THE FAITH OF CHRIST
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A Bible teacher uses the scriptures to show people truth from God's holy word. As you know there are many different translations of the Bible out in the world today. A good Bible teacher can take just about any one of those translations and lead someone to Christ, teaching them that Christ died for their sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, explaining to them that they need to trust Jesus as their Saviour. But there are some things you cannot teach from just any bible. One of these is the faith OF Jesus Christ. You will only find this in some of your older Bibles such as the King James Bible. In Galatians chapter 2, verse 16, it says;

"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."

You see, in a King James Bible it says you are justified by the faith OF Christ. Most other translations take the word "of" and change it to the word "in". As you can see, when you say, "faith of Christ," you are talking about Jesus' faith or the faith that belongs to Jesus. When you say, "faith in Christ," you are talking about the believer's faith or the faith that belongs to the believer. Now here is the big question, "Are you justified by your faith or are you justified by Jesus' faith?" Let's go to the scriptures to find the answer.

The first passages of scripture I would like to refer to is in Romans chapter 3. Notice starting in verse 21 it says;

"21 But the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith OF Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:"

Notice in verse 22 it says, "the righteousness of God which is by faith OF Jesus Christ." Keep this in mind as we continue:

"23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God:"

In verse 24 it closes talking about Jesus Christ. Notice in verse 25 it says, "whom God hath set forth," the "whom" it is talking about is Jesus Christ. "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood," you see, God set forth Jesus Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. Jesus Christ had faith in his own blood. Some people read verse 25 and say that Jesus Christ became a propitiation (atonement) for the believer when the believer put his faith in Christ's blood. But to show that it is talking about Jesus' faith in his own blood, let's go to a verse in 1st John. In 1st John chapter 2, starting in verse 1 it says:

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

2 And he is the propitiation for sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

In verse 2 it says that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and the sins of the whole world. Here's another question for you. Does the whole world have faith in his blood? The answer is simply "no". Then how did Jesus become a propitiation for their sins? The answer is that Jesus had faith in his own blood. Let's go back to the first part of Romans chapter 3 verse 25.

"25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood..."

You see, Jesus Christ, by having faith in his blood became the propitiation for our sins and the sins of the whole world. To back this up let's go to Isaiah chapter 53. Throughout this chapter it is talking about Jesus dying for our sins, notice in verse 11 it says:

53 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by HIS knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."

Now this righteous servant which this verse is talking about is definitely our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Notice midway through the verse it says, "by HIS knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many:"Question time again, Are you justified by his knowledge or by your knowledge? Are you justified by what you know or by what he knows?

You see, Jesus Christ KNEW what his blood would do for you. Jesus Christ knew his blood would wash away your sins. Jesus Christ had faith in his blood. So how are you justified? You are justified by the faith OF Jesus Christ. You are NOT justified by YOUR faith. Your faith can get you saved, but your faith cannot justify you from your sins. Only Christ's faith can justify you from your sins.

Also notice in Acts chapter 26 verse 18, Paul is talking to King Agrippa about when Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Jesus said,

"18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

In the last part of the verse it doesn't say "by faith in me" but it says "by faith that is in me", talking about the faith that dwells in Jesus, or Jesus' faith, the faith of Christ. In 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 15, Paul tells Timothy:

"15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

Notice in the last part of the verse it does not say "unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus," but it says, "unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus," saying that salvation comes through the faith that dwells in Christ, or Christ's faith, the faith of Christ.

It is by the faith of Jesus Christ that he became the propitiation for our sins, Romans 3:25. It is by the faith of Jesus Christ that the righteousness of God is applied to us. Romans 3:22 and Philippians 3:9. It is by the faith of Jesus Christ whereby we are justified from our sins Galatians 2:16.

So now we can look on this chart and see that salvation, propitiation, justification, sanctification, and forgiveness of sins among other things comes by the faith OF Jesus Christ, and not by your own. If you could be justified by your faith then Jesus Christ would not have had to die, as this other chart indicates. All you would have had to do is have faith in Christ and you would have been justified. But the Bible says "without the shedding of blood is no remission of sins." Christ had to die to pay for our sins, and it is by his faith in his blood we are justified. Paul said in Galatians chapter 2 verse 20;

"20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

You probably don't ever hear people teaching about the faith of Jesus Christ, mostly because this is not found in the newer translations. But you will find it in a King James Bible. I also have an older Catholic Bible that says faith of Christ in some places but not in others. Even the New King James Bible changes the word "of" to "in". Next time you are with a fellow Christian get a King James Bible and show him the wonderful blessing of being justified by the faith of Jesus Christ!