Walking with Faith vs. Walking by Faith

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith."

Romans 1: 16-17

      In this passage, Paul proclaims the power of the message he is carrying, that it has the power to save anyone who believes in this. Once someone truly understands what this message is capable of, it becomes natural to not keep it to themselves, so that many may hear and know God for themselves. People are saved by faith, but salvation comes from God's grace despite us being so undeserving, and this is the Gospel. 

      The gospel shows us God's righteousness. The righteousness revealed in the Gospel is through justification, which is what happens when Christ's grace covers us. Justification is when God (our perfect judge) declares us righteous, like we have never sinned nor ever will sin again, because Christ took the punishment of our sins.
      He then tells us that God's righteousness is revealed from "faith to faith." Notice he doesn't say God's righteousness is revealed from "faith to works", as if faith is the source of salvation but works are required to keep it. It is always faith that presses forward which conquers unbelief, which is why he then quotes the prophet Habakkuk in saying "just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith."

"So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight, and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him."

2 Corinthians 5:6-9

      In these scriptures, Paul describes our journey as believers as a walk, one in which we don't base our choices off what we see, but by what we believe. The way we walk as believers should be totally opposite and radically different from the way a nonbeliever walks. 

     Think of your life as being like a solar system. When you don't know Christ, you are the sun. Everything revolves around you. Your life as the sun of your solar system is filled with many planets that revolve around you: sports, friend groups, clubs, and all else you fill your time with. Then when we start walking "with faith" our faith becomes just another planet in our solar system. We may go to church. pray, memorize scripture, and do all the things a "good christian" does, but when it comes down to it, our relationship with Christ still revolves around us. The time we spend with Him depends on our schedules, what is convenient, and what is comfortable. We study the bible when we have time to, instead of making time to. What are you really willing to do for your relationship with Christ? 

      God doesn't call the church to live with a lil' bit o' faith on the side, He calls us to walk BY faith. This requires taking faith out of its' place as a planet, and putting yourself in its' place. This calls us to make the Son the sun of our life. This sometimes requires making sacrifices, like waking up early, or staying up late. You may ask, how does this look in a believers life? Well, Paul actually told us in verse 9 up there:

"Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him."

2 Corinthians 5:9

       When our lives are revolving around Christ, our desire becomes less each day to please and satisfy ourselves, but to please and glorify God. This goes back to what Paul wrote in Romans when he said, "For in it God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith..." (1:17a). Our faith isn't revealed by us believing in God, then trying our best to be righteous. We are made and revealed righteous by our faith in God. When Christ is the Sun by which our lives revolve around, we are renewed and transformed from the inside out. 

"Therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God"

Romans 12:1-2

This faith that Paul speaks of to us in these passage isn't just believing that He is real, even the demons believe that. Paul calls you to trust in His word, that it is truth. To trust in the Word, that He is good, and He is holy, and He is righteous, but also that He sent His Son to the cross to die for your sins. You can't live by faith unless you have decided to give your life to Him, and let Him be the pilot of your life, not just the co-pilot. If you have never made that decision, I encourage you to pray about it today, and if you have, spend some time assessing God's place in your life. Is He a planet or the Sun?