From: JPDow (mathetes@erols.com)
Date: Sun Jan 11 1998 - 07:33:16 EST
Greetings, fellow B-Greekers:
I have a question regarding the Greek phrase DIA PISTEWS IHSOU
XRISTOU which could be translated "through faith OF Jesus Christ" in
Rom. 3:22a. Does the fact that the name of the Lord is in the
genitive case indicate that Christians are actually justified
(reckoned righteous) by *Christ's faith* (the faith that He Himself
possessed while He lived in this world), rather than through their
own exercising of the faith that God has given them? I have heard
people use this passage to prove that the faith of Christ itself is
actually the faith whereby believers are justified, as opposed to any
personal believing on their own part. But I have a problem with such
a view, since it would seem to negate other NT passages that speak of
the believers themselves doing the believing (e.g., Eph. 1:13).
Any thoughts? Is there possibly another meaning to be understood from
the use of the genitive in this phrase?
Sola Gratia,
Jeremy
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WWW site: http://www.erols.com/mathetes
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