The righteous shall live by His faith

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Having recently turned the calendar page, we have entered the month in which many Christians observe the Reformation of the Church, usually just called ‘Reformation.’ For nearly five hundred years, the motto of the Reformation -in English- based upon the King James Version (KJV) translation was: ‘The Just Shall Live by Faith.’ But what exactly does this mean? The answer brings us nose to nose with what true Christianity is all about.
That phrase is originally from the rather obscure Old Testament book of Habakkuk. And it was quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:17. St. Paul, by the Holy Spirit’s leading is quoting -and thus clarifying- the verse from Habakkuk: “…but the righteous shall live by his faith.” He was making the point that the Gospel is perhaps the most powerful force on the planet!
And what is the message of the Gospel?
Namely, the good news of what Jesus Christ has brought into effect by His innocent suffering, death, and resurrection. And what has He effected by all this? Forgiveness of sins! Since sin leads to death and brings about separation from God, forgiveness of sin is an amazing gift of God, available only in and through trusting Jesus Christ. This trust we call ‘faith.’
Being in a forgiven, reconciled condition with God is called ‘righteousness,’ or being ‘righteous.’

Put that all together and it becomes much clearer what the Bible says in Romans 1:16-17 about the power of the good news of Jesus being able to put a human being in right relationship to God, merely by trusting what Christ has done for us. We do not emphasize the faith so much as we emphasize Jesus Christ. In fact, nearly a century and a half ago, this was addressed by Dr. C.F.W. Walther, pastor and professor.
Walther said, ‘Suppose a person had never heard a word concerning faith and, on being told the Gospel, would rejoice, put his confidence in it, and draw comfort from it, that person would have the true, genuine faith, although he had not heard a word concerning faith.’ (My emphasis) This serves as another example of how ‘the righteous shall live by his faith.’
By confession, I am a Christian, but I am also a Lutheran Christian, one who is grateful for the blessings of the Reformation. I say this so as to be up-front and honest about what I believe, teach, and confess about God, about Christ, and about the Gospel. And I strive to keep myself faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which was rediscovered and unleashed in the Reformation.
And what is the Gospel? Our Reformation forefathers confessed the Christian faith plainly and boldly before Emperor Charles the Fifth (Charles V) in 1530 when they presented their testament of faith publicly to him in Augsburg, Germany in 1530, (an historic document called the Augsburg Confession, article IV) in which they said--
“It is also taught among us that we cannot obtain forgiveness of sin and righteousness before God by our own works, merits, or satisfactions, but that we receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith, when we believe that Christ suffered for us and that for His sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us. For God will regard and reckon this faith as righteousness.” This is the definitive way of saying, ‘the righteous shall live by his faith.’
Rev. Dr. Paul R. Winningham is pastor of Grace Lutheran and Zion Lutheran Churches in Uniontown and Longtown.