He Believes in You -- Really and Literally

Many believers boast of their faith in God.

What they do not understand, and therefore have the propensity to fall, is that the faith that leads them to receive the grace of God through Jesus Christ, is not even their faith!

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)

"The gift of God mentioned here is the "faith" by which receive God's saving grace. We do not earn, deserve it, or even adopt a posture to merit it. God's grace is freely given, and all we "do" is receive it!

This faith is not our faith, not in the slightest:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

Many believers may read over a very important element in this passage. Paul clearly states that he lives buy the faith "of the Son of God", not "in the Son of God". Christ's faith is evident and manifested in us, which we affirm by our right believing.

Need more evidence? Consider the fruits of the Spirit listed by Paul to the Galatians:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22)

"Faith" is a fruit of the Spirit of God, something that He causes to bear in us, not something which we force out on our own.

Praise God that Jesus also underscored His complete, unaltered, and unalterable role in our lives:

"Ye in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:4-5)

We abide in Him by faith. All who believe are in Christ Jesus have received His faith.