Jesus' Faith: Our Guide Or Our Crutch?

Faith is a gift from God, and it is through faith that we are saved. However, there is a distinction to be made between faith in Jesus and our own faith. Faith in Jesus is what saves us, not our own faith. This is because our faith is fallible and imperfect, whereas Jesus' faith is perfect and never fails.

When we place our faith in Jesus, we believe in Him, and God grants His righteousness to us. To have faith in Jesus means to trust Him. Simply. Fully. Without reservation. This faith in the person and work of Christ is what saves us.

The book of James makes it clear that faith without works is dead. We are justified by faith, but faith is made complete by our works. We are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from ourselves, but a gift from God. We are God's handiwork, created to do good works.

The Bible tells us that we will be judged by our works, but this does not contradict the idea that we are saved by faith. Our works will be judged or tested to see how sound they are, but even if our works are burned up, we ourselves will be saved.

To live by faith is to live trusting in Jesus, who loved us and died for us. This trust should be a constant throughout the life of the believer. We are justified by faith in Jesus, progressively made holy by faith in Jesus, and glorified because of faith in Jesus.

The Christian life is a supernatural life, and it is not produced by merely human forces. It takes resources that we do not have. This is humbling, as it means that no one is by nature a loving person. It is only through a life given to Christ that we will begin to see Him as He really is, and our lives will begin to change.

The Holy Spirit is the key to producing love in us for others. Love is a fruit of the Spirit, and it is not the product of our hard work for God. Love is a fruit of faith, because faith is what receives and depends on the Spirit. God supplies the Spirit to us, and works miracles among us by faith.

To summarise, we are saved by faith in Jesus, not by our own faith. Our own faith is important, as it is made complete by our works, but it is not what saves us.

The difference between faith in Jesus and faith of Jesus

The difference between faith in Jesus and the faith of Jesus is a matter of grammatical interpretation of the original Greek text of the New Testament. The phrase "pistis Christou" can be interpreted as either "faith in Christ" or "faith of Christ." The difference is significant because it affects our understanding of the role of our faith in salvation.

If "pistis Christou" is translated as "faith in Christ," then it implies that our faith in Jesus is necessary for our salvation. This view emphasizes the human role in salvation and can lead to a works-based understanding of salvation. It suggests that we need to have enough faith or believe strongly enough in Jesus to be saved.

On the other hand, if "pistis Christou" is translated as "faith of Christ," it means that our salvation is based on the faith or faithfulness of Jesus Himself. This view emphasizes the work of Christ in our salvation and downplays the role of our faith. It suggests that our salvation is secure because it is based on Christ's perfect faith, not our own imperfect faith.

The debate over the correct translation of "pistis Christou" has significant implications for our understanding of salvation. Some scholars argue that the grammatical structure of the phrase favors "faith of Christ," while others contend that the context and broader theological themes support "faith in Christ." Ultimately, the question of whether we live by Jesus' faith or our own faith depends on how we interpret this ambiguous phrase in the original Greek text.

In conclusion, the difference between faith in Jesus and the faith of Jesus hinges on the translation and interpretation of a specific Greek phrase, "pistis Christou." This ambiguity has led to differing views on the role of faith in salvation, with some emphasizing human faith and others emphasizing Christ's faith.

Faith in Jesus is a gift from God

Faith in Jesus is believing in Him and trusting Him. It is believing that He is God in human form and trusting what He has done (died and resurrected). It is to trust Him. Simply. Fully. Without reservation. It is to reject all other ways of salvation. We trust in Jesus alone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.

Faith in Jesus is trusting in Him

When we place our faith in Jesus, we believe in Him, and God grants His righteousness to us. We are given access to the Father as God's own children. We are justified by faith in Jesus.

The Bible uses the phrase "faith in Jesus" synonymously with belief in Jesus as Saviour. Romans 3:22-23 says that "righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Jesus is the only way. Salvation is found in no one else.

To have faith in Jesus is to trust Him. Simply. Fully. Without reservation.

Faith in Jesus is believing in Him

The Bible uses the phrase "faith in Jesus" synonymously with belief in Jesus as Saviour. When we place our faith in Jesus, we believe in Him, and God grants His righteousness to us.

