"Now the just shall live by faith" - Heb 10:38

"Now the just shall live by faith"

"Now the just shall live by faith"

Heb 10:38 "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."

Multitudes read the words "the just shall live by faith", but hardly any stop and ask about what they have read. They repeat them mindlessly, like a religious swearword, without knowing what the statement means. Are the words:

- A description of/about the just; who are they, and what does it say about them?
or
- A prescription on how an unjustified (i.e. condemned) man can be justified?

Multitudes blindly take "the just shall live by faith" as a prescription on how a condemned (i.e. an unjustified) man can be justified by God, i.e. by his faith. Whatever has happened to common sense!

b. The statement is repeated 4 times in the Scriptures. There must be a good reason for this fourfold repetition; yet so many are addicted to soundbyte but are oblivious to the plain sense of the statement.

Here are the four passages where the statement occurs:
- Hab 2:4 "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."
- Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
- Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith.
- Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

b. Understand the CONTEXT in which this statement occurs is of utmost importance to a proper and biblical understanding of justification by faith alone. Let us ask some basic questions to understand this grant statement, “the just shall live by faith.”

1. Is this statement:- a description of the just, or a prescription on how to be justified?
A. This statement is a description of the just.

2. Who are the just that shall live by faith?
A. The just that shall live by faith are those whom God has freely justified by His grace alone. Rom 3:24.

3. When were the just justified?
These are distinct facets of justification spoken of in the Scriptures.
- They were justified by the purpose of God in eternity (before time began).
- They were justified LEGALLY by Christ's righteousness imputed to them (and all their sins imputed to Christ) when Christ died on the cross.
- They were justified PERSONALLY by God's free grace when God freely applied Christ's righteousness to them at their effectual calling out of their native state of condemnation and death.

4. How were the just justified?
- They were justified freely by the grace of God when they were still dead in trespasses and sins; God freely applied to them personally the righteousness of Christ, declaring them righteous and forgiving them all their sins.
- Their faith evidences their justification by the free grace of God; faith justifies evidentially even as breath evidences life. 

5. In what state were the just when they were freely justified by God?
- They were freely justified by God when they were still in their native state of sin and death, when they were absolutely incapable of faith.

6. What did God do when He justified the condemned sinners?
- God freely applied the righteousness of Christ to them personally, declaring them not guilty but righteous, and forgiving them all their sins.
- This speaks of the MANNER of justification.
- What was legal is now made personal. 

7. What is the only basis of God justifying condemned sinners?
- The only basis of God justifying condemned sinners is the righteousness of Christ; no righteousness, no justification.
-This speaks of the BASIS of justification. 
- Sin, the transgression of the law, brought condemnation and death; righteousness, the obedience to the law, secured justification and life

8. Why are the just capable of living by faith?
- The just are capable of living by faith because their justification by the grace of God is accompanied by regeneration and adoption, and the bestowal of the Spirit of adoption to them.
- This indwelling Spirit works in them all the saving graces, including faith. Faith is a saving grace, a fruit of salvation bestowed freely.

9. What is it to live by faith?
- To live by faith is to receive and rest in Christ alone for our righteousness and acceptance with God instead of trusting in the works of observing the ceremonial laws.

10. What is the opposite of living by faith?
- The opposite of living by faith is trusting in the works of keeping the ceremonial laws, like circumcision and blood sacrifices.
- This is what the JUSTIFIED (by the free grace of God) Hebrew believers were tempted to do, i.e. reverting back to the old covenant Judaism.
- They were reminded that the just SHALL live by faith, and NOT by observing the ceremonial laws.
- Abraham was marshalled as the classic example.
- Living by faith in Jesus Christ is the only means of experiencing the blessedness of one's justified state by the free grace of God.
- This is completely different from the popular LIE of sola fide.

Heb 10:38 "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."
To draw back, the just shall stop living by faith in the blessed Lord Jesus Christ; the just live by observing the old covenant ceremonial laws. 

Heb 10:31 "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."Blessed is the man who understands the above. Amen.