Hebrews, Chapter 11, the "faith" chapter, does not mention acceptance or confession of theological facts. Rather, it portrays an attitude of heart and mind that causes the faithful to spend their lives in obedience to God and in the single-minded pursuit of the city that has foundations, the new Jerusalem. This is the faith that saves. Saving faith properly can be rendered "faithfulness." Scriptural "faith" is faithfulness to God. It is not an attempt to escape the consequences of sin against the moral law of God by professing belief in Christ.

The just shall live by faith is a way of living, not adherence to specialized theological knowledge.

We must persevere in Christian behavior to the end of our days if we expect

to be saved, that is, to be brought into the Kingdom of God at the appearing

of the Lord. The righteous are saved with difficulty, according to the Scriptures (I Peter 4:18). The expression "saved with difficulty" means, from the context, that fiery trials save us by purifying our spirit.

Fiery trials save us if we continue in faith toward God. However, if we do not respond correctly to the fiery trials by continuing in faith toward God, but instead blame people or God for our pain, then our suffering produces bitterness in us rather than righteousness and eternal life.

"The righteous shall live by faith" means God will receive the individual who lives his life in humble dependence on God (through Christ now that Christ has come). But Christian tradition interprets this fundamental Kingdom principle to mean God will receive the individual who professes certain facts of theology (facts known to the demons) whether or not the individual lives in faithfulness before God.

The current definition and practice are contrary to the Scriptures. They teach that the righteous do not live by faith in God but will go to Heaven because of their statement of belief. According to this false teaching it is not necessary that we live in humble dependence on God, only that we profess the correct theology.

That may not be what theologians intend to convey but it certainly is being understood this way by a multitude of God's people. The result of the misunderstanding has been the destruction of the testimony of the Christian churches. The testimony of Christ always must be of righteous, holy, and obedient behavior, not of theological belief divorced from behavior.

Not only has the Lord removed the Lampstand (the Divine testimony) from the churches because of the unrighteousness of the members, but in addition the believers are under condemnation because they are not walking and abiding "in Christ." They will be rewarded precisely according to their behavior. They will harvest what they are sowing. They must be warned of this fact.

Let us continue in Romans, Chapter Two:

But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, (Romans 2:8)

Who will receive indignation and anger in the Day of Christ?

The Scripture states, "every man."

Would we say "only the non-Christian"? Not unless we are ready to maintain it is only the non-Christian who can gain eternal life by patient continuance in well-doing (to be consistent with the previous verse—2:7).

To be continued.