Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” This verse encapsulates the call for every Christian to live by faith in Jesus Christ. But what exactly does it mean to “live by faith”? Let’s explore this important biblical concept.
Faith Means Trusting in Jesus
First and foremost, living by faith means trusting completely in Jesus Christ. It is having confidence in who He is and what He accomplished for us on the cross. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Faith means believing that Jesus is the only way for our salvation. It is relying on His sacrifice as the payment for our sins before a holy God.
To live by faith is to recognize that we cannot save ourselves by our own efforts. The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation comes when we trust in Christ’s finished work, not our own merits. Faith is all about believing that Jesus alone is sufficient for our redemption.
Faith Produces Complete Surrender
Living by faith also requires surrendering our whole lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ. He wants to be more than just our Savior – Jesus desires to be our Lord. True saving faith leads to unconditional submission to Christ’s authority over every sphere of our lives. The Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Part of faith is surrendering to His sovereignty.
This means we cannot have divided loyalties. We cannot cling to self-rule or the world’s way of living. To live by faith is to live under the complete authority of King Jesus. He has redeemed us and therefore owns the rights over our lives. Faith manifests itself in obedience to Christ. As Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Our love for Him compels us to submit fully to His lordship.
Faith Leads to Being Conformed to Christ’s Image
Furthermore, living by faith means allowing the Holy Spirit to conform us increasingly into the image of Jesus Christ. When we trusted in Christ for salvation, we were born again by His Spirit to reflect the Son of God. Part of living by faith is cooperating with the Spirit’s transforming work in our hearts.
The Bible says, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). As we fix our eyes on Jesus, the Spirit changes us to be more like Him in righteous character and conduct.
This is the fruit of genuine faith – greater Christlikeness. The Spirit churns out more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our lives. Living by faith necessitates submitting to the Spirit’s sanctifying work in our inner person.
Faith Requires Total Dependence on God
Living by faith also means depending completely on God rather than ourselves. It is humbling coming to the end of our own resources and strength and relying wholly on the Lord for His provision and power. Too often we trust in our own abilities or wealth. But faith requires unshakable confidence in God’s sufficiency for every need.
The Bible reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Leaning on our own understanding is prideful independence from God. Faith postures us to depend on the Lord’s guidance and direction for life.
Jesus taught that faith springs from recognizing our spiritual poverty before God. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). We come empty of power and resources to find God’s strength and riches supplied in Christ. Living by faith means humbly relying on the Lord rather than ourselves.
Faith Shows Itself Through Good Works
While salvation is through faith alone in Christ alone, genuine faith will inevitably produce good works. The two are inseparably linked together in the life of discipleship. The Bible makes this clear: “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). True faith results in a life of obedience.
As believers walk by faith in the power of the Spirit, they will fulfill the good works God has prepared for them. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Living by faith includes doing the good deeds God calls us to do.
Our good works give evidence to the sincerity of our faith. They demonstrate the transforming power of God’s grace at work in our hearts. The good fruit in our lives brings glory to the Father. Living by faith means living an obedient, fruitful life for the sake of Christ.
Faith Must Persevere Through Suffering
Furthermore, living by faith often requires persevering through seasons of suffering. Our faith will be tested through trials. But we must continue trusting God’s purposes and promises even when life gets hard. The Bible says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2-3).
Difficult times stretch our faith muscles. We must rely on God’s grace to help us endure. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s strength shines brighter in our weakness.
Seasons of suffering cause us to cling tighter to the hope we have in Christ. Our living hope in Him empowers us to persevere by faith. As Romans 5:3-4 declares, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” God develops tenacious faith through the trials of life.
The Object of Our Faith Makes All the Difference
As we reflect on what it means to live by faith, the object of our faith makes all the difference. Biblical faith has a specific focus – the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the sole object of genuine, saving faith. We trust in His sinless life, atoning death, triumphant resurrection, and glorious ascension.
The Bible says, “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Our eyes of faith stay fixed on Him. Jesus Christ is the author and ultimate example of true faith. He trusted the Father’s plan perfectly, even to the point of death on a cross. Christ is the paradigm of living by faith that we must follow.
The life we live now by faith in the Son of God derives its power from focusing on Jesus. He is the pioneer and perfecter of faith. That is why the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11 all put their faith in the promised Messiah. The individual examples of faith all point to the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ and His once-for-all sacrifice for sinners. He is the supreme object and absolute basis for genuine, God-pleasing faith.
Faith and the Holy Spirit
Furthermore, we must understand that living by faith is only possible through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Our human hearts are naturally spiritually dead and oriented away from God. As Ephesians 2:1 says, “You were dead in the trespasses and sins.” Without God’s intervention, we cannot produce faith.
But God by His grace sends His Spirit to regenerate our hearts and enable us to exercise saving faith. “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3). The Spirit enlightens our minds to grasp the gospel truth and awakens our hearts to believe in Christ.
The Holy Spirit indwells all believers at conversion, sealing us for salvation. Ephesians 1:13 says, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” His ongoing sanctifying work conforms us to Christ’s image as we grow in faith.
Therefore, living by faith relies completely on the Holy Spirit. He births faith within us, fans faith into flame, and produces Christlike fruit in our lives. Any genuine faith or spiritual growth stems from the Spirit’s renewing work in us.
Faith Will Become Sight at Christ’s Return
Finally, the life of faith we now live reaches its ultimate consummation when we see Jesus face to face. Our present walk by faith will eventually turn to sight at His glorious return. What we know dimly we will then know fully. The Bible says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
The day is coming when our faith will become sight. We will see fully the Savior we have trusted. We will know Him intimately and enjoy His presence forevermore. His appearing will usher us into an eternity of sinless perfection with God.
Until then, we follow the example of the saints who have gone before us by walking in faith, not sight. Our present confidence in unseen realities will lead to future consummation. The pilgrimage of faith ends with seeing Christ face to face and being made like Him forever.
This assured hope gives us motivation to persevere now as aliens and strangers in this world. Our faith looks ahead to the glory to be revealed. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). The best and final fruition is yet to come for all who are trusting Christ.
Key Takeaways on Living by Faith
In summary, here are some key takeaways on what it means to live by faith:
- Faith relies completely on who Jesus is and what He accomplished in his sinless life, sacrificial death, and triumphant resurrection.
- Faith surrenders fully to Christ’s sovereignty and lordship over every area of life.
- Faith cooperates with the Spirit’s sanctifying work to make us more like Jesus.
- Faith expresses itself through good works prepared for us.
- Faith depends wholly on God’s grace rather than self-reliance.
- Faith perseveres through trials knowing God is faithful.
- Faith stays focused on Jesus as the perfecter and ultimate object of our faith.
- Faith is only possible through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in us.
- Faith will become sight when we see Christ face to face at His return.
Living by faith means entrusting our whole lives to Jesus and relying on His finished work for salvation. It empowers us to live all out for God’s glory until we see Christ. May we walk by faith all the days of our lives!