To have faith in Jesus means to trust Him. When a person has faith in Jesus, it means that they believe who Jesus is and trust what Jesus has done.

The object of the belief, trust, or faith by which the Christian is to live is Jesus Christ! To live by faith is to live trusting Jesus, who loved us to the point of dying in our place, purchasing our salvation. This trust should be a constant throughout the life of the believer.

The Christian is justified by faith in Jesus, progressively made holy by faith in Jesus, and glorified because of faith in Jesus.

All praise, honour, and glory are given to Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Faith in Jesus is a choice

The Bible uses the phrase "faith in Jesus" synonymously with belief in Jesus as Saviour. When we place our faith in Jesus, we believe in Him, and God grants His righteousness to us. To have faith in Jesus means to trust Him. Simply. Fully. Without reservation.

The men in the following example from the Bible simply trusted the power and goodness of the Lord, and they received their sight.

> Before Jesus healed two blind men, He asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this? They answered, “Yes, Lord,” and He healed them “according to [their] faith” (Matthew 9:28–29).

When a person has faith in Jesus, it means that he or she believes who Jesus is (God in human form) and trusts what Jesus has done (died and resurrected). This faith in the person and work of Christ is what saves.

> “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1).

> John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

The key is belief, in response to God’s love. Anyone who places his or her faith in Jesus has the promise of eternal life. Without faith in Jesus, we remain in sin and cannot be accepted into God’s presence in His perfect heaven. With faith in Jesus, we are given access to the Father as God’s own children (John 1:12).

To have faith in Jesus is to reject all other ways of salvation. We cannot trust in Jesus and anything else. We trust in Jesus alone. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Salvation is exclusive. Jesus is the only way (John 14:6).

> Are you ready to place your faith in Jesus? Do you trust Him to save you? There is no special prayer you must pray. However, you can respond right now with a prayer similar to this: “Dear God, I realize I am a sinner and could never reach heaven by my own good deeds. Right now I place my faith in Jesus Christ as God’s Son who died and rose again to give me eternal life. I trust in Jesus alone. Please forgive me of my sins and help me to live for you. Thank you for accepting me and giving me eternal life.”

The book of Galatians was a corrective letter written by Paul to the people within the region of Galatia. The Christians there were being convinced that the law of Moses must be followed even though such legalistic demands are contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:21; 3:1–5). The people of Galatia were “deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6, NASB). Ultimately, this “different gospel” taught that, while Christ may have declared the Christian righteous at the point of belief, one was still required to live a life under the burden of the Mosaic Law. The people of Galatia were living according to the works of the law, not by faith, and Paul sets for them the example of how to “live by faith” (Galatians 2:20).

Whenever someone believes the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3–5), that person is identified with Christ in the past (being positionally declared righteous), present (growing into righteousness), and future (being presented as perfectly righteous). Both the past and present aspects are seen in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul contrasts living by faith with dying to the law: “through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God” (verse 19).

Paul utilizes the concept of being “in Christ” (or “in the Lord”) 13 times in the book of Galatians. Instances of this point to the position of the Christian church (Galatians 1:22); the freedom the Christian has because of Christ (Galatians 2:4); the justification one receives through Christ (verse 17); the means by which one should live (verse 20); etc. (for all instances, see Galatians 1:16; 3:14, 19, 26, 28; 5:6, 10; 6:14). The idea that we live by faith focuses on the present aspect of the Christian’s identity in Christ. In Galatians 2:20, Paul utilizes the phrase “in the body,” pointing specifically to the physical life of the Christian, as lived “now.” Living by faith is an act that takes place while the Christian is alive on the earth. This idea of presently being “in Christ” is critical to living by faith.

What is the object of the faith by which one should live? Paul continues in Galatians 2:20, “and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (NASB, emphasis added). The object of the belief, trust, or faith by which the Christian is to live is Jesus Christ! To live by faith is to live trusting Jesus, who loved us to the point of dying in our place (John 3:16), purchasing our salvation. This trust should be a constant throughout the life of the believer.

The Galatians were being told to live by works, ultimately placing the power in themselves. The gospel tells us that Jesus accomplished the necessary work; Jesus paid the price, and it is through Jesus that the Christian has freedom and power to live as he or she ought. The Christian is justified by faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:10–14; Romans 4:

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