The Just Shall Live by Faith

Habakkuk 2:4 says, "The just shall live by his faith." Indeed, the just shall live by faith! That is exactly what Luke 17:6 says as well. If the just lives by faith, they can indeed uproot mulberry trees: So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you" (Luke 17:6).

Hudson Taylor, missionary to China, first went to China in a sailing vessel. When very close to the shore of cannibal islands the ship was becalmed and slowly drifting shoreward. The captain came to Mr. Taylor asking him to pray for God's help. Mr. Taylor agreed, but only "provided you set your sails to catch the breeze." The captain refused. He didn't want to make himself a laughing stock by unfurling in a dead calm. Taylor said, "I will not undertake to pray for the vessel unless you will prepare the sails." And it was done. While engaged in prayer, there was a knock at the door of his stateroom. It was the captain. He asked Taylor , "Are you still praying for wind?" "Yes," responded Mr. Taylor. "Well," said the captain, "you'd better stop praying, for we have more wind than we can manage" (Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, [Assurance Publishers: Rockville, Maryland, 1979], #1493, 403-04).

Like Hudson Taylor, those who live by faith can create a great amount of wind, or move any other obstacle that stands in the way of God's will for their life. The key is your faith, along with God's will.

Romans 12:1-2 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Present yourself to God for His use and let Him "transform" you, let Him change you into what He wants, so that He can use you for His purpose. That is living by faith.

Again, in Luke 17:5-6 we read, "And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' So the Lord said, 'If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, "Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea," and it would obey you.'" Jesus told them even the smallest faith does great things, and then compared their faith to a mustard seed.

The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. It is used to develop mustard spice. The thought here is that it is so small it is within your reach. Compare that to the Mulberry tree. It is actually the Black Mulberry tree that is in view here. This tree often lives 400 to 600 years. It grows thirty-five feet tall, and has an extensive root system that spreads out forty feet and goes quite deep into the ground, making it nigh impossible to uproot. Jesus told them that even with that little bit of faith they could uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea.

That is quite a statement! Faith, even when developed only to the size of a mustard seed, it is enough! That is what Jesus said! Faith, in the Greek, is a word that can be translated either "faith" or "faithfulness." It depends on the context. When referring to "head knowledge" becoming "heart knowledge," or in other words, "belief," it is usually translated "faith." When the context refers to "heart attitude" or "heart obedience," it is usually translated "faithfulness." Here the context is "heart obedience," and should be understood as "faithfulness."

Luke 17:1-4 speaks of forgiveness as an attitude of the heart. Note especially verses 3-4: "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

Luke 17:7-10 again speaks of "heart obedience" toward God. When you have done all that you are supposed to do, have the attitude as found in verse 10: "We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty" (RSV).

When you have this "heart obedience" toward God, then you will find that you have drawn near to Him. When you are near to God, He will guide you as to what you should do and how you should pray. Follow His guidance and even that big mulberry tree can be uprooted. When you trust the Lord Jesus in everything, great things will happen. Amen.