Stand Strong in the Word
Stand Strong in the Word is a weekly bible study that teaches through the Bible verse by verse in chronological order. For more information, visit www.standstrongministries.org.
Stand Strong in the Word
#308 “A Life Powered By Faith” (Romans 1:17)
Have you ever wondered what it truly means to live by faith in every part of life? In this episode, we’ll unpack Romans 1:17—seeing how faith reveals God’s righteousness by highlighting His unwavering character, His justice and mercy, and by strengthening our hearts to endure every trial.
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Have you ever wondered what it truly means to live by faith in every part of life? In this episode we'll unpack Romans 1, verse 17, seeing how faith reveals God's righteousness by highlighting His unwavering character, his justice and mercy, and by strengthening our hearts to endure every trial in life. Turn to Romans 1, and let's stand strong in the word together. Well, hey there, my friends, welcome to Stand Strong in the Word. Podcast, jason Jimenez with you as always. Blessed to be with you, guys, as we continue our study here in the book of Romans. So we're now going to be highlighting verse 17.
Speaker 1:And I'm sure you know this verse, just like you knew the previous verse in verse 16, when Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God. And when we explored that passage, we saw that the Bible itself is saying that the gospel message itself is not about man, but it's about God, it's his power and it's for anyone who believes. He said to the Jew first and also to the Greek. So we know that the gospel is for anybody. God does not show partiality, but it's inclusive to only those who actually believe. Now let's ask this question what if you have believed. What if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ? Now, obviously, the vast majority of you listeners out there all over the globe who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ we, as we wake up every single day, our desire is to be more like our son Jesus. This reminds me of one of the songs recently that I was listening to in worship, and it's all about becoming more like Jesus, becoming more like our savior, and it really broke me and I was thinking of this passage that we're going to be learning about on today's podcast.
Speaker 1:In verse 17 of Romans, chapter 1, it says For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the righteous shall live by faith. So, if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and God's truth is being revealed to us, we are living a righteous life or we are called, we are commanded to live a righteous life. And so, as I asked in the opening, what does it truly look like for you to live your life out in faith, in every part of your life, in your prayer life, in your relationships, in your spiritual giftedness and how you're serving mankind, how you are investigating the truth of God's word and as you do so, and as you study and you meditate on it, that you're living according to the infallibility of scripture. What does that look like? Well, that's what we're going to be unpacking Now.
Speaker 1:As many of you guys do know, if you are students of church history, we know that this particular verse just transformed individuals like Martin Luther. Just transformed individuals like Martin Luther, which eventually led to what was known as the Reformation period, which was 500 plus years ago. And this is a very significant passage, and so it just didn't resonate to an individual who was convicted by it. If, in fact, the righteous shall live by faith, then the religiosity of the day ecumenumenically is not to the service of God. So let's unpack this passage and understand its significance.
Speaker 1:Now, the first thing, if you notice, when you see in verse 17 says for in it the righteousness of God is revealed. As always, let's go back. And we saw in verse 16, remember he says for I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. So when we see this particular context now in scripture, we know that the gift of salvation is offered to anyone who believes. That's what we talked about. It's where we left things off. And then he says for in it, what is it? It's the gospel. For in it, what we see in the gospel we learn in verse 16, is the power of God. So when you hear the message of the gospel, now we know, remember the power of God. So when you hear the message of the gospel, now we know, remember in Mark 1, the gospel is Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:In 1 Corinthians 15, I say this a lot in our podcast we understand the gospel because a lot of times when people say, well, what is the gospel In part, they say things that are theologically sound but they don't give the totality of it. But in 1 Corinthians 15, in verses three and following, we see the gospel is the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. That's why, in essence, it's Jesus, the gospel is Jesus. So clearly the gospel is the power of God, because Jesus is God. And then it says for in it the righteousness of God is revealed. So not only when we study the gospel, when we live out the gospel, when we preach the gospel, not only are we preaching the power of God. For what? For salvation, meaning God's power is greater than any sin. And then not only that, but it's also we see the righteousness of God from faith, for faith.
Speaker 1:Now, this is the key theme throughout the entire book. In fact, if you go to Romans 3, verse 5, we see here in this passage where Paul says this about the righteousness of God. It says here in verse 5, verse five but if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? I speak in a human way? By no means, for then how could God judge the world? But through my lie, god's truth abounds to his glory. So even in our failings, even in our unrighteousness, that reveals the righteousness of God. What does that have to do with the gospel? Everything? Hence why we need to be saved from our unrighteousness. We don't have righteousness in and of ourselves. That only comes from Jesus Christ, from his righteousness, from his nature. So this is a key theme.
