By Faith vs. Through Faith

In Judiasm, circumcision is a symbol of their faith. With Christianity our faith is a symbol of our circumcision (justified through faith).

 

RE: By Faith or Through Faith?

FTR, I agree completely with what LeBuick posted. Here is what I think, too. In the NT, especially in Acts on, any time Circumcision(or concision) is used, it was talking about the jews. Whereas Uncircumcision was used to represent us, the gentiles. Remember back in 1Samuel chapter 16 or 17, when David made reference to Goliath as an "Uncircumcised" Philestine. They, the Jews, put more "faith" into the flesh, just was we put our "faith" into Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Willis

 

It can be seen that both 'by' and 'through' are refering to an aspect of time in relation to what their faith is expecting.

"By faith" is said of the Jews before Christ through which we see them looking forward as walk by faith. They have not received but are walking with that expectation.

"Through faith" is said of those after Christ's resurrection through which we see them (and us) looking backing - thus we walk through faith or better walk in accordence to the promise that has been fulfilled. Remember however that this is specific to the phrased used regarding justification.

Faith is the expectation of what is to come and since God is faithful we KNOW that it will come to pass. We (in Christ) are Justified already, while we still await in faith the completion of our salvation in Christ (perfect bodies, no sin, no death, no sickness, the visableness of Christ et..). Therefore in this senerio we who through faith received the justification from sin in Christ Jesus, we also walk 'by faith' looking forward to that blessed hope of His coming.

 

since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
Romans 3:30 NRSV

My guess:
There are quite a few verses that use “by” and “through”; the one of most notable is Romans 2:20 (“by grace through faith”).
Another Romans 3:24 (“by his grace, through his redemption”)
Usually one notes a mechanism employed to obtain the other.

But that’s not the case here.
Paul uses this combination a lot.
It’s probably just one of emphasis.
Also see Acts 24:2 and the nearby verse, Romans 3:20

The same combination is used in Galatians 2:16
It’s interesting that the AV translated the Greek “dia” usually rendered “through” as “in”.

nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Galatians 2:16 NASB95

knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 2:16 AV 1873

I guess the translators didn't think there was much of a difference.

Rob

 

In that man is universally condemned in Adam (Romans 3:23 and 5:12); man requires a universal remedy to his predicament. The argument of Romans 3:29 is that God gave the Law to the Jews. If man is justified by the Law, only Jews can be saved. God is more than a Jewish God. He is the Creator of all mankind and is drawing all men unto Himself (John 12:32). The Jew (“circumcision”) is saved “by faith” as a contrast (v 28) to being justified through keeping and doing the works of the Law. Keeping the Law was an expression in action of a Jew’s faith in God. The saved Jew attempted to keep the Law because of his faith in God (James 2:18).

The Gentile (“uncircumcision”) is saved “through faith.” The idea of these two phrases (“by” and “through“) can best be understood by the analogy that because of the covenant promise of God to Abraham the Jew was brought into a relationship with God. The Jew still needed to be saved “by” the door of faith already available to him in the Abrahamic covenant (the promised “seed,” Gal. 3:16). The Gentile stood without the covenant. Gentiles had no relationship with God. Therefore, they needed to enter into a relationship “through” the door of faith.

 

Just a stylistic difference which means the same thing, nothing theological.

dia pistews , "through faith," is used in Eph 2:8, Does that mean only the Gentiles are saved by grace through faith?

Just stylistic.