Notice that Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, leaves out the word "his." The OT saint lived by his individual faith that must be justified by his works, his obedience to whatever God had given him to obey whether it was the law, building an ark, or sacrificing your son.
The NT believer is justified by the faith of Christ, not one's individual faith. Christ has done all the work needed for justification. The moment one believes the gospel, Christ's faith is imputed to that person, justifying him. Christ's faith was not even available to the OT saint. See Galatians 3:
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Hi sir,
Been thinking for a quite few days about this “faith of” and “faith in”. You said, the believer of today is justified by the” faith of Christ” and not their own individual faith as in the OT times. This seems quite well however, I am not yet sold to the idea of/in no individual faith for justification. Below are the following reasons:
1. Because faith means a full trust, entire confidence or total reliance. Thus, it is not considered a saving faith if it waivers. Our entire confidence on what Christ did and in the person of Christ made us possible to become the “children of God”
2. “Faith of Christ” is synonymously been used to the individual’s faith in Christ. The KJV with its built- in dictionary defines to us the phrase “faith of” to mean “believe in”
Galatians 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.
3. According to 1828 Webster Dictionary, the preposition “of” means from out of, proceeding from, as the cause, source etc. Since then, our life in which we live in the flesh is now owned by Christ derived/ produced in/by individual’s faith. The faith that doesn’t waiver,that Christ alone can save him. The prep. “in” signifies by or through, thus when someone places his full trust in Christ, he was then justified by faith.
4. Habakkuk certainly would use “his faith” since specifically he was speaking of a certain “his soul” to connect the idea. In the book of Romans is quoted having no “his” without changing the message. Of course, ”his” is no longer needed since Paul is not speaking of any individual but the church of/in Rome.
5. Certainly, Paul would preach repentance and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ. So in plain and simple, it requires the faith of the individual.
Thanks
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love
which ye have to all the saints,
Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 242:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the
faith in Christ.
Colossians 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your
faith in Christ.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of
faith toward God,