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The Righteous Shall Live by Faith, Romans 1:17
Series: Romans: The Gospel That Changes Everything
Our standing before God rests on the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. In this sermon on Romans 1:17, Dave Jenkins explains how the gospel reveals the righteousness of God, why sinners are justified by faith alone, and how believers continue living by faith in Christ.
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Romans 1:17: The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
In Romans 1:16, Paul declares that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Verse 17 explains why: in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed. God provides through Jesus Christ the righteousness that sinners cannot produce for themselves.
Paul’s quotation of Habakkuk shows that justification by faith is rooted in God’s revelation. The gospel fulfills His saving promises, and those whom He declares righteous through faith in Christ continue to trust Him throughout the Christian life.
What You Will Learn
- How the gospel reveals God’s righteousness and His righteous way of saving sinners.
- Why our acceptance before God rests on Christ’s righteousness.
- Why faith receives Christ without contributing merit of its own.
- How Paul’s quotation of Habakkuk connects the gospel to the Old Testament.
- What it means to live by faith through suffering, temptation, and weakness.
Justification and Assurance in Christ
Justification is God’s declaration that a sinner is righteous in His sight because of Jesus Christ. Christ’s righteousness is counted to those who trust in Him. Our assurance therefore rests on the perfection of our Savior rather than the changing strength of our performance or emotions.
Holiness matters deeply, but it is the fruit of salvation rather than the foundation of justification. Faith looks away from self and rests in Christ and His finished work.
Learning to Live by Faith Each Day
The Christian life begins by faith and continues by faith. Believers trust Christ in sanctification, suffering, temptation, ministry, and death. Living by faith means resting in God’s character, believing His promises, and walking according to His Word.
When your conscience reminds you of your failures, look to Christ. When pride tempts you to boast or weakness tempts you to despair, look to Christ. The righteousness you need is found in the Savior God has provided.
For Reflection
- Where are you tempted to base your acceptance before God on your performance?
- How does Christ’s perfect righteousness strengthen your assurance?
- What present trial calls you to trust God’s promises and obey His Word?
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
