The Scriptures reveal the true faith, and the understanding of the statement, "the just shall live by faith." True scriptural faith always comes from God into the spirit of the believer, not from the mental and soulish efforts of the individual. True faith always is employed to find the will of God and to do it, not to direct God to do whatever the Christian desires. True faith always lives in works. There is no such thing as an abstract faith, a faith not expressed in some kind of works. To live by faith is not to adopt a doctrinal position but to live in a close relationship with God, always depending on Him for all our needs.

We have come to the conclusion after many years of thought and experience that there are major errors in current Christian thinking. Somehow our concept of the plan of salvation has gotten off course. The fruit of the error can be observed in the pathetic state of the Christian testimony in the so-called "free" nations of our day.

It seems to us that at least part of the problem arises from our interpretation of the cry of the Protestant Reformers, "the just shall live by faith." In particular, the error springs from our understanding of faith.

What is faith ?

If we base our conception of salvation on "the just shall live by faith," and then define faith incorrectly, we have a serious problem at the core of our theology and practice.

Faith is employed commonly to refer to our religion: "She is a member of the Christian faith."

This is not the meaning of the term faith in the expression, "the just shall live by faith."

The Scriptures counsel us to live and minister according to the faith assigned to us.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)

While the faith portioned out to us for life and ministry comes closer than some other definitions, it still is not exactly the faith emphasized in "the just shall live by faith."

Sometimes the Spirit of God will give us a special faith, or a gift of faith, that will produce a miracle. Miracle-working faith is not what the writers of Scripture meant by "the just shall live by faith."

We hear ministers say they are living "by faith" or doing the work of God "by faith." This usually means they are not working and have no source of income other than what is donated to them by interested believers. Such Christians may be sincere and following the Lord Jesus, but this is not the meaning of "the just shall live by faith."

To be continued.