6: 7)

But, all who believe and die with Christ, also confess Christ according to what he heard and learned “Since with the heart one believes for righteousness and with the mouth one makes confession for salvation” (Rom 10: 9-10).

Now whoever confesses Christ is because, in addition to be baptized in Christ, he has already put on Christ. Confession is the fruit of the lips that only produces those who are connecting to real Oliveira “For as many as you have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal 3:27); “Therefore, let us always offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of the lips that confess his name” (Heb 13:15); “I am the vine, you are the branches; whoever is in me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; because without me you can do nothing (…) My Father is glorified in this, that you bear much fruit; and thus you will be my disciples ”(John 15: 6, 8).

The testimony that God gives that man is just falls on those who, after being buried, put on Christ, that is, only those who have already risen with Christ are declared righteous before God. Only those who are generated anew, that is, who live through faith (gospel) are just before God “The righteous will live by faith” (Hc 2: 4).

The righteous will live on faith, that is, the faith that was to be manifested and which we now preach (Rom 10: 8). Everyone who has risen with Christ is because they live on faith, and the prophet Habakkuk testifies that those who live by faith are righteous.

Therefore, anyone who does not trust his own actions, but rests in God who justifies, his belief is imputed to him as justice “But to him who does not practice, but believes in him who justifies the wicked, his faith is imputed to him as righteousness” (Rom. 4: 5); “And he believed in the Lord, and he charged it with righteousness” (Gen. 15: 6), because by believing man is conformed to Christ in his death and rises by the power of God, the new man being created and declared righteous by God.

The word of the Lord is faith made manifest, and all who believe in it will not be confused “As it is written: Behold, I am putting in Zion a stumbling block and a rock of scandal; and everyone who believes in it will not be confused” (Rom. 9:33), that is, in the gospel, which is the power of God, the righteousness of God is discovered, which is of faith (gospel) in faith (believing) (Rom. 1: 16-17).

The righteous will live on Christ, for every word that comes out of the mouth of God will live man, that is, without Christ, who is the living bread that came down from heaven, man has no life in himself (John 3:36 ; John 5:24; Mt 4: 4; Heb 2: 4).

The condition of being dead before God results from the penalty instituted in the divine alert (you will certainly die), as a result of judgment and condemnation. The condemnation brought enmity and separation, since God is life and everyone who exists apart from Him is dead. There is no darkness in God, because everyone who is darkness is separated from Him. As there is no communion between Light and darkness, it is clear that there is no communion between God (life) and men under condemnation (dead).

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What is it to be ‘alive’ and ‘dead’?

As the apostle, Paul declared that those who are dead are justified.  The answer to the four premises in question can only be in the phrase: “Because the one who is dead is justified from sin”.

Before we clarify the mystery above, we should check what ‘being dead ‘is and ‘being alive’.

The Bible establishes a relationship between ‘death’ and ‘life’. The relationship shows that it is impossible to be alive for sin and alive for God simultaneously. There is no way for man to assume both conditions (positions) simultaneously before God. That is, when man is alive to sin, he is dead to God, or, when he is alive to God, he is dead to sin.

Perhaps the reader will ask why it is not possible to be alive for sin and alive for God simultaneously.

It is not possible because of the following reasons:

“For it is Christ who died, or rather, who rose from the dead…” (Rom. 8:34)

Paul in his song of victory referred to the death of Christ. However, the Christ who died also rose from the dead. In the same way that those who believe are conformed to Christ in death (he dies with him), with him they also rise from the dead (or earlier).

It’s instant! That is, he who believes in Christ dies to sin and begins to live for God. Just as when he disobeyed divine determination, Adam immediately became dead to God, so too, those who believe in Christ are immediately resurrected with Christ, and begin to live for God.

We must keep in mind that God is Lord of all and of all things. God is Lord of the Living and the Dead, because for him, everyone lives “Now, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living; because for him all live”(Luke 20:38; 2 Tim 4: 1; Rom 14: 9).

