The just shall live by his faith (Update from an older post)

Saints, if someone were to ask each of you what the Gospel is, how would you respond? Would you be able to give a solid Biblical response? Alongside that, and just as important, would you be able to share the impact of the Gospel in your own life? Basically, what is your testimony? Not just referring to how the Lord saved you, but how He is working in and through your life right now … today. Is the Gospel such a reality in your life, that your devotion to the One Who is central to the Gospel, Jesus Christ, evident? Does your life point to His?

A simple Biblical response, if someone asked you what the Gospel is, can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Jesus Christ, Who is the true and living God, and His finished work, is the Gospel. Fallen man can be saved from sin, death, and hell, by this Gospel. The message is very simple.

When it comes to our personal response to the Gospel, it is just as simple … it is by faith. This is what Paul testified to the Jews and Gentiles alike, “…repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21) So how do we, sinful mankind, approach a Holy God? Repentance and faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) What is a good illustration on how sinful man should approach a Holy God? Read Luke 15:11-32 concerning the Prodigal Son, specifically on how the son returned to his Father. What did he bring with him in returning to his Father? Nothing. Did he have good works to boast of in order to be received by his Father? No. By what righteousness was he accepted by his Father? Not his own. The son simply came to him in humility, and the Father showed him abundant grace and mercy.

Let the word of God speak for itself concerning how we are accepted by our Father in Heaven, how we are justified in His sight:

“…the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, [I say], at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where [is] boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:21-28)

God’s word declares, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17) However, there are certain religious traditions in the world that declare otherwise, “The just shall live by faith AND works.” The cults major in this heresy. Basically, it is the mindset of “I must do…” in order to please God. This is not the Gospel in any sense. What is sad is that there are some professing Christians that have given in to this heresy (it can come in very subtly) and are living in a life of bondage. This really should not be! A Christian life, the Gospel life, is one of freedom. Another gospel, as warned about in Galatians 1:8-9, is being preached from various streams in the world, and has brought many people into a bondage we call “Legalism.” Individually, we need to take a close look at our own lives, and we also need to warn others of this damnable heresy. If any man depends upon himself or some system in order to be justified before a Holy God, in the end they have absolutely no hope.

Two examples …

The gospel according to Rome

“If anyone saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to obtaining the grace of justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema” (Council of Trent, Canons on Justification, Canon 9).

“If anyone saith that the sacraments of the New Law [ie., the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church] are not necessary for salvation…and that without them…men obtain from God through faith alone the grace of justification…let him be anathema…”

“We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God to those who love him and do his will. In every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere ‘to the end’ and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God’s eternal reward for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1821).

The gospel according to Joseph Smith

“The gospel is our Heavenly Father's plan of happiness. The central doctrine of the gospel is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, "The first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Articles of Faith 1:4). In its fulness, the gospel includes all the doctrines, principles, laws, ordinances, and covenants necessary for us to be exalted in the celestial kingdom. The Savior has promised that if we endure to the end, faithfully living the gospel, He will hold us guiltless before the Father at the Final Judgment (see 3 Nephi 27:16).” (www.lds.org, Gospel Library, Gospel Topics)

Are these Biblical definitions of the Gospel?

What is wrong with teaching that we must co-operate with our works alongside our faith in Christ in order to be justified? What is wrong with saying that faith in Jesus Christ is only the first step?

When we say that we must do our part in order to be justified before a Just and Holy God, what are we doing in reality?

1 – We are denying the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross for our justification.

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:30)

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” (1 Peter 3:18)

2 – We are denying the efficacy of Christ’s blood to justify us and save us from God’s wrath.

“…God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:8-9)

3 – We are denying the power of Christ’s resurrection to bring our justification.

“Who (Jesus) was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)

4 – We are denying the power of the Gospel to bring our justification.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)

5 – We are denying the Lord Himself, who is the Justifier of those who simply believe.

“To declare, [I say], at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3:26)

6 – We are denying the fact that justification is free by God’s grace.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” (Romans 3:24)

7 – We are denying the fact that justification will never come by works.

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20)

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)

8 – We are denying a man the true liberty he could have in Jesus Christ.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” (Galatians 5:1-5)

9 – We are denying a man the true peace he could have with God through Jesus Christ.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2)

10 – We are denying the fact that the righteousness of only One, Jesus Christ, brings our justification.

“Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.”(Romans 5:18)


“The just shall live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4) We are not to have faith in ourselves in any sense. The focus of our faith must always be the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Christian walk begins with faith in Him, continues with faith in Him, and it ends with faith in Him. When we live in full dependence upon His Spirit by faith, His life is evident through ours.

The Lord is Who we want people to see.


Preach the Gospel, Live the Gospel,

One Clay Soldier among many