From: JPDow (mathetes@erols.com)
Date: Sun Jan 11 1998 - 11:35:24 EST
Jim West wrote:
> >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),
>
> Absolutely correct. See, for instance Luther's brilliant commentary
> ad loc.
I hate to sound stupid, but just to be sure: are you referring here
specifically to Luther's commentary on Romans?
> >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.
>
> Any "personal believing" on their part is still, according to the disciple
> of Paul who penned Ephesians, a gift and not something they themselves have
> acheived. (Eph 2:8-9).
Agreed. But does this imply that the faith of Christ is somehow
*imputed* to believers and not merely given to them? If so, would
that mean that scripture speaks of 3 things that are imputed:
righteousness, sin, and faith (I always thought it was only the first
two that scripture spoke of as being imputed). I'm not saying that
this is definitely what your view leads to; but it does occur to me
as the next logical step.
And Jeffrey Gibson wrote:
> As Jonathan and undoubtedly many others will point out to you, this
> question was raised and discussed in some detail in postings from
> several (?) years ago. It would be worth your while to have a look
> at the archives. In the meantime, consult at least R.B. Hays' _The
> Faith of Jesus Christ_ for a discussion of the issues you raise. And
> there is an old article by Marcus Barth entitled "The faith of the
> Messiah" which is worth looking at in this regard (sorry, I don't
> have bilio details at hand).
Would anyone else happen to know of where I might obtain these
materials (or other materials dealing with the same subject)?
Sola Gratia,
Jeremy
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