Rely on Jesus

I attended a session of Pastor's School this afternoon. Dr. Andrew Purvis spoke. He talked to us about Galatians 2:16-17:

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16yet we know that a person is justified* not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.* And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ,* and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law.

See that asterisk after the phrase "through faith in Christ Jesus."? That's a footnote which references what he calls an NRSV mistranslation. It should be "through the faith of Christ Jesus." That's a whole different perspective.

I think it places the responsibility where it belongs. On Jesus. We depend on him for everything; we even depend on God for the very breath of life itself. It does seem as if his faith would be more reliable than our own. As Sheila Walsh would call it, "an extraordinary faith."

To extend that thought, when we have unanswered questions, could we rely on Jesus' understanding rather than our own? Can we just leave the questions unanswered, knowing that God has the answers?

When we can't forgive ourselves for our sins, can we rely on Jesus' forgiveness?

When we don't love ourselves; can we find ourselves to be lovable because Jesus loves us?

Can we trust in God when we cannot trust ourselves?