Speaker 1:In that same chapter, in chapter three, verse 21, he says but now the righteousness of God has been manifested, apart from the law. Now, this is something that Martin Luther and many of them were looking at, just cross-referencing about the righteous shall live by faith. And we'll look at that verse from the Old Testament. Paul's now pulling into the context of the new covenant and its significance across the board. So when they see that the righteousness of God was manifested in Jesus, who is a perfect human being, the God-man, one person, two natures, two wills, and we see that when Jesus lived there was no sinful act, no sinful thought. He didn't perverse his actions in any way, shape or form. He did not run contrary to the will of God, to his Father. He did the will of God perfectly on earth and he was our substitute. And then it goes on throughout chapter 3, if you just spend some time in verse 22, verse 25, verse 26.
Speaker 1:If you look at chapter 10, verse 3. There in chapter 10, verse 3, notice what Paul says later in his letter. He says brothers, I'm going to jump to verse 3. There in chapter 10, verse 3, notice what Paul says later in his letter. He says brothers, I'm going to jump to verse 1. He says my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. So remember, in the opening of his letter he's talking about the gospel that he's not ashamed of. And one thing I've been encouraging each one of you guys is not to underestimate the faith that you have in your belief in the gospel, in living it out and therefore sharing what it is that you believe and then notice.
Speaker 1:Here in verse 3 of chapter 10, he says for being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they do not submit to God's righteousness. Ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Verse four for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. So God gives his righteousness so that we can be in right standing or in a right relationship with him. I love what the prophet Isaiah said. He said this I bring near my righteousness, it is not far off in my salvation will not delay. I will put salvation in Zion for Israel, my glory. So we see prophetically that God's salvation, his righteousness, will not only impact Israel and that's why, going back to what we saw at the end of verse 16, he says to the Jew first, and then also to the Greeks Now, the biblical, theological study Bible says this quote Paul takes this language from the Old Testament, where righteousness of God denotes God doing what is right or acting to put things right, and you see this throughout the Old Testament In 1 Samuel 12, verse 7, psalm 7, verse 9, jeremiah 9, verse 24.
Speaker 1:In dependence on some key prophetic texts, paul uses the phrase in the latter sense here. In the Old Testament, god promised that he would put right or vindicate his people, israel. Now Paul announces anyone who believes according to verse 16, can experience God's vindication. God's vindication, this vindication is a forensic or judicial act that confers on believers the status of righteousness. So when you look at it now, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed. What Paul in essence is saying from faith for faith, we'll touch on in a minute. What Paul in essence is saying from faith for faith, we'll touch on in a minute is, for in it the vindication of God is revealed, god saying you guys are all in sin, you've been separated from the life of God, you've been alienated from me. But don't you worry, because I have the answer judicially. I'm not going to cut corners. There's going to be a sacrifice, there's going to be a payment, and it will forensically transform your life. Not a coverup, but something that will forensically, spiritually, mentally, transform your life from death to life. So you go from unrighteousness to righteousness. You go from the status of being abandoned and alienated in the deadness of your sins to having the status of righteousness. So, while God acts in the status of righteousness, so while God acts in the gospel of Christ to put people in the right, they experience the benefits of God's activity, only catch this when they respond in faith. So we have the benefits. So, when you and I go back to not underestimating our faith and sharing the gospel and not being ashamed why? Because we are the fruit of the power of God. When you hear somebody share their testimony that I was once living a life of sin and Christ set me free, that's showing you the power and forgiveness of God. You're now seeing them not only in right standing before God, but in right living. This is what Paul says in Philippians 3, verse 9. He says not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. So if you want to be forgiven, if you want to walk before God in his mercy, it depends on the faith that you have, because if you don't believe that you are a sinner, then you won't put your faith in God to forgive as your savior. Because when you look at the message, when you think of the message of the gospel, we have been rescued from sin and death and we are positioned and in a place of right standing before god because of what christ has done for us. That's what god the father sees that we have his son in our life as our savior, the last. We don't want to live like the first Adam, with the transmission of sin and the condemnation, because remember in Romans, chapter two, verse five, we had a hard and impotent heart and as a result of that we are storing up for ourselves. Paul says in the next chapter over wrath the day of wrath is going to come, but if we put our faith in Jesus Christ and his righteousness and we believe that we could be in right standing before him because we put our faith in his grace and the salvation that he