One In Jesus

In the NT, “faith” doesn’t greatly change meanings from the OT, except that “faith” in the NT is always faith in Jesus. Before Pentecost, the Jews believed in God and in his promised Messiah, but they did not believe in Jesus — nor were they expected to. He’d not yet been revealed.

But beginning with Peter’s sermon in Acts 2, the faith that saves becomes faith that Jesus is Messiah and Lord/faithfulness to Jesus as Messiah and Lord/trust in Jesus as Messiah and Lord.

This is anticipated by Peter’s Great Confession — Continue reading →

We’ve already shown how pistis in the Greek picks up the meanings of faith and faithfulness. This is especially evident in Romans and Galatians, but not just there.

When we reflect on the beginning of faith, God’s covenant with Abraham, we have to add another nuance to pistis —

(Gen 15:4-6 ESV)  4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.”  5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”  6 And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

“Believed the LORD” means that he believed that God would keep his promise. It wasn’t about believing God to exist. Abram had believed in the existence of God since he left Ur and traveled to Canaan at God’s instruction. Nor was it about being obedient. In fact, Abraham had been doubting God’s word up to this point. Rather, Abram made a decision to trust God’s promises and to live in reliance  on those promises — trust producing faithfulness. This is the meaning of “believed” in Gen 15. Continue reading →

(Rom 3:21-22a NET) But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – 22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe.

The righteousness of God, that is, his faithfulness to his covenant, has been revealed by (get this!) the faithfulness of Jesus. That is, Jesus’ death on the cross is God honoring his covenant.  Why? Continue reading →

Let’s take another look at Rom 3:3 —

(Rom 3:1-4 NET) Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision?  2 Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.  3 What then? If some [of the Jews] did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?  4 Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.”

Why might the unbelief of the Jews nullify God’s faithfulness? Faithfulness to what? Well, plainly, to God’s covenants with the Jews. Continue reading →

Faith begins, not with a Plan or even with Jesus. It begins with God. You see, the Bible actually speaks of the faith of God —

(Rom 3:3 KJV) For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

— as well as the faith of Jesus —

(Rom 3:22 KJV) 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:

(Gal 2:16 KJV) 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 KJV) But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

How very odd! Modern translations deal with these perplexing passages in different ways, but the scholarly consensus is increasingly to follow the NET Bible translation — Continue reading →