Hebrews 1:17 (ESV)
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Most of us have at least a working knowledge of what faith is. Faith, when used in the context of Christianity is simply our belief in Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Only Son of God, that He died on a cross for our sins and that God raised Him again on the third day (Romans 10:9). The Bible teaches us that our faith in that premise is what produces our salvation.
But in this verse in Paul’s letter to the Roman church, he says that the righteous live by faith. The “righteous” means us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 teaches us that we have become the righteousness of God because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. So Paul is saying that the righteous (that’s us) will live by faith. What does “living by faith” look like? We know what it means to have faith, but what does it mean to live by that faith?
Living by Faith Means Believing in What We Haven’t Seen
Mark 11:24 (ESV)
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
This verse has been misused quite a bit over the years. Unfortunately, people who choose to try to manipulate scripture in order to better themselves have used this as a way to tell people that if you ask God for $1 million then believe that it’s coming, you will magically have $1 million in the bank the next morning. That’s not what Jesus was talking about in these verses. Jesus was talking about the importance of His children praying for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
Living by faith means praying for something that is directly related to the Kingdom and then believing that God will provide it. It’s not about new cars in the driveway and loads of money in the bank; instead, it’s about seeing God’s Kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
Living by Faith Means Living According to Scriptural Commands
James 2:18 (ESV)
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
There are not enough good works that we could perform to earn our salvation. Paul told the church at Ephesus that we are “saved by grace through faith, and it is not of works so no one can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:18). However, once we commit our lives to Christ, we are called to perform good works. It’s not a way of earning God’s grace, it’s our calling. The Bible says that Jesus “went about doing good works” (Acts 10:38), and we are called to be like Jesus.
God’s Word tells us things we should be doing. Caring for those who are less fortunate, taking care of orphans and widows and more. Part of living by faith is carrying out those actions in our everyday life. It doesn’t earn us entry into Heaven; it’s God’s way of bringing about Heaven on Earth.
Living by Faith Means NOT Seeking the Spotlight
Luke 16:10 (TPT)
The one who manages the little he has been given with faithfulness and integrity will be promoted and trusted with greater responsibilities. But those who cheat with the little they have been given will not be considered trustworthy to receive more.
Our job as Christians isn’t to make a name for ourselves. Instead, we are called to proclaim the name of the Lord. Jesus was passionate about the idea of His people not seeking the limelight. At one point, two of the disciples were bickering about who was going to get the best seat in the Kingdom of Heaven. Instead of talking about people who performed healings, cast out evil spirits and brought about miracles having the best seats in the Kingdom, Jesus called a small child out of the crowd. He told the disciples that if they cared for that child, they would be caring for Him and honoring God.
It wasn’t about earning a reputation as miracle workers; it was about being faithful to one small child. Our calling is similar. We may never stand in a large stadium and preach the Gospel to thousands of people like Billy Graham did. But we can still show the love of God to the people we work with, go to school with and share a home with. It may not result in your name being put up in lights, but it’s what God is expecting of His people.
Living by Faith Means Controlling the Tongue
James 3:5-6 (TPT)
And so the tongue is a small part of the body yet it carries great power! Just think of how a small flame can set a huge forest ablaze. And the tongue is a fire! It can be compared to the sum total of wickedness and is the most dangerous part of our human body. It corrupts the entire body and is a hellish flame! It releases a fire that can burn throughout the course of human existence.
The words that we speak have a direct impact on ourselves and those around us. James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ wrote a lot about the importance of taming the tongue in the third chapter of his epistle. Since the general theme of James’ epistle is practical living for Christians, we can only assume that he was teaching on the importance of controlling our tongue while trying to live by faith.
James closed out the portion of his letter on the tongue with these words:
James 3:11-12 (TPT)
Would you look for olives hanging on a fig tree or go to pick up figs from a grapevine Is it possible that fresh and bitter water can flow out of the same spring? So neither can a bitter spring produce fresh water.
Part of living by faith includes using the words that come out of our mouths to point others to Jesus Christ. If we spend all of our time complaining, gossiping and using our tongues to destroy people, we aren’t pointing anyone to Christ, and we aren’t living by faith. To live by faith is to speak of faith. We can use our words to further God’s Kingdom on earth.
Living by Faith Means Loving Those Around Us
John 13:35 (TPT)
For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.
Living by faith means loving the people around us. That sounds easy when you’re thinking about your immediate family and your closest friends, but it also includes loving those people who may not be as lovable. The love of God doesn’t just extend to the people who we deem as “loveable.” Instead, God loved the world so much that He gave His Only Son (John 3:16). That’s the same kind of love that we are called to show other people.
Jesus said the entire premise of Christianity hung on two things: loving God and loving people. When we love people, we are living the faith that God has called us to. It’s a display of His goodness in our lives and indicates to other people that we are His disciples.
A Closing Prayer:
God, I have faith, but I want to live by faith. I want every area of my life to be impacted by my relationship with You. Help me to better show others the love that you have shown me. Help me to control my tongue, staying silent when I don’t have anything positive to say. Help me to remain humble in my work for You, not seeking the spotlight, but seeking to spread Your glory. Help me to align my life with the truths of Your Word and give me the faith to believe in the things that I haven’t seen You do yet. I want my faith to be an active part of my life, and I know that I can achieve that through total commitment to You. In Your Son’s name I ask these things, Amen.