Living by faith vs. living by the Spirit

I was reviewing the Fire Bible: Global Study Edition for my blog (the review is finished but not posted yet) when I ran into an interesting point in a study note on Galatians 2:20

2:20 I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST. Paul describes his relationship to Christ in terms of a deeply personal attachment to and reliance on his Lord. Those who have true faith in Christ should consider themselves to be united with him in such a way that they relate to and identify with Jesus in both his death and his resurrection. (1) In a sense, all Christians have been crucified with Christ on the cross. Their old sinful, rebellious way of life was put to death with Jesus as he took their sin on himself and paid its full penalty through his own death (see 2Co 5:21, note). In addition, Christians have been freed from the law's requirements of having to rely on imperfect sacrifices as a way to receive forgiveness and maintain a relationship with God. Christ's perfect and sinless life provided the complete sacrifice for sins once and for all (cf. 1Pe 3:18). Those who accept the forgiveness provided by that sacrifice receive a new life (2Co 5:17) by faith in Christ (v. 19), which allows them to fulfill God's highest purpose for their lives. Because of spiritual salvation and a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, sin no longer has control over them (see Ro 6:11, note; cf. Ro 6:4, 8, 14; Gal 5:24; 6:14; Col 2:12, 20). (2) We who have been crucified with Christ now live with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Ro 8:11). This means that Christ and his strength live within us through the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:13-14). Jesus has become the source and focus of our lives; he is the center of our thoughts, words and actions (Jn 15:1-6; Eph 3:17). Our primary aim is to fulfill his purposes and honor him in all we do. (3) Our opportunity to relate to and share in Christ's death and resurrection is a gracious gift of God, and it becomes activated through faith in Christ. That faith is not just an intellectual belief, but an active trust that surrenders the leadership of one's life to the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us (cf. Jn 3:16; see article on FAITH AND GRACE, p. 2100). Living by faith in Christ is also referred to as living by the Spirit (3:3; 5:25; cf. Ro 8:9-11).

Of particular interest, is the final comparison between "living by faith" and "living by the Spirit." While I have not meditated the comparison, I am somewhat surprised to find them identified as identical, though they are undoubtedly complementary. There are many who claim to live by at least a saving faith in Christ who rarely acknowledge the Spirit. Living within faith in Christ does not seem identical to living by the leading of the Spirit; however, further investigation is merited.

To some this may seem like nitpicking at words or wrangling with semantics, but I seek your wisdom. Is living by faith in Christ the same as living by the Spirit?

Well that's seems to be a fair question. I would say to an extent we all live by some kind of faith. When I drive my car I drive by faith in the traffic laws that by them when I go through a green light the intersecting street is red and so safe to cross. An Atheist has faith, faith in their idea of there not being a God. We too live by faith in our everyday occurances.

I would say it can be the same, Christ and the Holy Spirit are One and so if I am living by Faith in Christ I am living by the Spirit of Christ aka the Holy Spirit. I am with you on this one though not 100% on if they are completely identical but I understand where the author is coming from, I think.

I will add onto my thoughts, Living by the Spirit is the outcome of Living by Faith in Christ. So IF we are living by faith in Chirst then living by the Spirit should and will follow, this Spirit will lead us into the work Christ has prepared for us to do. So perhaps its more of a progression thing. Anyone can live by Faith in Christ but the real question that James presents is "Does your faith work?" Faith in Christ working = Living by the Spirit. :)

If you have a sick or dead faith in Christ (one based off of misconceptions or wrong thoughts of Him) then Spirit-filled Living won't follow nor will it produce the fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Hope that helps :)

I don't know if I'm convinced. I have an instinctive desire to differentiate between the two, but I don't have a developed argument for why they have to be different. I would agree that living by faith would precede living by the Spirit. I feel like the Spirit filled and led life is a higher walk than a living by faith. We all have to live true according to the measure of our faith, but that may have different levels according to your place in Christian maturity, while I suppose I identify living in the Spirit as a walk of obedience to the Spirit and in the power of the Spirit, which may vary according to maturity as well, but I usually only think of the term "living by the Spirit" in absolute terms: either you are or you aren't depending on your openness, response and obedience to the Spirit and the fruit of your life at a given moment. However, as of yet I don't have a developed biblical stand (I'll try to work on it, but I have some busy days ahead).

