coming of the Lord, "for yet a little, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry"

(Heb. 10: 37).

This introduces the quotation from Habakkuk which figures prominently in the epistle

to the Romans. The words "The just by faith shall live" are divisible under three heads,

and the apostle has taken this course with the verse.

"The just by faith shall live" (Rom. 1: 17). The argument of Rom. 1: is concerning the

provision of righteousness. "The just by faith shall live" (Gal. 3: 11). The argument of

Gal. 3: revolves around works of law, and faith. "The just by faith shall live"

(Heb. 10: 38). The argument of Heb. 10: and 11: is entirely devoted to "living by faith".

Here we have a splendid example of exhortation, where doctrine and practice are both

given their place. Referring once again to Heb. 6: 22 we read of "faith and patience"

inheriting the promises. Out of the thirty-two occurrences of pistis ("faith") in Hebrews

twenty-nine are found in this practical section 10: 19 - 13: 25.

The essence of Habakkuk (2: 3, 4) seems to be found in the words "though it tarry,

wait", The long delay, the silence of God (Hab. 1: 1-4) is solved by the assurance that

"the vision is yet for an appointed time". The long wait does not mean that God is

indifferent. All the details of His purpose have an appointed time. This fact of itself

should enable us to wait. Further, "at the end it shall speak and not lie". When the time

does come, nothing can prevent God from speaking, acting, delivering, or doing whatever

is particularly required. Yet further, the feeling of delay is merely human. "Though it

tarry . . . . . it will surely come, it will not tarry." It is here that the prophet writes the

words which are repeated with such fullness by the apostle, "the just shall live by faith".

The Hebrew believers had suffered the spoiling of their goods, and a reference to

Hab. 3: 17, with its sixfold failure of fig, vine, olive, field, fold and stall, places them in

the goodly fellowship of the prophets. The better and enduring possessions that they had

are found in Hab. 3: 19, "The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like

hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places". Living by faith is

placed in contrast with "drawing back unto perdition", and this drawing back is in its turn

contrasted with "believing unto the acquiring of the soul".

We are here confronted with a group of problems which will repay the time devoted to

their solution. The two words that provide the key to the difficulty are perdition and

saving.

What is perdition?--Does this passage teach that a believer who does not hold fast the

profession of his hope can draw back and finally be cast into hell? However we may

object to the phrasing, that, bluntly, is the difficulty before us. In searching for an answer

which would satisfy the demands of all scripture, we discovered that there are three sets