offers us, then we're forgiven. So, rather than to face God's righteous judgment and condemnation, we stand in his righteousness. This is something Paul says in chapter three, verse 25, when he says whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood. I love that to be put forward. I can't wait to jump into chapter three. I would have to say that is probably one of the most difficult passage to unpack in terms of the atonement and to really explore the meaning of propitiation by his blood. But we're told that God put that forward, that was his and I hate to use the term, but just to understand in layman's terms, that was God's solution for us, and so he put this forward. I mean, he's offering us this free gift that was paid for by the death of Jesus in his resurrection, so his blood. It says here in verse 25, and it says that we are then to receive it by faith. There it is so, just as we saw earlier, that it depends, as Paul said in Philippians 3, that it depends on faith. So the righteousness from God that depends on faith. Then we see in Romans 3, verse 25, god put forward a propitiation and it's to be received by faith, and then Paul says this was to show God's righteousness. Isn't that amazing? So when we're seeing this phrase here in verse 17, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed, we see him say this at the end of verse 25 in chapter three, that this is to show God's righteousness because in his divine forbearance he has passed over former sins. Now notice the word that is attached to this. Paul says it is revealed. What is the righteousness of God is revealed. What does that mean? While in the Greek the word translated is apocalyptic, it is in the present passive, indicative form of apocalypto, which means to uncover, to disclose, to lay open. So pause for a minute, jump back to Romans 3, verse 25, with me and notice when it says that God put forward and to show God's righteousness. So these are the play on words that Paul's using here in chapter one, that he'll continue to unpack in the letter. So keep that in mind, because that he'll continue to unpack in the letter. So keep that in mind, because what he's saying here is that the gospel, salvation, god's righteousness, has been uncovered, it's been disclosed, it's been lay open. As we continue our study in the book of Romans, chapter one, we're going to see that Paul's going to continue to use this phraseology in verse 18 when he says that the wrath of God is revealed. So, just as God's righteousness is revealed, his wrath is going to be revealed Because, in one sense, people who put their faith and trust in what he has done, they become in right standing, and those who reject it will be condemned in their unrighteousness and the result of it is separation from God. So this has been revealed, this has been made known to everyone God's righteousness, his wrath to come. If you receive, you're forgiven. If you reject, you are condemned. So this is what Paul's saying. In fact, thayer's Greek lexicon says that this is making something that is obviously unknown and making it evident to all. Or Douglas Moe, in his commentary on the epistle to the Romans, clarifies that the Greek term here, apokaleptite, signifies a divine initiative. What he means by that is that it's showing God's proactive act of unveiling truth and God doesn't make any mistakes, so when he put forward his son to atone for the sins of mankind, there's no authority, there's no power or system that can override it. So God was proactively making known or revealing or uncovering who he is to his fallen creation. And in the process of unveiling his truth, he is making it known to them Not just who he is, but that he's a merciful God. So when people are saying God is so hateful, if God existed, why this? Why that they don't fully understand, obviously, who God is, that he's a God of truth, he's a God of mercy. He explains that this term this is Douglas Moe in his commentary says that it originates from apocalyptic literature. So this is very important for us not to miss out on. It's a very compelling term and something that we have to understand right now because, as I mentioned a minute ago, this is a term that Paul is going to continue to use in the book of Romans, and so when you think of it in apocalyptic literature, it typically describes God's revealing of eschatological realities. And what's so amazing is that Dr Mo is showing this term that's used in the Septuagint meaning. Remember, the Hebrew scriptures was translated into Greek, and if you look at Daniel, chapter two, specifically in verse 28, he's using that term. Paul's pulling from that terminology and applying it to right now. So, just as God has revealed himself in the Old Testament, god has revealed himself in Christ, who has brought in the new covenant. And so, dr Mo, he says that Paul employs the verb here revealed, so we have the word revealed in English. He says that he's employing the verb to stress that God's righteousness that was once concealed or only partly understood has now been fully revealed through the gospel. So there's nothing lacking in the gospel, everything that you and I need to know about the gospel has been revealed, and so the use of the present tense highlights that this revelation is ongoing. So you and I continue to learn things about the gospel. Now, of course, when we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior, we believe in the message of the gospel the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's not like. That's ongoing meaning. He keeps adding to the message. That's not what it says here. It's just talking about the proclamation of it. Meaning you and I continue to see the impact, the power of the gospel in the world, because God's