The third and final reason the apostle Paul lived unashamed of the Gospel was because he knew the source of his real power. He knew that grit and resilience came not from physical, emotional, or mental strength—but by faith in the one "who is, and who was, and who is to come" (Revelation 1:8).
In Romans 1:17, Paul reminds us, "The righteous will live by faith." Jesus Christ is the only solid ground for our feet amidst the sinking sands of economic, cultural, and political change, and the Bible speaks about our faith in Him in three different tenses: past, present, and future.
Jesus Christ is the only solid ground for our feet amidst the sinking sands of economic, cultural, and political change.
Past faith is the moment you came to Christ, confessing your sins and saying, "Only Your blood can save me." Then there's present faith. At this moment, I am exercising faith in the living God to strengthen me, empower me, and push me forward so that I might continue faithfully serving Him. But then there's future faith, the trust I have that the moment after I close my eyes in death, I will open them looking into the loving face of Jesus Christ.
Past, present, and future—your entire life must be unashamedly lived by faith in God. The power of God led you to Himself in the past. The power of God strengthens you each day. And the power of God will bring you personally to the presence of Jesus in heaven. I cannot wait!
How do you need to shore up your faith today: remembering how He's saved you, trusting Him to help you, or rejoicing in eternity?
Prayer: Lord, I know You are my strength, my fortress, my Redeemer. Thank You for bringing me to saving faith in You. Thank You for Your sure promises. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
"For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Romans 1:17).
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