"The Verse That Changed The World", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

It was one small part of the verse actually.

"The just shall live by faith."

It might not mean a blessed thing to those who are spiritually dead. Not then and not now.

I am speaking of the words that sparked the Reformation of the Church.

These were the words Martin Luther read and received deep down in his spirit.

They were the words that caused him to think and react while spiritually entombed inside a monastery. He thought that if he was deemed righteous by God merely as a result of his faith in Christ and the Cross, then why does he need to be locked into a virtual prison where he must remain silent and self flagellate himself each day to please God?

He then realized the uselessness of serving the false, works based religion of Rome, and engaged to set himself and countless millions free.

It was literally the verse that set the world free in Christ.

Here it is in its entirety according to the Amplified Version:

Romans 1:17 (Amplified Bible)

"For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith."

It still gets me excited to read it even now. It's downright supernatural. It's the epitome of why our bible is most definitely inspired by God and the Holy Spirit and not mere men.

A righteousness that springs forth from faith and encourages us to greater faith. That's where it is supernatural.

The person who understands that and lives accordingly by applying faith to Jesus Christ and what He accomplished for us on the Cross actually becomes upright and just! Pure God given righteousness!

There is no other way friends. If you are reading this and do not sense the glory in it, and do not feel the hope running through you than perhaps you need to yet have your faith "spring forth".

Maybe it hasn't happened. Maybe you had it and lost it. Maybe you are skeptical.

This verse can raise the spiritually dead. Yes, it's that powerful.

It's the verse that has changed the world. I shudder to think what it would be like today had not Luther been inspired by an old bible, in fact the only accessible bible in the monastery, chained to an old desk in its attic.

The devil tried to hide it, but God's man of His purpose found it!

Praise God, and I found it too!

Have you found it? Are you still excited by it?

I have decided a long time ago to righteously live by faith in Christ, and my faith has proven to not be in vain!

Jesus never fails!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><