Living By Faith

Along with several other passages, Romans 1:17 says, "The righteous will live by faith."  It is a well established biblical principle but what does it mean?  Other expressions that indicate our understanding of this principle are: "Taking a leap of faith," "Stepping out in faith" and "Walking by faith."  Each of these contains an element of forward motion without clear vision of what it ahead.  A conclusion easily drawn from 2 Cor 5:7, "For we live by faith, not by sight."

And, to be sure, there is an element of "sightless progression."  However, that element is not the key to living by faith, it is only an element.  The thing that makes forward motion paralyzing or possible is the real key to this kind of living.  Consider this: What is it that makes forward motion without sight so difficult?  Is it the fact that we can't see where we're walking?  No.  We walk in our houses all the time in the dark, unable to see.  Why?  Because we do not fear.  We feel safe to move forward in our own house.  Would you feel as safe or be as likely to do the same in a dark alley?  Would you be OK to continue driving at night if your headlights stopped working?

What makes sightless forward motion difficult if not impossible for us is fear.  We fear what might be there, we fear what might happen, we would feel much better moving forward if we could see what it it that we are walking into - normally.  However, we might even fear it more if we could see.  What if we saw a hungry lion up the path?  What if we saw a group of gang members down a well-lit alley?  Would you feel comfortable walking ahead even though you could see clearly in those cases?

Not seeing and not knowing what is ahead can be a deterrent to forward motion, for sure, but that is not the primary reason.  For instance, if you were moving up a path where a lion might well be but you were with Jack Hannon and a film crew, could you keep going?  If you were walking down an alley where gangs were known to hang out but you were surrounded by Seal Team Six, would you worry much about it?

The presence of fear, not the absence of sight, is the real barrier to forward motion.  Sightlessness often produces fear, which prevents it, but sight is not the foundation upon which paralysis is built.  Listen to the Word of the Lord: “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back" (Heb 10:38).   Living by faith is juxtaposed with shrinking back.  Faith vs. fear.

Living by faith is to live without fear, knowing God is with you, not necessarily to see or not see what is ahead.  The Lord's words to Joshua are also His words to us: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go"(Josh 1:9).  Living by faith is to walk with the knowledge of God's nearness.  Jus' Say'n.