righteousness is continually or continuously being made known or is manifesting to believers, changing lives, and this is so important for us to understand. Just as my wife and I were sitting with some dear friends of ours over dinner the other night, they're talking about coming back from a mission trip and how, once again in a different part of the world, the gospel message, even though it's in a different tongue, the way that it was being preached to a different ethnic group, it's the same and they need to hear it. And so that was affirming to all of us and to God be glory, because it shows the ongoing relevance and the divine purpose of what you and I have been called to do. Okay, so we understand God's righteousness and this terminology, revealed in its significance to uncover, to disclose, to lay open. Then notice this phrase that he attaches to this from faith for faith, or a clearer translation is, from faithfulness of Christ to the faith of believers. What Paul's doing here is he is expressing how the righteousness of God this is something he talks about in chapter three, again verses 21 and 22, where God has manifested himself apart from the law Remember, I read that and it says although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus for all who believe, and that's why I do believe that that's a proper translation from the faithfulness of Christ to the faith of believers. Now, in the Greek it is ek pastaios es pastin, and what this means is that faith is the beginning of the salvation process and it is the goal as well. So, for example, as the New King James study Bible says, when a person first exercises faith in Christ, that person is saved from the penalty of sin and declared righteous. As the believer lives by faith, god continues to save him or her from the power of sin to live righteously. So, yes, when you and I put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, positionally, we've been declared righteous, but the gospel is still evident in our life from faith to faith. Because of the faithfulness of Christ and we put our faith in his faithfulness, we can overcome the power of sin. It's still saving us from the destruction of sin as we live in this world. Again, if you go back to chapter three, verse 22, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. Now, it's important for us to understand, though, that there are various usages when we use the word faith. So I told you, the Greek here is akpasteos as pestin, and so you still see the root meaning pestea, of pesteos, I should say of faith, but it's showing, in the Greek, the differences not faith to or for faith from, like the faith of Abraham, to our faith. Today, the faith, the pesteos, is the faithfulness, something that is far greater, and because of that faithfulness that is perfect, which is Christ, our faith that is placed in him will last, not because our faith is that strong, because our faith is not in us. And so when you look at the different usages of faith. Number one, as we've been talking about, it's about having belief, Having belief in, let's say, christianity. That I believe Christianity is true, then you also have the faith in you. Contending it says for the faith. You know that concept of the belief system. We also know the saving faith right, like you see in Acts, chapter 16, verse 31,. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and what, and you shall be saved. One, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and what, and you shall be saved. So you have the belief system or Christianity as faith. Like I have a faith, meaning I am a Christian because I have a saving faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. And then, as we saw that phrase, as a believer lives by faith, god continues to save him or her from the power of sin to live righteously. That's describing the daily faith that I trust in the Lord and not in my flesh, that I look to him, that I walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5, 7. So in Acts 16, 31, I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. I put my faith and trust in him. Not of works At least anyone should boast, right, but as you and I live and we're sanctified. We are living by faith, not by sight, and so faith is something that is active and it's something that grows because we see throughout. And it says increase our faith in Luke 17 or in 2 Peter 1, add to your faith. That's not like a smorgasbord where you just have whatever type of faith you want to, and it's syncretic or it's polytheistic or whatever the case may be. No, he's saying that you can continue as you're being trained in your faith. You can continue to mature in it. So now that we have that out of the way, we have this phrase now the righteous shall live by faith. So what Paul's now doing here is he's quoting from Habakkuk, chapter two, verse four, to reinforce the connection between righteousness that we've been talking about and now with faith. So we have three terms that we have clarified with faith. So we have three terms that we have clarified. What righteousness is? What revealed means in the faith that we have Now? Dr Schreiner, in Baker's exegetical commentary on Romans, which I highly recommend, he believes the phrase refers to the righteousness. In this case, when he's talking about the righteous shall live by faith, he's saying that that is forensic. He says it like this one isn't made righteous by faith but is counted as righteous by faith, end quote. And if you do look at chapter 5 or 17, paul speaks of the gift of righteousness. Isn't that amazing? So this is something that God has put forward, that he's offered us his righteousness to be adopted in his kingship. And we're told in chapter 5 or 17, it's a gift. So God's righteousness, my