THE FAITH OF JESUS

By Mario A Olcese

 

Introduction

It's quite interesting these words from the Apostle Paul to the Galatians on the issue of faith and justification: “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” ( 2:16 KJV ). But to the Romans Paul wrote something similar: “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all” (including Jesus, Mat. 1.1) Take note that Paul speaks about the faith of Jesus to the Galatians, and to the Romans, about the  the faith of Abraham.  ¿Will it be that both sentences (faith of Jesus & Faith of Abraham) are equivalent or that they point out to the same faith? We will find the answer in few moments.

The Apostle Paul is very clear when he say that the faithful are justified by the faith of Jesus. However, they great majority of "Christians" claim to have attained the justification for the mere fact to have believed in Jesus Christ but without understanding absolutely nothing what the faith of Jesus is all about. Yes, Jesus was a man of faith, and he had a faith that should be ours too. This, unfortunately, do not understand millions of Catholics, evangelicals, and members of the sects or cults.

The Faith of Jesus

Those men that believe that they can please God keeping all his laws, but ignoring the faith of Jesus, are lost. Many certainly have the faith in Christ but no Christ's faith or the faith of Jesus. And this I want again to underline in order that you can keep it in mind. You must know the faith of Jesus to obtain God's justification. Unfortunately the majority of Christian believers do not have the faith of Jesus but the faith of a Gnostic Christ. You can ask to any Christian on which was the faith of Jesus that can save us and you will get surprised on finding that they all will almost answer in a different ways.

But let's see first two more passages before continuing our investigation on the faith of Jesus. Certainly you had read these thousand times, but maybe you have not stopped to reflect what precisely means that expression (the faith of Jesus).

Romans 3:26 “for [the] shewing forth of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just, and justify him that is of [the] faith of Jesus”

 Revelation 14:12: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus”.

These two texts, along with the one belonging to Galatians 2:16, are further than enough to prove us that there is a faith of Jesus, or a faith that Jesus had, and that it is vital to know and believe to be really justified and finally, saved.

The Faith of Abraham

Now then, also we found that not only we must have the faith of Jesus, but also the faith of Abraham, because without a doubt both notable individuals had faith in a singular and equal promise, for the simple reason that there is only one faith, and not two or more (See Eph. 4:5). The faith of Abraham, like the faith of Jesus, was focused on the same goal and toward the same hope or promise that right away we will discover .

We read again in Romans 4:16 the following statement from the apostle Paul: Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all” (including Jesus, Mat. 1.1) Take note that Paul speaks about the faith of Jesus to the Galatians, and to the Romans, about the  the faith of Abraham”  (including Jesus, Mat. 1:1).

The Faith of Abraham, like the faith of Jesus was related to a promise, and that that promise was that Abraham and his seed (Christ) will be heirs of the world (Rom.4:13). Remember that to Abraham the gospel or good news was preached to Abraham in advance, and it consisted that the blessing of God would come for the world through a his seed (Gen. 12, 2, 3). Paul says: “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed.” (Gal. 3:8 ).

 This is the faith of Abraham. And that same faith that Abraham had, Jesus had, when he came to confirm the same promises or Good News to the world of his times. This says Paul in Romans 15:8, when he tells the faithful of Rome: “For I say that Christ hath been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given unto the fathers”. This task to confirm the promises done to the AT's fathers was the faith of Jesus, and the reason of his coming two millennia ago (see Luke 4:43).  Now I ask you: ¿Is this one the same faith that you have? ¿Do you have the same faith of Jesus and of Abraham that The Son of God (The Christ) will be the coming inheritor of the future world of justice at the millenarian kingdom? You certainly are thinking that the promise is only for the Jews, and not for the church, to whom Jesus has promised the "kingdom of heaven". But stop an instant, and take note that Paul said that Abraham is the father of all of us, and when he said that, he told it to the Church of Rome. If Abraham is the father of faith, then we are his children by faith and heirs of the same promise or of the same faith. That is, if we have the faith of Abraham, then we also have the faith of Jesus. Remember always that there is only ONE faith—The faith of Jesus or also called ‘the faith of Abraham’ (Eph. 4:5).

To the Galatians Paul said: “Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise” (Gal. 3:16,29). So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham (v.9). 

Now I hope that you understand that you must be of the faith of Jesus to be justified (Rom. 3:26). You have to believe in the gospel that was preached to Abraham in advance, and that Christ did of his own when preaching to his peasants two millennia ago (Luke 4:43). That gospel that was preached in advance to Abraham, remember, had to do with the blessing that Christ (his seed according to the flesh) would bring into the coming world of Justice when he establish his millenarian kingdom in the earth.  ¿Do you believe it with all your heart as Abraham and his seed believed it? If you do not share this same faith, then you will not be able to be Abraham's child and Christ's brother. You will definitively not be able to be a part of that wonderland of blessings that Jesus will bring in his parousia when he reign among men. In the Parable of the Ten Mines of Luke 19, Jesus is plainly clear saying: “But these mine enemies, that would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me”. The opponents to his kingdom will be definitively destroyed. There will be no contemplation.

Faith and works

Jesus showed his faith acting in consequence. For example, he began his ministry talking about the proximity of the Kingdom and calling to repentance (Mark 1:1,14,15 ). His parables— the Kingdom's parables— talk to us about his coming kingdom and the blessings that it will bring when it become established. To his disciples Jesus offers a kingdom and then he send them off to preach and to announce God's kingdom to all the world (Luke 8:1; Luke 9:1,2; Mat. 24:14). To another, Jesus said: “go and announce God's kingdom” (Lc. 9:60). To others Jesus ask to look first for God's kingdom and his justice (Mat. 6:33) and after his resurrection, Jesus spends 40 days speaking to his disciples about God's Kingdom (Acts 1:3,6). It is clear that God's kingdom was the theme of all the preaching of Jesus, and the raison d'etre of his coming as mortal (Luke 4:43). All these verses make us clear that God's kingdom was the faith of Jesus. Remember that of the heart abundance speaks the mouth.

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