Martin Luther's realization was that 'the just shall live by faith' — a person is made right with God by faith alone, not by works, religion, or ritual.
In Romans 1:17 Paul writes that God's righteousness is revealed 'from faith to faith,' quoting the Old Testament: 'The just shall live by faith.' Les Feldick explains that this truth dawned on Luther while he was cloistered in a Catholic monastery, and it became his great theme of the Reformation. Faith, as Les teaches, means taking God at His word — believing what God has said even when it cannot be felt or seen.
Romans 1:17 — Paul's declaration that 'the just shall live by faith' is the very verse that produced Martin Luther's eye-opening realization.
Habakkuk 2:4 — The Old Testament verse Paul quotes in Romans 1:17 — 'the just shall live by his faith' — which states the principle Luther rediscovered.
Romans 1:17 declares: 'For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.' The verse states that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith and quotes the Old Testament principle that the just shall live by faith. The Bible presents Abraham as the great example of this truth. Romans 4:3 says, 'For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.' Romans 4:5 adds that to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Romans 4:20 records that Abraham 'staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith.' Scripture also connects faith to hearing God's Word: 'So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God' (Romans 10:17), and it reveals the believer's position in Christ: 'For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God' (Colossians 3:3).
Les Feldick teaches that Martin Luther's great awakening came when he saw the truth of Romans 1:17 — 'the just shall live by faith.' While cloistered in a Catholic monastery, the light suddenly shone in and Luther concluded that a person is made right with God not by works, not by religion, not by ritual, but by faith. This became his great theme of the Reformation. Les emphasizes that this is the only way God deals with the human race: His righteousness is revealed 'from faith to faith.' Faith, as Les defines it, is taking God at His word. It is not a denominational label or a set of religious duties — it is not joining the church, getting baptized, or doing this and that. Faith cannot even be exercised until God speaks, and then the believer simply accepts what God has said as true. Les points to Abraham as the epitome of that faith — the man who, at a hundred years old, 'staggered not in unbelief' but believed God, and God counted it to him for righteousness. God accounts that kind of faith as salvation.
Les Feldick explains that the phrase was not new — Paul quoted it from the Old Testament — but it became the rallying point of the Reformation. Martin Luther, shut up in a Catholic monastery, came to the conclusion that 'the just shall live by faith': not by works, not by religion, not by ritual. That discovery became the great theme of the Reformation, because it restored the truth that faith is the only basis on which God deals with the human race.
Les Feldick is careful to define faith biblically: 'Faith means taking God at His word.' He is disturbed when people speak of being 'of the Methodist faith' or 'of the Catholic faith,' because that is not what faith means. Faith cannot be exercised until God speaks — it comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Joseph, for example, could command that his bones be carried out of Egypt because God had said Israel would leave. In the same way, everything God did at salvation — sanctifying, forgiving, justifying, glorifying — is known to be real not because it was felt or seen, but because the Book says so. That is faith.
Les makes a sharp distinction between 'believing God' and 'believing in God.' Believing in God is only a recognition that He is 'out there someplace.' Believing God — taking Him at His word — is what becomes faith. Abraham is the example: he was steeped in idolatry in Ur, but when God spoke to him, Abraham believed God, and that is why Paul says he was declared righteous. God is the justifier of them that believe, not of those who rely on joining the church, getting baptized, or keeping religious requirements.
Les Feldick draws on the truth that believers are dead to the old Adamic nature — the rebellious nature everyone is born with. Instead, the believer has a new life in Christ, the eternal life that has been imputed to him. This position is received by faith, even though nothing was felt or seen at the moment of belief — as Les says, the Book says so, and that is what faith is. This is the truth behind Colossians 3:3: 'For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.'
Dead to the Old Adam
Les teaches that believers are dead to the old Adamic nature and have received a new life in Christ — the eternal life imputed to them — a truth faith accepts even though it is not felt or seen.
Luther's Conclusion
Les directly answers the question: Martin Luther, cloistered in a Catholic monastery, concluded 'the just shall live by faith' — not by works, religion, or ritual — and it became his great theme of the Reformation.
Faith in Christ's Payment for Sin
Faith is a concerted trust that Christ paid the penalty for sin; God sees that faith as salvation, just as Abraham's belief was accounted to him as righteousness.
Faith as the Door of Access
Faith is the door of access into God's grace; the things God did at salvation are real because the Book says so, not because they were felt or seen.
Faith Means Taking God at His Word
Faith is not a denominational label; it means taking God at His word, and it comes only after God has spoken — Joseph is the example.
Believing God Versus Believing in God
There is a vast difference between believing God, which becomes faith, and merely believing in God, which only recognizes He exists; Abraham was declared righteous because he believed God.
The Justifier of Them That Believe
God justifies those who believe — not those who join the church, get baptized, or perform religious duties; Abraham is the epitome of faith who staggered not in unbelief.
Abraham's Faith Alone
Abraham is the perfect example of entering salvation by faith and faith alone, never wavering even when the promise seemed impossible.
Romans 1:17: For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
The verse that opened Martin Luther's eyes — God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, and the just live by faith.
Habakkuk 2:4: Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
The Old Testament declaration that Paul quotes in Romans 1:17; the just shall live by faith.
Romans 3:26: To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
The background to Les's statement that God is 'the justifier of them that believe.'
Romans 4:3: For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness — the pattern of justification by faith.
Romans 4:5: But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
The one who does not work but believes on God is counted righteous — the verse Les opens in Romans 4.
Romans 4:20: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Abraham's faith did not stagger at God's promise, which Les highlights when presenting Abraham as the epitome of faith.
Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Being justified by faith results in peace with God — the theme of the Romans 5 lessons.
Romans 10:17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Faith comes by hearing the word of God — the foundation for Les's definition of faith as taking God at His word.
Colossians 3:3: For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Believers are dead and their life is hidden with Christ in God — the truth Les references when describing the believer's new life in Christ.
Martin Luther realized from Romans 1:17 that 'the just shall live by faith' — a person is made right with God by faith alone, not by works, religion, or ritual. This truth became his great theme of the Reformation.
It means that God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, and the person who is justified lives on the basis of faith — trusting God's Word rather than performing religious duties.
No. Les Feldick teaches that faith is not joining the church, getting baptized, or doing religious works. Faith means taking God at His word — believing what He has said.
Abraham is presented in Romans 4 as the epitome of faith. He believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness; he staggered not in unbelief even when the promise seemed impossible.
Watch the Teaching: What Does "Saved by Faith" Really Mean? Romans 1:16-17