BLOG SERIES INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
In Romans 1:16-17 the Apostle Paul writes:
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes...For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Inspired by this verse, life's events thus far, and the daily struggles that I experience, I've decided to devote a blog series to understanding and discussing what 'living by faith' looks like; essentially, what should, I believe, characterize the Christian's inner self and consequently, outer reflection. The great thing about what lies ahead for both of us, is that I have so much to learn, too. I won't always write from experience but from what I understand from God's Word, which is also slowly changing me from the inside as I consciously yield to God's Spirit who is at work in me. What I desire and will endeavor to do is to make clear to myself and to those who end up reading my thoughts that it is action and conscious expressions of the will that denote true belief in Christ, God's salvation, and declarations that Jesus is the author of life and my Lord and God. After all, how we live reveals what we believe and the kind of heart we have.
With all that said,
Are you truly righteous? Who are the true righteous ones of God? What does it mean to be righteous?
Dictionary.com defines "righteous" as: 1) Morally right or justifiable, virtuous, 2)perfectly wonderful, fine and genuine
Ultimately, God sets the standard for righteous being and living. He is righteousness defined. It is through Jesus that we have been made morally right in the eyes of God (righteous being), and still through Jesus that we are able to live by faith (righteous living).
1 John 2:29 says "If you know He is righteous, you know that everyone who also practices righteousness is born of him." (NET)
So it comes down to this: Those who practice righteousness (live by faith) are those who have accepted and trusted in the righteousness of Christ. Just as Jesus himself alluded that those who are his listen to him and follow him (John 10:27). Conversely, those who do not listen to and follow him are not really his. True Christianity seeks to imitate Christ, living day by day through His Holy Spirit.
In this blog series I hope to capture some of what living by faith looks like. As I journey with Christ and learn to walk in His ways, I pray you will be encouraged to do the same in yours.
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