Without Faith(fulness)...(Part 1)

  
This post begins an 8-part series on faith.  The intention is to broaden the understanding of the word to the biblical pattern, which I believe is more correctly understood as "faithfulness".

WITHOUT FAITH(FULNESS), IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD: INTRODUCTION

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, ‘But the righteous one shall live by faith.” (Rom 1:16-17) 

The apostle Paul is famous for his position on faith, generally interpreted as faith over works. The foundational proof text for his position comes from the prophet Habakkuk, “The righteous will live by his faith,” (Hab 2:4).
  
Paul was not the first to see these words of Habakkuk as principle for the life of the saints. Around the time of the apostles, the Hebrew Sages set about grouping the 613 commandments into common themes to establish the foundational concepts of God’s word. Identifying the underlying principles provided an appropriate course of action for questions not specifically addressed by the commandments. The thought process of the Sages is recorded in the Talmud (Makkot 23b-24a) and concludes with the words of Habakkuk, “The righteous will live by his faith,” (Hab 2:4).

Rather than being a revolutionary idea, Paul was simply validating his arguments on a position already firmly established in Judaism.  However, the actions and teachings of the rabbis did not demonstrate an understanding that Habakkuh could be used as an eraser to remove all, or even some of the commandments in the Torah.

(Part 2 - The Original Hebrew Word: Faithfulness - Scott)