Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

To continue on from yesterday, once again, what does God expect of you? The question gets asked and answered so many times in so many ways, I begin to doubt if man is capable of truly understanding God’s will. Obviously there is command will, all those things which God lays out for us in “thou shalt” instructions. How well does keeping the law work for you?

No matter how hard I try I fall short of perfection. Even in loving others I know I can do better, I just don’t. Grace is extended, thank you very much. Mercy is shown, thank you very much. Forgiveness is found, thank you very much. Therein I find God picking up the broken pieces of my failed life, over and over again.

If you want to take the position that Habakkuk is talking about an Old Testament position, then why does he use a New Testament expression of faith? Is it because the issue of faith hasn’t changed since Abram first believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness? My soul is flesh it cannot in this present state stand on its own. Even lifted up, it is not upright. Thank God He has quickened our Spirit so that there is something in us that is upright.

Let me put Galatians 2:20 in more contemporary language: Christ does not want us to live His live, He wants to live ours. That is the great mystery that the Jews rejected and still deny today. The indwelling of Christ, being born of the Spirit, being given everything with which our souls, which are still ours, can live according to God’s will.

Live by faith. This is God’s will.