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The Just Live by Faith: Part I
Bible Study on faith.

Why do Christians suffer? Why is there injustice in the world? Why is violence all around us? Why does God allow evil people to torment the righteous? These are difficult questions to answer, but God has preserved the answer in His word.

Habakkuk was a prophet of God who witnessed the return of Judea to evil practices. He lived about twenty-five hundred years ago and cried out to the Lord with concerns of suffering, injustice, violence, and evil. Through a study of God's answer to Habakkuk along with New Testament Scriptures, we can understand God's answer to our questions concerning suffering, violence, and evil.

Habakkuk's first question was: "Oh Lord, how long shall I cry, and you will not hear? Even cry out to you, 'Violence!' And You will not save. Why do you show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds" (Hab. 1:2-4).

Perhaps you have had questions similar to Habakkuk's. Does God hear my prayers crying out for justice and relief from suffering? Why must I live around iniquity (lawlessness) and all kinds of trouble? Why must I live around violence, strife, and contention? Why is God's law seemingly powerless since governing authorities have turned from the Lord? Why must I be surrounded by wicked people? Why does God allow the perverse judgments of evil people to effect me?

God's first answer to Habakkuk is that He is raising up a nation to punish the wicked. God said: "Look among the nations and watch - be utterly astonished! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you. For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation which marches through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs" (Hab. 2:5-6). God continues to explain that the Chaldeans were a terrible, dreadful, fierce, and violent nation that imputed their power to their idols and not to God Almighty.

Today, we are reminded by the apostle Peter that God is coming to bring judgment upon those who are evil. He said: "knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.' . . . But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:3-9).

We must understand that suffering and violence will be present in the last days and that God will bring judgment upon the evil persons who had lived upon the earth. He is longsuffering because He does not desire anyone to perish, but He will bring judgment upon the world and punish those who have not come to repentance.

Concerning our individual responsibility while living among the wicked, Paul said: "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. 'Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:17-21).

Next week we will review Habakkuk's second question and God's response. Until then, think about what this means: "Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith" (Heb. 2:4).