I will patiently wait so no hurry, I am definitely interested in what you come up with on this.

"I feel like the Spirit filled and led life is a higher walk than a living by faith."

This is the same thought that I had as well, but still not sure if the two can be called the same thing or if they have a distinct biblical difference.

hi, i think that living by biblical faith and walking in the Spirit are identical.faith starts with a personal word from God of direction. this direction from God is surely going to coincide with walking in the Spirit.the difference between faith and presumption is this word from God. faith is not belief or trust; it is far more. noah was told to build an ark in a land where it had never even rained.he obeyed to the savingof his family and the seed line.jimp

Amen Brother jimp, I was thinking about Abraham he walked by Faith which lead to action ie Obedience. Likewise a Spirit-filled life or a life Lived by the Spirit will be an obedient one to the Faith one has.

There are many who claim to live by at least a saving faith in Christ who rarely acknowledge the Spirit. Living within faith in Christ does not seem identical to living by the leading of the Spirit; however, further investigation is merited

I guess it depends a little bit on how you define or think of terms. You are right, due to teaching some people's paradigm is limited to putting faith in God through Christ for eternal salvation and then doing the best they can to live right until the end of this life. This is their definition of walking by faith. It is how they see the thing. Others have a different definition and so we often wind up debating words and terms, or talking past one another, not really understanding what the other is talking about. I really don't think the two, walking by faith and walking in the Spirit, are all that different really.

A man who was attempting to keep the law in order to please God and be righteous in His eyes was definitely not walking by faith in the atoning work of Christ. He was trusting in his own ability and his won righteousness. Of course because he was striving to do it on his own he obviously was not living as a man empowered by the Holy Spirit of God, but rather as a carnal man alone. Man was living according to the law by his own effort and it was not producing any good fruit. It was only bringing death. This is really a simple statement of one of the basic points Paul makes in the first part of the book of Romans.

But if a man trusts not in his own effort, but in the atoning work of Christ, he is saved by faith. He receives Christ by faith. Paul also teaches us in Colossians that in the same way we received Christ we should walk in Him. We received Him by faith and so our walk from that moment on should also be a walk of faith. This is not in the sense that I was saved by faith so I will continue to trust in that salvation until I die or Christ returns. It means that every part of my life is to be lived from the foundation of faith in Christ that was laid at salvation. I now trust in God through His Holy Spirit to empower me in every area of my life's walk from that moment on. I can do nothing on my own. I can merit nothing through my actions. I am totally dependent upon His Holy Spirit to live through me. This is often what Paul means when He talks of walking in the Spirit. It is clearly stated in regards to my daily walk in Romans 6 and 8.

In other words, I live the entirety of my life by faith in the power of God through the Holy Spirit to do through me and in me that which I cannot do myself and have surrendered to Him to do through me by the power of His Spirit. I believe the two are inseparable.

"For we by the Spirit by faith the hope of righteousness await" (Gal. 5.5 Interlinear Greek-English New Testament).

Faith in Christ is new life. Faith in the Spirit is living that life by the power and intellect of the teaching of the Holy Spirit in our soulish part, mind will and emotions, etc. The Spirit of Christ is our new born again life in God, the Holy Spirit is the knowing of that new life.

Gal 2:20 "it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me". Christ can only live in me by Spirit only, The knowledge of this comes through the mind, which is where the Holy Spirit works, to; "bring to mind what Jesus has said and done", for we now have the Mind of Christ, renewing it comes by the teaching of the Holy Spirit Comforter. John 14,15,16,17.

The Holy Spirit comes by Christ baptizing the believer into the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit then seals us into Christ in our mind, will and intellect. 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Ephesians 3:17-21 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

In Christ: Phillip

Living by faith and living by the Spirit go hand in hand. You cannot live by the Spirit without faith, neither can you live by faith without the Holy Spirit.

Mike