W.H.G. -T. writes:

'I notice on page 58 of The Berean Expositor for April, 1917, that you

distinguish between faith in Christ, and the faith of Christ.  I wish

you would some time or other elaborate this and justify it from

Scripture, because the matter is a very vital one.  The word "faith" is

followed several times by the genitive case, and in several passages I

have hitherto found it impossible to take the word as meaning Christ's

own faith.  Thus, in Romans 3:22, I do not see how it is possible to

render the words other than by "faith in Jesus Christ".  There are

other passages equally impressive and one of them as you know, Mark

11:22, where the context seems to demand the thought of "faith in God".

I have sometimes felt tempted to render "faith" as "faithfulness" in

these passages, because, as we know, the two renderings of the Greek

word are possible, and when we look at the distinct references to faith

in Romans 3:22 it certainly yields a vital truth to translate "the

righteousness of God, which is by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ unto

all those who believe", but of course it seems impossible to render the

same word in two different ways in one text ...'.

We are thankful for this reminder to 'search and see', to 'prove all

things and to hold fast that which is good', and as we desire the truth and

have no reputation at stake except that of those who seek the truth of God,

we set out upon a further and fuller examination of the theme mentioned in

our correspondent's letter.

We have continually found help and light upon vexed questions by

following a simple self -made motto, 'When in doubt, consult the Septuagint'.

The usage of pistis in the New Testament is somewhat difficult to define, but

seeing that the apostle Paul has practically founded the whole of his

teaching concerning justification by faith (in its threefold aspect, Rom. 1;

Gal. 3 and Heb. 10) upon one verse in the prophet, Habakkuk, we feel

compelled to cross the bridge provided by the LXX in order to discover the

underlying meaning of 'faith' in the Hebrew of the Old Testament.

This word occurs about thirty times in the LXX; let us look at its

usage.  We will not only give the English rendering, but the Hebrew word

also, so that we may be more fully qualified to arrive at a Scriptural

conception of the word:

'Children in whom is no faith' (Heb. eh -moon*) (Deut. 32:20).

'The just shall live by his faith' (Heb. emoo -nah) (Hab. 2:4).

These are the only places where the A.V. renders the word 'faith'.  As

one of the passages (Hab. 2:4) is practically the one awaiting proof, we must

search further before we can feel that we are on sure ground:

*

All transliterations given as in the Englishman's Hebrew and Chal.

'His righteousness and his faithfulness' (Heb. emoo -nah) (1 Sam.