THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH 

Habakkuk 2:4(NKJV)

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

What was Habakkuk the prophet saying here?

The word “live” here is from the Hebrew word châyâh, a word that has to do with life; it means to be made alive (to be quickened). This means the person was hitherto dead. châyâh does not talk about “daily living” but about being alive from the dead, in the context of salvation.

Our theme text (Habakkuk 2:4) was quoted three times in the New Testament and from the contextual explanations therein, we find this meaning both accurate and consistent.

The three references are Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38.

Let's examine them briefly. Shall we?

Romans 1:16–17(NKJV)

16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

17 - For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Can you see that this is in the context of salvation?

Faith here has to do with believing as used in verse 16. So this means that by faith in the gospel of Jesus, a man is made alive. This is salvation.

Galatians 3:11–14(NKJV)

11 - But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."

12 - Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them."

13 - Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),

14 - that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

So this is contrasting the law of Moses (the Old Covenant) with the promise to Abraham (the New Covenant) fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

See what he said earlier:

Galatians 2:16(NKJV)

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

So “the just shall live by faith” means that the justification that cannot be found in the law is received by faith in Christ Jesus. So when a man believes in Jesus, he is justified and made alive. This is salvation.

Hebrews 10:38–39(NKJV)

38 - Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

39 - But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

So we see “the just shall live by faith” explained in “believing to the saving of the soul.” This is salvation. So drawing back has to do with unbelief which leads to perdition. (Read the verses again and make sense of it.)

In all three references, the word “live” is translated from the Greek word zao, which is the equivalent of the Hebrew word châyâh used in our theme text. zao means to come alive. This is the root word of the Greek word used by Paul in Ephesians 2.

Ephesians 2:1–5(NKJV)

1 - And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

2 - in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

3 - among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

4 - But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5 - even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).

We see this consistently used in the context of salvation. This is how we were raised from spiritual death to life eternal.

So, “the just shall live by faith” is not talking about doing things by faith in Christian life. No. It is rather talking about salvation—it means that by faith in Jesus, a man is raised to life justified.

Blessings.

Victor Ibosiola © 2023