KOSTA conference made its debut online for the first time this year from July 2nd to July 4th (yes!). Before the outbreak of the pandemic, KOSTA has been a 5-day Christian conference that takes place in July every year near Chicago. Because most of the main and seminar speakers deliver their messages in Korean, almost all participants are those who understand Korean. Despite being online this year – or perhaps, because of it – the total number of participants reached nearly 900 people, significantly more than last year’s total participants of 500. This year’s theme was Fear to Faith with a hope to instill courage of Christ to everyone in such a time as turbulent as this.

Faith is a mysterious word. It is used very often in the Christian circle, and the use of it varies widely for many reasons. Faith is usually considered something that depends on our will to follow Christ. We may think we know the word, but the comprehensive biblical understanding of the term seems to require a series of herculean overnight meditations, research, and thoughts – at least, that was my impression from the main session by Pastor Song of Good Stewards Church and one of the seminar sessions by Pastor Kim of All Nations Church Seattle during the KOSTA conference. Thanks to their insights, many KOSTANs were able to obtain a more holistic understanding of the meaning of faith. Here’s my attempt to unfold my renewed understanding of the word “faith.” 

Faith In the Son of God vs. Faith Of the Son of God

20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2:20 New American Standard Bible (NASB); underlined added for emphasis

According to this NASB version of the underline phrase, “I live by faith in the Son of God,” the main subject of faith is “I,” which is Apostle Paul. If we were to apply this verse in our walk, we become the main subject of the faith. In other words, it is us that need to decide to place our trust in the Son of God and follow Him. For this reason, we hear this statement often: “I need to have more faith!” According to this translated version, faith is something that we must attain, and this has been the common understanding.  

Both Pastors Song and Kim pointed out that the NASB version would be masking a very important aspect of the meaning of faith. Their assessment of the Galatians 2:20 based on the examination of the grammatical structure in the original Greek concluded that a better translation would be “I live by faith of the Son of God” not “faith in the Son of God.” The King James Version also maintains “faith of the Son of God.” In this version, the meaning of “faith” changes with a major shift of the subject: The faith of the Son of God empowers Apostle Paul to live. The main subject and the source of the empowerment is the faith of the Son of God, not Apostle Paul. A change of a single word – from “in” to “of” – can render a dramatically different meaning of the word “faith.”  

Therefore, in summary, the word ”faith” in Galatians 2:20 points to the faith of Christ, not the faith of Apostle Paul. It was the faith of the Son of God that empowered Apostle Paul to live. 

Then, what is the “faith of the Son of God?” I think the easiest way to describe the “faith of the Son of God” is to point to His main character – His character of steadfast pursuit of His people in His Love. Therefore, the last portion of Galatians 2:20 can be paraphrased as “the steadfast pursuit and love of Christ empowers me to live.”

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.
Romans 1:17 NASB; underline added for emphasis

With this understanding of the faith, we are able to correctly understand the phrase “faith to faith” better in Romans 1:17. The first faith indicates “the faith of the son of God” which is God’s steadfast pursuit of His people in His love. The second faith – which we are more accustomed to – indicates our response to the faith of the Son of God to place our trust in Christ. Therefore, the phrase “faith to faith” can be interpreted as “God’s steadfast pursuit of His people in His love spawned our response to place our trust in Christ.”

Conclusion

Our typical understanding of the word “faith” has been from a single side. The message by these two pastors allowed us to see the other side to have a holistic understanding of faith. Faith starts with God from His character. To His steadfast love, we simply respond in faith. Faith works two-way. Although this remains a difficult concept, it is a very hopeful, encouraging one because it spawns from God’s love.