friends, is a gift. And oftentimes, because of what the scripture teaches, and if I'm making a choice to do something that's contrary to God, I say Lord, why am I rejecting not your gift of salvation? But I think oftentimes, as Christians, as we're trying to walk by faith, not by sight, as we're trying to walk in the spirit, not in the flesh, we oftentimes can reject the gift of righteousness, meaning it's a gift, when we choose to do the right thing. And this is important because when you and I understand what God has given us and when you and I understand fundamentally, theologically, foundationally, that forensic justification is not just a doctrine that we believe with head knowledge, this is something that we see throughout scripture and this is the heart of this phrase the righteous shall live by faith. This is what ushered into the reformation. It's all about justification. It's not something that a church or a human being or a priest or an ecumenical ritual can produce. This only comes from Jesus Christ. This is why you see this doctrine of justification by faith here in verse 17,. Galatians, chapter 3, verse 11,. Hebrews, chapter 10, verse 38, because, clearly, salvation is by faith alone. And this is something that we see also in the Old Testament. And this is what Paul was doing when he's pulling from the Old Testament and he's using the term revealed, coinciding it with the ministry of Daniel. Likewise, this phrase that he's pulling from in Habakkuk, chapter two, he's saying this to all of us you look at the life of Abraham, you look at the life of David and this is something he talks about in chapter four of Romans and verses one through eight. And this is something he talks about in chapter 4 of Romans, in verses 1 through 8, that he was justified not by works but faith in God. We're told that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. That is so important. And then in verse 6, he says, just as David also speaks of the blessings of the one to whom God counts righteousness, catch this apart from works. So blessed is the man who lives accordingly. So when the writer of Hebrews, in verse six of chapter 11, emphasizes that without faith it's impossible to please the Lord, we know that the life of Abraham, we know that the life of David pleased the Lord. Why? Because they had his righteousness, they accepted it. So they were saved in the Old Testament by grace, through faith. So nothing's changed. All we have is the elaboration because of Christ coming and fulfilling scripture. So when you and I look at chapter three, verse 21, through chapter four, verse 25, you see a beautiful account of the doctrine of justification, what it looks like in the life of a believer. And then when you jump in chapter five, verse one, all the way to chapter eight, verse 39, we are now living in that justification. So we become righteous, meaning we are counted as righteous chapter 3, verse 21 through 4, verse 25. And we're living in it, that sanctification. Chapter 5, verse 1 through chapter 8, verse 39. And I love also this last thing I want to share with you guys before we close out is it just really ties everything together and it's found in Colossians 1, verse 22 and 23. Because this is what Paul writes to how we as Christians are to endure. He says that he has now reconciled in his body a flesh by his death in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. Let me just pause before I jump to verse 23 and say this so notice that when God put forward, when he offers his righteousness as a gift, that we go from death to life, that there was a day of wrath to come, but Christ took that away from us, and now we have been declared righteous, we know that he wants to present us holy and blameless. He wants to present you and I above reproach. So now, no matter what trial or tribulation that you're going through, god will see you through it. Because in verse 23 of Colossians 1, it says if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation, under heaven, and Paul says, which I became a minister Again, he believes in the power of the gospel. And so my friends and Paul says, as the righteous shall continue to live by faith no matter the circumstances, no matter what is happening in your life. I have them too. No one is removed from adversity. There are things my wife and I are praying about that we're giving before God daily. I was doing that this morning in my prayer time before the Lord, quietly saying God, you have to take this. I can't do it. I don't want to do it. I don't want to go if you're not prompting me to go and forgive me, lord, if I've been hasty or if I've been trying to jump forward to do something you've not called me to do. So I pray, my friends, that you, as the righteous, are living by faith and that you will share that truth with people around you. I wanna thank you guys for always praying and thank you for listening to this podcast. If this ministry has truly been a blessing to you. I'd ask you guys to do a couple things. Number one let us know. You can contact us by emailing us at info at stanstrawministriesorg. Share with us your testimony, or maybe you have a theological question that you're struggling through. I'm actually going through some questions that I've been receiving from some of our faithful listeners and I can't wait to respond to you guys. Also, you can leave us a review. Wherever you get your podcast, make sure that you drop a little review. That helps us tremendously, as it's a competitive market out there, but, more importantly because we want to continue to grow our audience, so more people like you will stand strong in God's word. So I love you guys. Thank you for listening. Until next time, keep standing strong in the word of God, thank you.