Friday, March 18 LIFE-GIVING RIGHTEOUSNESS ROMANS 1:16-17

Friday, March 18

LIFE-GIVING RIGHTEOUSNESS                                                                                                                                            ROMANS 1:16-17

‟See, he is puffed up;

His desires are not upright—

But the righteous will live by his faith—”

Habakkuk 2: 4

The story goes that Martin Luther was preparing his bible lesson based on the letter to the Romans, when he came across the verse from Habakkuk: “The righteous will live by his faith.” Luther had already found that God’s righteousness is revealed in the gospel; that from beginning to end it is through faith. How was he to make sense of the situation experienced in his time in the Church, where the importance of works was so greatly emphasized?

It is difficult for us to understand the role that faith plays.  We think that “faith alone” is not enough, that we have to do something important in order to attain that quality of life to which we aspire.

We often forget that it is God Himself who has done something very important for us.  And that it is up to us to respond with the work of faith.

I have to believe in Him who has made my life righteous; He who has delivered me from sin and who offers me a new life.

Prayer: Father, grant that I may live the life that you have given me, believing in you and serving you. Amen.

JUSTICIA VIVIFICANTE                                                                                                                                            ROMANOS  1:16-17

‟Aquel cuya alma no es recta, es arrogante;

pero el justo vivirá por su fe.”

Habacuc 2: 4

Cuenta la historia que Martin Lutero se encontraba preparando su clase bíblica basada en la carta a los Romanos, cuando se encontró  con la cita de Habacuc: ‟El justo por la fe vivirá”.

Ya Lutero había descubierto que en el evangelio se revela la justicia de Dios, que de principio a fin es por medio de la fe. ¿Cómo entender la situación que se estaba viviendo en la Iglesia donde se enfatizaba tanto la importancia de las obras?

Nos cuesta trabajo entender el papel de la fe. Nos parece que la ‟sola fe” no es suficiente,  que yo tengo algo importante que hacer para lograr esa calidad de vida a la cual aspiro.

Con frecuencia se nos olvida que es el propio Dios el que ha hecho algo muy importante por nosotros. Y nos queda responder con la obra de la fe.

Tengo que creer en Aquel que ha hecho mi vida justa. El que me ha librado del pecado y me ofrece una nueva vida.

Oración: Padre, permite que pueda vivir la vida que me das, creyendo en ti y sirviéndote. Amén