The Righteous Shall Live By Faith
Pastors Leslie & Adeline Chua
“The righteous shall live by faith.”
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). This is the best biblical definition of faith.
In this reflection, I would be considering two kinds of faith -- mountain-moving faith and persevering faith, but putting more emphasis on the latter.
Mountain-Moving Faith
One of my favourite passages in the Gospels is found in Mark chapter eleven. Here in this passage, Jesus teaches about mountain-moving faith.
Mountain-moving faith is the kind of faith that is audacious. It is the kind of faith that moves mountains. Jesus urges us to pray with faith. We can speak to a situation, no matter how impossible it is, and trust that God will hear us and respond accordingly. If we dare to believe, God will answer our prayers. Nothing can stand in the way. Even mountains will be moved out of our way.
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Mountain-moving faith is the kind of faith
that is audacious.
It is the kind of faith that moves mountains…
Mountain-moving faith is efficacious.
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This kind of faith excites us. Even Jesus was excited when a few rare individuals demonstrated such great faith. Jesus was amazed by the Roman centurion and Canaanite woman when they dared to believe that He would respond to their requests positively. He complimented them for their faith.
Who does not want to possess such kind of faith?
Mountain-moving faith is efficacious. It takes you beyond your human limitations in power and abilities. Most importantly, it produces the desired results, which is needful for preaching the gospel, effective ministry and advancing the Kingdom of God. Many people will be saved and many who are held in bondages will be set free from their captivity. This is the power and efficacy of mountain-moving faith.
Not many believers have this kind of faith. While it is good and beneficial to possess such mountain-moving and miraculous faith, it is more important and essential to possess the other kind of faith -- persevering faith.
Persevering Faith
Persevering faith enables a believer to stand strong and endure trying circumstances without giving up. It enables him to press on and persevere without loosening grip on his belief in God and His goodness.
Saints go through challenges like everyone else. Pain and struggles are the realities of life in our sinful and fallen world. Coming to Christ does not exempt us from troubles, fears, and doubts.
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Persevering faith enables a believer to stand strong
and endure trying circumstances without giving up.
It enables him to press on and persevere
without loosening grip on his belief in God
and His goodness.
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The Scripture is clear about this fact. Some men and women of God in the Bible and throughout history suffered tremendously. There are no biblical bases to support an easy and pain-free life even when you possess mountain-moving faith as some people would suggest.
Habakkuk Persevered in Faith
The prophet, Habakkuk, epitomises persevering faith. He suffered mental anguish, emotional turmoil, and the physical devastation of his beloved nation.
Habakkuk struggled to make sense of how his nation under the watchful eyes of the Almighty God could degenerate to a pathetic state of hopeless disrepair.
He cried out to the LORD, “Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.”(Habakkuk 1:3-4)
Is not the Sovereign LORD in control? What is He going to do about the situation?
God replied, but the answer was not to Habakkuk’s liking. He did not quite expect the kind of response. God would use the Babylonians to judge His people and destroy Judah.
Habakkuk understood the grave consequences of rebellion against God. He expected judgement to come on the land sooner or later. But he did not expect God to use a wicked nation as His instrument of judgement.
Isn’t the LORD a holy God? Will God compromise His purity by collaborating with the wicked? The LORD can send an earthquake or rain sulphur from the sky, which He had done before. Must He compromise His integrity?
How is it possible that the Babylonians, who are pagan and more wicked, be allowed to triumph and thrive while God’s people, who by Habakkuk’s estimate, are less wicked be destroyed?
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The righteous shall live by his faith.
In other words,
Habakkuk must trust the LORD
despite his doubts, confusion,
and lack of understanding. ____________________________________________
Theologically, it did not make sense to Habakkuk. The prophet was confused. His faith was seriously challenged.
Then, the LORD answered Habakkuk a second time. He said two things. First, in God’s appointed time, the prophesied judgement would come to pass. God would not change His mind. Second, “the righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
The righteous shall live by his faith. In other words, Habakkuk must trust the LORD despite his doubts, confusion, and lack of understanding. God’s thoughts and ways are higher than his. Though he could not comprehend, he must trust that God is just and merciful. God’s justice would be served on the Babylonians one day and His everlasting kindness would once again be shown to the Jews.
As for Habakkuk, he must continue to live faithfully and embrace what God had decreed for his nation.
The short book of Habakkuk ends in a sombre note with a song of lament -- “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:17-19 - NIV)
This is persevering faith. Though not exciting, it is precious and essential. In a sense, we can do without mountain-moving faith, but not persevering faith. It is needed to keep us firmly anchored in Christ when the winds of affliction blow on us and the storms of life threaten to sink us.
Other Examples of Persevering Faith
Over the years, I have seen some Christians not coming to grips with certain unfortunate and harsh realities of life. Some blame God. Others doubted Him and abandon their faith in Christ.
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Sometimes, God delivers
while at other times, He does not.
We may not understand,
but it is so important for us to persevere in faith
and continue to put our hope in God
when adversities strike. ____________________________________________
But I have also encountered those of by the grace of God, continue to persevere despite severe trials. Like Habakkuk, they cannot understand their predicaments, but their faith and hope in God are never compromised.
Just a few days ago, I read in a Facebook post that an acquaintance of mine had lost his battle with cancer and gone home to be with the Lord. His children are still young. Though grieving, his wife posted some encouraging words. She was thankful that she could celebrate their wedding anniversary and one of their son’s birthday before God took her husband home. She did not blame or doubt God but stood tall in steadfast faith knowing that they would be reunited in eternity.
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One remarkable fact is their refusal to give up
even when they faced impossible odds.
They would rather suffer and die
than to give up on God
and their God-given dreams. ____________________________________________
Sometimes, God delivers while at other times, He does not. We may not understand, but it is so important for us to persevere in faith and continue to put our hope in God when adversities strike. That is what the Old Testament saints are commended for in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews chapter eleven.
One remarkable fact is their refusal to give up even when they faced impossible odds. They would rather suffer and die than to give up on God and their God-given dreams. They had that incredible tenacity because they did not live for themselves. They lived for God and the hope of a glorious eternity.
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We should emulate these saints
who persevered in their faith
despite doubts, fears, and severe afflictions. ____________________________________________
Abraham is an excellent example. He did not live to see the promise of nationhood and multitudes of descendants becoming a reality. Nevertheless, his faith never wavered. He looked beyond earthly rewards to the heavenly “city which had foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10)
We should emulate these saints who persevered in their faith despite doubts, fears, and severe afflictions. The righteous shall live by faith!
May our Lord Jesus Christ grant you faith, both mountain-moving and persevering faith!