"The just shall live by faith" is a foundational statement, a basic premise of the Kingdom of God. It did not originate in the New Testament but in the Book of Habakkuk.

Largely because of the theology of Martin Luther, the expression the just shall live by faith has come to mean men cannot save themselves by righteous works but only by believing in the Lord Jesus.

While this is true, the conclusion being drawn from it today is not true. The current understanding of the just shall live by faith is that people are not required to seek God and to serve Him diligently because to do so would be to attempt to save oneself by works. It is said we are saved by faith alone apart from any righteous conduct on our part. This is not scriptural. It would be to maintain that one has been healed because he has called the doctor even though he still is sick.

Part of the problem arises from our defining salvation as being salvation from Hell rather than salvation from sin. We are attempting to use the Divine salvation as a means of escaping the consequences of our lawlessness, rather than what it is in actuality—a means of escaping our lawlessness.

If God's salvation were a means of escaping the consequences of lawlessness, rather than a suspension of Divine judgment while we are being transformed into lawfulness, it would be a change in what God is. In this case the Christian Gospel would be the worst possible catastrophe. It would be far better that the universe be obliterated.

The Christian churches of our day are in moral confusion because Paul's doctrine in the Book of Romans has been perverted into an excuse for immorality. It may be true that the Book of Romans is the most misunderstood writing of all time.

Let us think about the correct understanding of the just shall live by faith.

There are two ways in which a human being can live on the earth. He can live in pride, presumption, haughtiness, self-exaltation, self-will, self-seeking, or he can live in humble dependence on the Lord.

Man can attempt to insure his own survival, his own joy, his own communication of his worth, reputation, and eminence, his own rulership, his own achievement of lasting and worthwhile projects, or he can trust in the Lord for his survival, his joy, the communication of his worth, reputation, and eminence, his rulership, his achievement of lasting and worthwhile projects.

People live by pride and self-seeking or by trust and faith in God.

The just shall live by faith means the righteous individual is the one who journeys through life by faith in God and dependence on God, and who looks to God alone for righteousness, for approval, and for reward. It does not mean godly behavior is not a requisite of salvation. In fact, godly behavior is salvation. Godly character and behavior are the only proof, the very demonstration, of salvation. Faith apart from works of godliness is dead—and a dead faith is not the salvation that proceeds from the God of Israel! (from A Study Guide for the Book of Romans)