In Romans 1:17 What Does From Faith to Faith Mean?

Paul says in Romans 1:16-17 KJV:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."

What does Paul mean here when he says, "from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith"? First, we point out the fact that Paul is stating that the righteousness of God is found in God's word, which is the gospel of Christ, as Romans 1:17 tells us. Second, we point out the fact that Paul makes an appeal to a standard that existed before the gospel of Christ when he makes the statement "as it is written." Therefore, we must look at when the original statement was made in understanding the statement "from faith to faith."

Thus, Paul appeals to the word of God in Old Testament scriptures under the Law of Moses, which also prophesied about the coming of Christ; of which the original statement "the just shall live by faith" is found in Habakkuk 2:4 KJV:

"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."

While the prophet Habakkuk prophesied the word of the Lord to Israel about the captivity they were about to endure by the hand of the Chaldeans in Habakkuk chapter 1, the Lord tells Habakkuk the revelation is for an appointed time in Habakkuk chapter 2. Then the Lord makes a contrast in Habakkuk 2:4, with one who is arrogant and not upright, with the just (righteous) living by his faith. Even though God was sending Israel into bondage, the command that God gave Israel under the Law of Moses stood until the resurrection of Christ, that being the requirement of faithful obedience as stated in the Law of Moses in Leviticus 18:4-5 KJV:

"Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.Ye shall therefore keep my statues and my judgements which if a man do, he shall live in them."

Obedient faith was still required, evident by the Hebrew word used for faith in Habakkuk 2:4, which is ĕmûnâh 'ĕmûnâh and is defined as faithfulness. Scripturally, the union between faith and obedience is never separated.

Secondly, by Paul appealing to the words of Habakkuk, he acknowledges that a standard was applied at the time Habakkuk lived, that being to live by faith (i.e., faithfulness). Paul's appeal to this standard of living from the Law of Moses with the words "as it is written" means this exact standard is to be applied under the gospel of Christ, evident by the fact that Paul equally applies the standard in Romans 1:17 to the gospel of Christ when he says "from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith." Therefore, the same standard of living obediently to the faith system of the Law of Moses now applies to living obediently to the faith system of the gospel of Christ, from faith to faith.

Faithful obedience is a command of God that has been a requirement of God since the garden of Eden and throughout every age of man (i.e., Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Christian).