When I attended seminary, I had a crisis of faith. I could not understand how my way of holding on to truth could be the only way of finding favor with the Divine. One of my continuous struggles focused on the nature of Jesus. My formative years in the church taught me to believe in Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God. Anything less meant that I missed the boat. I found myself tied up in wrestling with what I truly believed, when I could have grown stronger in my understanding of Jesus, and how He expected me to live in the world.

    One day in my New Testament class, Dr. Pam Eisenbaum, a good Jewish girl, introduced me to an idea that reshaped my thoughts on faith. She said, “The faith of Christ, in Greek pistus Christu, when translated, implies two different things. The first is ‘faith in Christ,’ while the other is ‘faith of Christ.’ Faith in implies that one must believe in the person, the first-century Palestinian Jew. I thought to myself, “No Duh. I learned that way the first time I stepped into a church.

    What caught my attention was the second way, ‘The faith in Christ.’ This way of thinking implies a new way of understanding how one arrives at faith. It means that we must have “faith in Christ.” In other words, I believe that the one called Jesus taught everyone well, sought truth, and modeled how to move in the world. As John Wesley said, “I felt my heart strangely warmed,” as he encountered a newer and richer understanding of Jesus at Aldersgate Street.

    I realized the main reason I follow Jesus is the way he treated people. I hope in the depths of my soul that I may treat others as Jesus treated them. Compassion for others might open my eyes to another way of moving through the world. In short, I love humanity because the Savior demonstrated how to care and minister to those in need. Jesus taught us how to speak to the Father by demonstrating holy communication with the Divine.

    I write this to share how I came to a faith that offered much more substance to my life. I do not believe one must choose between them. Times arise when ‘faith in’ must sustain me as I draw on the strength of the One who provides a way for me. I also need to rely on the strength of following a holy example of how to be in the world. Both points of view create a strong space in which to live in faith.

    I hope this Advent season brings renewed hope and reassurance as followers of Christ. Sometimes, it is essential to remember to turn to the one who repeatedly redeems us. As we clean our spiritual house, we discover a new strength that equips us for our journey. We emulate the way of Jesus, and in so doing, find a faith that leads to joy and hope. May we continue to have a blessed and holy Advent.