These verses refer to the living and the dead, that is, it addresses both the death of the body and the immortality of the soul. Ex: Lazarus, the beggar, lived in this world and when he died, he only stopped living in this terrestrial tabernacle and started to live in eternity (Luke 16:20 -25). The rich man, who also died, was dead to God while he existed in this world, and when he died (he left the earthly tabernacle) he spent eternity in the condition of the dead (separated).

These are some references to the word death and possible uses that the Bible contains of the terms ‘death’ and ‘life’.

However, when the Bible says, “While we were still dead in our offenses, it quickened us together with Christ …” (Eph. 2: 5), it demonstrates that there is another use for the terms ‘death’ and ‘life’.

When man is without God in the world (without Christ) (Eph 2:12), he is dead to God. The condition ‘death’ of man is the result of the condemnation established there in the Garden of Eden, in Adam.

When God told the couple that on the day they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would certainly die, a determination or warning was given (you will not eat), a time (on the day), the certainty of punishment (certainly), and the type of punishment (will die): death.

The judgment in Eden resulted in the condemnation of humanity! In other words, “The Judgment came from a single offense, in fact, to condemn …” (Rom. 5:16). Adam and Eve were createding alive for God, and after being condemned, they became dead before God.

The condition of being dead before God results from the penalty instituted in the divine alert (you will certainly die), because of judgment and condemnation. The condemnation brought enmity and separation, since God is life and everyone who exists apart from Him is dead. There is no darkness in God, because everyone who is darkness is separated from Him.

As there is no communion between Light and darkness, it is clear that there is no communion between God (life) and men under condemnation (dead).

Because ‘being’ dead before God, all the works that man does in this condition are tainting by sin. If you do good or bad deeds before men, they do not change the condition of the guilty man before God, because ‘good works’ are only achievable in God, who prepared them beforehand, for those who believe in Christ.

When sinning, Adam was condemned to death, and all men were condemned with him. As everyone dies, and it is certain that all have sinned “… so death has passed on to all men, because all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12).

Life is only possible in Jesus, because through Christ man reaches the gift of God, which is eternal life. Christ is man’s only access to God. If he accepts Christ, man becomes a son of the light, and will live in the light of God (communion).

So: death is the result of the condemnation that occurred in the garden of Eden, where all men became sinners. Life is the result of man’s reconciliation with God. Man is created again in true justice and holiness and begins to live for God (Eph 4:24).

We will need this concept later: The old man dies, is buried, and then a new man appears, created according to God in true justice and holiness (Eph 4:24).

Based on what we have just seen, it is clear that when the apostle Paul says that “… I am crucified with Christ …”, he refers to death with Christ and not his physical death.

When he says he lives (… and I live …), he expresses a new condition before God. He did not refer to his physical life.

In the second part of the verse, when he says: “… and the life I now live in the flesh…”, this ‘life’ refers to physical life.

“I’m already crucified with Christ; and I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me ”(Gal 2:20)

When the apostle Paul claims that he is already crucified with Christ, he makes it clear that he died to sin, and that now his life is hidden with Christ in God (Christ lives in me). Paul ceased to live a life of ‘subjection’ to the law (Pharisaism), and went on to live his daily life (in the flesh) through faith in Jesus.

It is only possible for man to be in the condition of “living in Christ” after being crucified and buried with Christ.

“For the law of the Spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, delivered me from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8: 2)

The new life that man lives in Christ (life) cannot be shared when one is in sin (death), because sin is the cause of the condemnation of man without Christ. The life that God gives to man through faith in Christ frees him from the previous condition: sin (cause of judgment and condemnation) and death (penalty).

So that, by believing in Christ, man becomes partakers of his death, through the body of Christ that was delivered for sinners. The old man is killed when he is crucified with Christ (or, the man is circumcised with the circumcision of Christ, which is the stripping of the body of the flesh) (Col 2:11), and begins to live (new creature) through the Spirit Eternal, because of justice.

Thus, when the apostle demonstrates that the Christian is dead with Christ to sin, it is the same as saying that the Christians were alive through the Eternal Spirit.

“And if Christ is in you, the body is actually dead because of sin, but the spirit lives because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:10);

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3: 3)