Revelation 14:12 describes God’s last day-people as keeping “the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Many have debated what is meant by the “faith of Jesus,” others assume they know what it is and don’t give it much thought. The most prevailing belief is that it is simply belief in Jesus. Thus, many versions translate it this way. A lesser view is that it is the faith that Jesus had in His Father when He was on this earth.

Both have merit and are included in the “faith of Jesus” but do not stand as the foundation to what this significant phrase conotes. While reading Ellen White’s powerful book Education this morning for my devotional time, I was once again reminded what the “faith of Jesus” is at its most basic level. We need to understand this. It is the antidote to all that ails us on a corporate and personal level. This is emphasized by the fact that she starts the section by saying that “He who seeks to transform humanity must himself understand humanity. Only through sympathy, faith, and love can men be reached and uplifted” (p. 78).

This describes Christ’s approach perfectly. He understood humanity and what it took to elicit a response. Thus, He interacted – and still interacts – with humanity with sympathy, faith, and love.

Thus, remembering that Hebrews defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1), notice how Ellen White uses the terms “look,” “saw,” “beheld,” “hope,” “trust,” “perceived,” “confidence.” This is Christ’s attitude toward us. Oh, blessed thought!

He who had created man, understood the value of humanity. Evil He denounced as the foe of those whom He was seeking to bless and to save. In every human being, however fallen, He beheld a son of God, one who might be restored to the privilege of his divine relationship.

‘God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.’ John 3:17. Looking upon men in their suffering and degradation, Christ perceived ground for hope where appeared only despair and ruin. Wherever there existed a sense of need, there He saw opportunity for uplifting. Souls tempted, defeated, feeling themselves lost, ready to perish, He met, not with denunciation, but with blessing. . . .

In every human being He discerned infinite possibilities. He saw men as they might be, transfigured by His grace–in ‘the beauty of the Lord our God.’ Psalm 90:17. Looking upon them with hope, He inspired hope. Meeting them with confidence, He inspired trust. Revealing in Himself man’s true ideal, He awakened, for its attainment, both desire and faith. In His presence souls despised and fallen realized that they still were men, and they longed to prove themselves worthy of His regard. In many a heart that seemed dead to all things holy, were awakened new impulses. To many a despairing one there opened the possibility of a new life.

Christ bound them to His heart by the ties of love and devotion; and by the same ties He bound them to their fellow men. With Him love was life, and life was service. ‘Freely ye have received,’ He said, ‘freely give.’ Matthew 10:8 (pp. 79-80).

Study this thought often! It’s the key to unlock the powerful faith of Jesus in the life. What she describes here is how Christ looks at us – you and me, first and foremost. And thus, as we contemplate the reality of Christ’s faith in us as individuals, our hearts will be “bound” to our “fellow men” and we, too, will see them as Christ sees them. And just as we have “freely received” Christ’s faith and confidence, so we will “freely give” it to others.