Faith In or Of

Please consider:

New International Version Gal 2:16
"Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

King James Bible Gal 2:16
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.

Please consider:

I have long been perplexed by these different references regarding faith. This is true for many translations of the Bible. I recently asked a friend of mine who is a scholar of sorts to help me to understand. He provided me with eight pages of reference sources debating which is correct. The intellectual assessments to me are confusing and conflicting.

However, I have found comfort in reviewing the commentaries. It leads me to the conclusion that both have relevance. It is not necessarily either or. It is a matter of both depending upon the context.

To me, faith in Jesus Christ is a matter of the mind. It is a matter of intellect. It is a matter of knowing about God. On the other hand, Faith of Jesus Christ is a matter of the heart. It is a matter of Knowing God. "And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest" ( Hebrews 8:11). It is evidence of having been awakened to the profundity of the Spirit of Christ within which is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Faith in Jesus Christ is awesome and wonderful; however, I believe that it brings us to an open door through which we may enter as we die (progressively and cumulatively in God's provisions for Sanctification) to matters of the flesh (mere intellect) and are born anew in the Spirit.

"… But knowledge puffs up while love builds up" (Corinthians 8:1). God is Love and the Spirit of God, which is Christ, builds up. As we are built up, we have Confidence, we Bear the Fruit of the Spirit. The effects are Confidence, Assuredness, Justification and Righteousness. We know God's Will and do God's Will with ease in loving and peaceful ways.

By contrast knowledge puffs up. Well-meaning as it may be, it may lead to that which is merely strength of flesh and not the Power of God. The effects often lead to self-confidence, self-reliance, self-justification, and self-righteousness.

Consider the Faithful of God (Hebrews 11), who not knowing about Jesus Christ, had Faith by His Spirit in them. They knew the Will of God and Confidently did the Will of God. For Jesus Christ said Matthew 12:50 "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. "

Consequently, in my opinion, faith in God precedes Faith of God in our quest to know and do God's Will and Way, highest and best.