His Faith, My Faith
By Mike Rule

"I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

The translation of this passage has been greatly debated among scholars. The sentence that says, The life I live in the body I live by faith IN the Son of God, can also be translated from the original language as, The life I live in the body I live by the faith OF the Son of God. The argument then ensues -- who is right?

Interestingly, both are wrong if they cannot see that both are right.  Here is what I mean. This passage might be best translated into English this way: "The life I live in the body I live by the faith OF the Son of God, which increases my faith IN the Son of God."  Faith is receptive, not generative. God does it ALL for me if I will only receive it. Therefore, if I live by the faith OF the Son of God, I in turn will respond to Him, which increases my own faith IN the Son of God. In this way we grow from faith to faith.

 I don't know about you, but I find that my own faith always lets me down. However, His faith has NEVER let me down. When I see His faith in His Father, and His faith in me, I respond in total love and am moved. I literally love because He first loved me.  It is a greater miracle to see me moved than it is to see a mountain moved! In this way, faith does not generate anything, but God does it all.  All He asks is if I am willing to receive.   Even when I refuse to receive, which I often do, He gives even more grace – abundant grace-- and woos me until I will choose to receive.

The newness of this overwhelms me almost daily, and I understand -- experientially, not just theoretically -- how He is the author and perfector of the faith of His children. The faithfulness of God elicits a response in His Son (the faith of the Son of God).  As Jesus trusts His Father and responds to Him, (i.e. His faith) I cannot help but see how He is faithful to me.  His faith in His father and His faith in me elicits a response that flows from a heart of thanksgiving and love. 

Hebrews 11 says "Faith - the presence of things hoped for, the assurance of things not seen."  I now understand this passage to say that Jesus’ faithfulness (because I can put my hope in Him) assures me of His presence, even when I cannot see Him.  He is teaching me that I can rely upon Him.

 "What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar."  (Romans 3:4)  We see this played out in the life of Abraham. "Yet (Abraham) did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised." (Romans 4:20, 21) Abraham was fully persuaded because He had experienced the faithfulness of God.  As a result his faith was strengthened.  God is the one who initiated; Abraham simply believed and received.

 We walk by faith, not by sight.  We walk in life based upon what we have seen and heard through our intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ and not based upon what we see and hear surrounding us in our circumstances. God is true, and every man is a liar!  My unwillingness to receive the things of God does nothing to change the character of God, but my lack of faith DOES prove that I do not truly know my God.  But once again Jesus is willing to do it all for us because He came that we might have eternal life, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)  Let me break it down. 

Faith (In Greek, pistis, defined as trust and confidence in God and all that He says)

comes by (Greek, ek, a primary preposition denoting origin)

hearing (Greek, akoe meaning the sense of hearing, the thing heard)

the word (Greek, rhema meaning that which is or has been uttered by the living voice)

of God (Greek, theos – the supreme divinity).  

This passage could be translated Trust and confidence in God finds its point of origin in hearing the living voice of God Himself.  It’s the place we derive our spiritual sense of hearing.  In other words, we respond to God (in faith) because we hear the voice of the living God.  

This overwhelms me almost daily. It continues to feel like trying to take a sip from a fire hose, and at times I fear I will drown.  Will I let God be God?  Will I receive Him?  Will I let Him do it all for me?  Will I let Him prove Himself faithful when everything appears to be crashing in around me?  Will I follow Him no matter the cost? –OR– Will I deny Him and take matters into my own hands?  Will I reject Him because I do not understand?  Will I reject Him because I do not think He is faithful?

"Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:4) My paraphrase of this is "Will Jesus find a people who are willing to receive His faith?" I almost hear Him saying, "Will I recognize myself in anyone?"  What is MOST beautiful to me in all this is His willingness to do it ALL, if I will ONLY receive. He doesn't even require me to have faith. He wants to give me HIS!  This is the heart cry of Jesus to us today.  “When He has called out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.”  (John 10:4)  Are we willing to follow where He leads?  Are we willing to respond to His voice?  May it be done to us according to His good pleasure.