What does "from faith to faith" mean in Romans 1:17?

It holds out to all a righteousness that will perfectly meet the need of every poor sinner that will avail himself of it, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed, from faith to faith.” That is, it is revealed on the principle of faith, and the man who believes the gospel has that righteousness.

Hence it is, as he says, herein revealed "from faith," or by faith. It is the same form of expression exactly as in the beginning of Romans 5 — "being justified by faith" (ἐκ πίστεως). But besides this he adds "to faith." The first of these phrases, "from faith," excludes the law; the second, "to faith," includes every one that has faith within the scope of God's righteousness. Justification is not from works of law. The righteousness of God is revealed from faith; and consequently, if there be faith in any soul, to this it is revealed, to faith wherever it may be. Hence, therefore, it was in no way limited to any particular nation, such as those that had already been under the law and government of God. It was a message that went out from God to sinners as such. Let man be what he might, or where he might, God's good news was for man. And to this agreed the testimony of the prophet. "The just shall live by faith" (not by law). Even where the law was, not by it but by faith the just lived. Did Gentiles believe? They too should live. Without faith there is neither justice nor life that God owns; where faith is, the rest will surely follow.

But let us make sure that we catch the drift of verse 17. "Righteousness of God revealed" is in contrast with the law, the leading feature of which was righteousness from man required. The Gospel's righteousness is "from faith." The preposition from is a little unfortunate. It is rather by. The righteousness which the law demanded from men was to be by (or, on the principle of) works. The righteousness of God which the Gospel reveals is to be reached by faith. Then again the Gospel reveals God's righteousness to faith whereas all that the law brought it revealed to sight. The first occurrence of the word, faith, stands in contrast to works, the second to sight. In the book of Habakkuk there is a prophecy which is fulfilled in the Gospel, "The just shall live by faith." The preposition here translated "by" is just the one translated "from" immediately before. Not by works but by faith.

At Sinai, in the law, man's righteousness was claimed but found wanting. In the gospel God's righteousness is revealed, complete and perfect. Promised before, it was only revealed when all was accomplished which is its ground. Being revealed, it is a question of faith, not of desert nor victory, nor power within, but contrariwise of looking out of self to God's righteousness in Christ.

As divine righteousness is revealed by faith (ἐκ πίστεως), so is it unto or for faith (εἰς πίστιν): the one excluding works of law as the way or principle on which it is revealed; the other including faith wherever it may be, and whatever the measure. It is singular that the Authorized Version should give "from faith" here and "by faith" for the same phrase in the same verse. The former appears to me objectionable in this connection; because it insinuates the idea of growth from one degree of faith to another, as some ancients and moderns have avowed. On the other hand, to take ἐκ π. (by faith) with δ. Θ. (God's righteousness) is due perhaps to the difficulty some have found in assigning to each phrase its own definite value.

"The just shall live by faith." This weighty statement occurs in the second chapter of the prophet Habakkuk; and it is quoted by an inspired apostle in three of his Epistles, namely, Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, with a distinct application in each. In Rom. 1:17 it is applied to the great question of righteousness. The blessed apostle declares himself not ashamed of the gospel; "for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed, on the principle of faith, to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."

[The phrase "from faith to faith" is quite unintelligible, we have given in the text the literal rendering of the Greek words ek pisteos eis pistin. They set forth the ground or principle, on which righteousness is to be obtained. It is not on the ground of works but of faith: and it is revealed to faith. Our apostle repeatedly contrasts ek pisteos — the principle of faith with ex ergon — the principle of works. Blessed contrast!]

There is another expression which often puzzles the reader, which seems to me very plain by attention to the use of the words of the original — "revealed from faith to faith"; ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν. Now I believe that ἐκ (the word here translated "from") always, when thus used with an abstract word, means the character, or order, or manner, of the thing which is spoken of. Thus salvation is ἐκ πίστεως here, "from faith," as we should say, "faithwise" (a form retained in many common words). This is its manner, order, the dispensation according to which salvation comes. The literal meaning is its source, "out of," which very readily in an abstract word is used in the sense of its order or dispensation. Even in English the expression is not unusual; for example, "It is out of kindness he does it," as we might in a similar sense add, "not through severity." Now I believe this to be the uniform sense of the preposition ἐκ used abstractedly, or in its moral sense, and hence also especially when it is used without the definite article in Greek following it. Applying this to this sentence, of which I will give further instances explanatory of passages in this book, "The righteousness of God is revealed from faith"; that is, according to the principle of faith, or a dispensation of faith, in this order or manner — "to faith," therefore, which is the recipient power consequently in man. The statement is a most perfect abstract of the character of the dispensation: a revelation; the subject of that, "the righteousness of God"; the character of the dispensation by which it is revealed, ἐκ πίστεως, and, consequently, that to which it is so revealed, "faith."

From Faith to Faith. — With the outline of the subject thus before us, drawn from the Scriptures (Rom. 1:17; 3:21; 10:3; 2 Cor. 5:21) we can understand why, in the first notice of the revelation of this righteousness, it is said to be by, or from, i.e., proceeding from, or on the principle of, faith. For whilst God is, and must ever be, righteous in all that He does, saints are not to be mere spectators of His righteousness. Angels will be that. We become it; we are illustrations of it as in Christ, and that not by works of law, i.e., on the principle of keeping the law; but by, or on the principle, of faith. Hence God's righteousness is said to be revealed by faith, i.e., on that principle, and to faith. For it is as believers on Him, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, that we are justified by faith. God sets before us what He would have us believe concerning the death and resurrection of His Son. We believe that, so believe on God, put our trust in Him, and He is then righteous in justifying us.

On what terms, then, does God reveal His righteousness in the gospel? It is revealed by faith; that is, it is not by works of law, but by reason of faith. There is not a trace here of Christ doing the works for us, as they say who plead the law. How easy to have told us so, had this been the meritorious title! It is said to be by faith; and inasmuch as God's righteousness is revealed by faith, the blessing of His righteousness only comes to him who believes; that is to say, it is revealed to faith. Hence, as it is here expressed, "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith." It is "by faith" on God's part, and therefore it is "to faith" on man's. Whoever has faith is the object for the righteousness of God. It addresses itself to all, without exception, but it is actually for the believer.

Just as the power of God starts a process, which will come to completion at the rapture and the manifestation of the Church (Philippians 3:21, Philippians 2:12; Philippians 1:6), so faith is at work on a continuous basis. We have seen that faith is necessary to receive the gospel, faith is needed for God's righteousness to be applied, and so faith is a prerequisite for the proclamation of the gospel. This is shown e.g. in Romans 10:4, 6, 8, 10 and 14-18; Romans 11:20. The reception of the gospel is on the basis of faith, but so is the whole life of the believer from that moment on. What is received by faith, produces faith. This principle of faith rules out all efforts of the flesh (see also e.g. John 1:12f), and sets aside (morally) the whole system of sight connected with the first man.

This portion from Romans 1 does not yet mention the work of Christ as the only means whereby righteousness can become our portion. This cardinal truth is expounded in the remainder of the epistle. Here, only the great fact is established that now an entirely new and absolute righteousness has been revealed and become the possession of faith — the righteousness of God Himself. Therefore Paul quotes Habakkuk: “The just shall live by [or on the basis of] faith.” That is, the believer must prove by a life of faith that he possesses this righteousness.