Made Right by Faith

Paul wrote that in the gospel “the righteousness of God is revealed” (Romans 1:17). Righteousness is a big word. It means being right: right with God, and right in the way we live.

God is always right. Everything God does is right and fair. He never lies, never cheats and never makes a mistake. He is the perfect Judge.

We are not. Paul quoted the Old Testament: “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Not one person is right with God on their own.

Our best is not enough. Isaiah said, “All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Even our good deeds are stained by sin.

A real problem. A good judge cannot pretend a crime never happened. God is holy, so He cannot ignore sin.

God's answer. “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed” (Romans 3:21). God made a way for sinners to be right with Him.

Through faith. It is “the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe” (Romans 3:22).

A free gift. We are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Freely means we do not pay. Redemption means buying someone back. Jesus paid for our sin on the cross.

Justified. Justified means God the Judge declares you not guilty and right with Him. Someone else paid your penalty, so the case is closed.

Fair and kind. God is “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). He punished sin at the cross, and He forgives everyone who trusts Jesus.

Not by our work. God saved us “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy” (Titus 3:5).

No more guilty. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Condemnation means a guilty sentence.

Counted right. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Accounted means counted or written down. God counted Abraham as right with Him because he trusted God.

A new heart too. God does not only declare us right. He also gives us His Holy Spirit, who helps us grow in doing what is right, a little more each day.

What we learn. We cannot make ourselves right with God. God makes us right as a free gift when we trust Jesus.

What to do. Thank God that Jesus took your sin. Then ask Him to help you do what is right, because you already belong to Him.

Paul ended Romans 1:17 with words from an old prophet: “The just shall live by faith.” The prophet was Habakkuk, and his story helps us understand what faith means.

Habakkuk's question. Habakkuk lived when his country, Judah, was full of violence and wrong. He prayed, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear?” (Habakkuk 1:2).

A surprising answer. God said He would send the Babylonians to punish Judah. Habakkuk was shocked. The Babylonians were even worse!

Waiting. Habakkuk decided to stand and watch, waiting to hear what God would say next.

God's answer. God said, “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).

Two kinds of people. The proud trust themselves. The just trust God. The proud would not last, but the just would live.

What faith is. Faith means trusting God and taking Him at His word, even before you see how things will turn out. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Where faith comes from. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Reading and hearing the Bible helps faith grow.

Faith in Jesus. Paul wrote, “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Not by works. “A man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16). Faith receives what Jesus did.

Peace with God. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Faith every day. Living by faith means trusting Jesus at school, at home, when you are scared and when you have to wait.

Faith while waiting. Habakkuk did not get every answer right away. His faith kept holding on to God's promise while he waited. Sometimes God asks us to wait too, and He is still good.

Faith that follows. Real faith is more than words. When we trust Jesus, we want to follow Him and do what He says. Paul called this “obedience to the faith” (Romans 1:5).

What we learn. We are made right with God by faith, and we keep on living by faith, one day at a time.

What to do. Think of one worry you have. Tell God about it, and tell Him you trust Him with it.