What is a righteous man and how does he become righteous? A righteous man is one who is in right standing with God, and the only way for that to happen is by faith, faith in the gospel. And what is the gospel, one might ask? It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. And believes in what, one might ask? That God so loved the world that He gave us His Son as a sacrifice, for our forgiveness from the penalty of sin…if we believe this, and repent from our hearts, we will be in right standing with God. We will be righteous in God’s sight.

The power of God for salvation? Yes, the power of God for salvation from the past penalties of sin, from the present power of sin in our daily life, unto the future place in heaven away from the actual presence of sin. For in the power of God is His righteousness revealed from faith to faith… not only from the past, and in the present but, into the future.

But, what is faith, one might ask? Faith is Gods’ righteousness. Through Gods’ righteousness is revealed a conviction of truth and a conviction unto obedience which produces faith. And we are to live by faith to faith, from start to finish. We receive salvation by faith, we live our lives by faith, we have the assurance of things hoped for by faith; all through the righteousness of God.

Paul’s statement was stressing that he who was righteous by faith, shall live. Through the power of Gods’ righteousness, we are enabled by faith to grow in righteousness. Paul is stressing that the righteous man must continue to be righteous and grow in righteousness before God, to live. He who is righteous shall live by faith. He who is righteous shall live by the Power of God. He who is righteous shall live under the convicting power of truth and the undefying will to obey. This is to teach that the person who has been made righteous by God and continues in righteousness will live and survive the coming ordeal by faith. If we are living by faith we should be living under the convictions of complete trust in God and complete obedience to His Word. Our faith is the Power of Gods’ righteousness, His ever present Power of Conviction unto Truth and Obedience. No wonder His Word says, "for truly I say unto you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, "Move from here to there", and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you." Now that’s Living By Faith.

May we all pray in unity as our Lord did, that our faith be as one.

 C.A. MacMillan