Faith, Faith and more Faith

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. 

Romans 10:17

The Bible reveals that there are various levels of faith. Jesus spoke of people who did not use their faith as being "faithless": 

Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.  Matthew 17:17

He spoke of those with little faith: 

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?    Matthew 6:30; 

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.   Matthew 8:26; 

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?   Matthew 14:31; 

If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?   Luke 12:28 

and of those with great faith: 

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.   Matthew 8:10; 

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.  Matthew 15:28; 

When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.   Luke 7:9

The Bible teaches that each person has a certain measure of faith which is given to him as a gift of God:  

. . . according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.   Romans 12:3b

Each believer has some faith because it is through faith you are saved:  

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Ephesians 2:8

Sanctifying faith enables us to live a holy life.  

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.  Acts 26:18

Increased faith will help us go on to perfection.  

And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.  Luke 17:5

Defensive faith shields us from the attacks of the enemy, Satan.  If we increase our faith we increase our spiritual defensive forces. The Bible tells how to increase faith:  

We increase faith toward God through hearing the Word of God. 

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.  Romans 10:17

Saving faith comes by hearing God's Word.  We must first hear the Word of God in order to repent of sin and receive Jesus as our Savior. 

After we are saved, Biblical teaching, preaching and practice will continue to increase our faith.  The more we hear the Word of God, the more our faith will increase. The more faith increases the easier it will be to live a holy life and defend our self against the spiritual attacks of the enemy.  Just a small amount of faith is very powerful:  

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.    Matthew 17:20

Nothing is impossible if we have even a small amount of faith.  

Faith is a gift of God. 

It cannot be increased by works. By faith we mean "that which you believe.” By works we mean "that which you do.” The Bible teaches:  

Now by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

Faith is the gift of God to believe. This does not mean that works [what you do] are not important. Faith comes first, as a gift of God. Works [what you do] are the test of whether or not your faith is real.  It is your faith in God and your relationship with Him that should drive your activities or works.  James wrote:  

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith and have not works? can faith save him?  If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: Shew me thy faith without thy works and I will show thee my faith by my works.  James 2:14-18

Our works 

- how we live and react to the needs of those around us - 

are a test of the extent of our relationship with God and the reality of our faith.

James sums up the connection between faith and works by the example of the relationship between man's body and spirit. The Bible teaches that when a man dies, his spirit leaves his body.  James says that:  

. . . as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.  James 2:26

Our actions should reflect the living faith within us:  

For the just shall live by faith.   Galatians 3:11

Hebrews 11 lists the names of many people who were great examples of faith. But there is one man in the Bible who is called "the father of all them that believe" -  

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:   Romans 4:11   

His name is Abraham.  Believers are those who walk in the steps of faithful Abraham.

And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.  Romans 4:12

and are spoken of as the children or the seed of Abraham 

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.   Galatians 3:7  

Because of his faith toward God, Abraham was justified:

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. . .  James 2:23

When Apostle Paul wanted to illustrate faith toward God, he used Abraham as an example:

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification.  Romans 4:23-25

Apostle Paul said that the record of Abraham's faith which resulted in justification was not kept just for him. The record was kept so that we also, by believing the Gospel message, could be justified.  Abraham is a stellar example of faith because:

*  Abraham listened to the promises of God:  

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

And being fully persuaded that, what He has promised, He was able also to perform.  Romans 4:13, 21

*  He not only heard the promises of God, he believed:  

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.   Romans 4:18 

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.  1 Peter 1:8-9

*   He turned from his hopeless condition.  Hearing of the Word of God resulted in a change  in Abraham's life:  

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the   father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb.   Romans 4:18-19

Just as men and women lost in sin, Abraham faced a hopeless condition in the natural world. The promise to become the father of many nations could only come through God because Abraham and Sarah were far too old to have children.  Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. There is no other way you can receive the promise except by faith in His plan of salvation:  

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. . .  Ephesians 3:17

*  He accepted the promise as a fact:  

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.  Romans 4:20

This is faith toward God.  The faith toward God demonstrated by Abraham is an example for us to follow.  We must:

               Hear the Word of God.

               Believe the Word of God.

               Turn from our hopeless condition (change through repentance from dead works).

               Accept God's promise as fact. His promise is that we are justified by repentance and faith toward God through Jesus.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  Romans 5:1

Now that you've heard it, do you believe?


(Biblical Studies)




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