The Faith of
Christ Jesus
There are two verses that are
often quoted in Churches without any understanding!
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not
of works, lest any man should boast.
“That” refers back to the
first noun we come to moving backward in that sentence!
What is the first noun we
come to?
Faith!
Most Christians love to look
to their own faith, but in this article we shall examine “our” faith in relationship
to salvation.
The fact is:
Romans 12:3
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself
more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the
measure of faith.
The literal Greek says, “as
God divided a measure of faith to each (Gr. hekastos-ἕκαστος/each
and every).” That describes the faith
given to each person elected to believe in Christ Jesus.
God has given each and every chosen one “the
measure of faith!”
That measure of faith is imputed from Christ
Jesus and then reflected back to Him!
The Bible states explicitly
that we are saved by faith!
But, is it our faith?
NO!
Most Christians do not
understand the existence or the role of Christ’s faith in our salvation.
There is a debate among some
translators concerning the use of “of” as opposed to using the word “in” in the
following verses.
In all the verses listed, the
noun in question appears as a Genitive.
But are they Subjective Genitive or Objective Genitive---that is the
question.
Subjective genitive indicates
that the noun produces the action involved (i.e. faith). Objective Genitive says that the noun only
receives the action involved.
You must read the context to
find out if the noun is Subjective or Objective genitive! However, Paul makes
it easy: When he means “in Christ” he says “en Cristw,” in Christ!
The debate is legitimate with
both sides displaying a certain correctness in their
assertions.
Most Christians are
completely ignorant concerning the faith of Christ Jesus. Here are some verses for your study. Read and
learn that we operate because of and through the faith OF Christ Jesus.
For most Christians, the
third chapter of Romans is something we pass through on our journey down the
Romans Road. But, as we begin this
study, let’s take a closer look.
Romans 3:10-11
10 As
it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There
is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
The unrighteousness of man is
presented as a fact!
There are many nice people in
the world, but being nice and being righteous are not synonymous!
As is written in the Bible, None seek after
God! Instead, God seeks after men!
In our unrighteous condition
prior to Christ’s choosing, it is impossible for us to choose Him!
Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever
the law saith, it saith to
them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God.
Prior to coming to Christ, we placed
ourselves under law of some kind. All
unrepentant men seek rules and regulations to guide them in their daily lives,
and all such rules and regulations prove to be unlivable.
The righteous are led by the Holy Spirit
(Romans 8:14)!
It is only when we turn to Christ and accept
His grace that we finally find something that works!
Rom 3:22
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ (Gr. Ieesou Christou-Ihsou Cristou) unto all and upon all them that believe: for there
is no difference:
“Of” is part of the Subjective, in (Gr. en-en) is used to differentiate!
So, how do we know if this is
Subjective?
If none seeks after God
(Romans 3:11b), human faith cannot be used to seek Christ!
The fact is that an
unrighteous person will never actively seek the righteousness that is in Christ
Jesus!
In addition, if it were “in,”
Paul would have placed the Greek word “en-en” in that verse to clarify his writing as he does in
all other cases!
Man’s human faith does not
bring any man to Christ! The Holy Spirit
brings all to Christ at the proper time!
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:
that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in [of] Jesus (Gr. Ieesou-Ihsou).
God’s role is as the
Justifier of all who have been given salvation through the faith OF Jesus! To that end, for that purpose, He committed
all to unbelief!
Romans 11:32
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
We have been given the faith OF Christ Jesus in order to be
justified by God the Father in Christ Jesus His only begotten Son!
No matter how good the Law is
or may seem to be, we are justified by the faith OF Christ Jesus!
Gal 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works
of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 3:22 But
the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given
to them that believe.
Since we know that human
faith will not choose Christ unless acted on by the Holy Spirit, understand
that the Faith of Jesus is given to those chosen to believe at the time they
have been chosen to believe.
Gal 3:23 But
before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which
should afterwards be revealed.
Before faith to believe was given, we were
under the law of men and God so that afterward the faith of Christ is imputed
He may be revealed to and in us.
Christ’s faith cannot be revealed in us until it is given to us!
Eph 3:12 [Christ Jesus] In whom we have boldness and
access with confidence by the faith of
him.
Our spiritual success is
entirely dependent on His faith imputed to us!
Phil 3:9 And
be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but
that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Our human righteousness is
worthless when compared to the righteousness we receive through the imputed
faith of Christ Jesus.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep
the commandments of God, and the faith of
Jesus.
The saints hold fast to the
faith imputed to them, even if they do not understand the source of that
faith! They keep the commandments of God
because they have been baptized into Christ Jesus and he kept the commandments!
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized
into Christ have put on Christ.
This article was written to
prove that He is the Author, originator of our faith and since that faith is
reflected back to Him, He is the Finisher, the recipient of our faith!
Heb 12:2a Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher
of our faith;
Our has been added to the text of Hebrews 12:2a! My personal
translation is:
Heb 12:2a Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of faith!
The Concordant Literal
Version is the closest to th
actual text! The KJV adds “our” to the text bringing about a false teaching,
but let’s look at the Concordant Literal Version:
Heb 12:2a looking off to the Inaugurator and Perfecter of faith, Jesus,…(CLV)
Christ Jesus is the Author
and Finisher of all faith!
“Author” (Gr. archēgos-ἀρχηγός)
refers to the prime author or Prince. “Finisher” (Gr. teleiōtēs-τελειωτής)
speaks of the One who brings faith to fruition.
When Christ Jesus imputes His
faith to us, he has a vested interest in our spiritual success!
2 Tim 2:11-13
11 It is a
faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If
we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also
will deny us:
13 If
we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he
cannot deny himself.
Even
if we appear to other human beings to have strayed from the faith, He shall
bring the faith that He has imputed to us to fruition!
We have put on Christ and he
is utterly perfect before God the Father! I pray that this will be your start
on the road to understanding our true relationship with Christ Jesus.