This is a big one,it’s a book in itself.
Great things have happened because of faith and conversely great things too have been lost because of the lack of it.From the old,into the new to the present time.
My life personally changed for the better when I got an understanding and began to operate all aspects of my life in faith
I would go as far as putting faith to be the most important thing after salvation.
If you don’t have faith (better way of putting it should be if you have lost your faith) you may as well give up because nothing operates with In the kingdom of God absent faith.
In order to do faith justice the chapter must be broken into parts covering:-
- What is it?
- Who has it?
- When is it?
- Where is it?
- Who is it in?
- What does it do?
- How does it work?
- How does it come to us?
- What hinders/strengths it?
- How can it be developed?
- What are the dangers of not having it?
- Why must we have it?
- Why is it so important?
- What is proving your faith?
- What are works of faith
- It is use it or lose it?
Let’s get into this am excited.So faith,What is it ? Who has it? When is it? Where is it? What does it do?
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
According to Hebrews 11 v 1,much can be extrapolated from this passage of scripture.
- Faith is the materialisation which gives tangibility to the things we hope for/expecting to recieve from God.
- Faith is the proof of the unseen thing we are hoping for (that thing which we cannot yet feel, see, touch, taste or smell and hear,but we know it’s comin in our spirit)
- So faith then is acting as if Gods word is true when there is no evidence/proof.Having faith is the proof you need.
- Faith is also then acting as if all needs/expectations are met through God,even though they haven’t come to pass yet.
- Faith is then also taking corresponding actions in obedience to the word of God.
- Faith is also then by extension believing/having the ability to believe the word of God unconditionally inspite of the surroundings.
In His letter to the Romans Paul wrote;
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith
I like this translation better KJV Rom 12v3. Other translations water down the words in my opinion.The latter part of the verse “the measure of faith” is put as “a measure of faith” which was a confunsing point for me because I thought we are given different measures of faith.So then the bishop has more faith surely.Wrong “the measure” to me means a one quantity,amount,quality,volume in other words “equal measure of faith”
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Paul further writes to the Ephians in 2 v 8 that the grace of God awarded us salvation and through faith which we were able to obtain this salvation.But it was a gift to all mankind for he so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
Question then; did God offer more salvation to one man and less to the other? Are you then more saved than the next woman?
I find the notion ludacris,it would be inconsistent with the character of father God since he is not a respector of persons,the day you got saved you got all the faith you will ever need.How effective it is,how you develop it,what you use it for,how you exercise it, is matter up to you individually.
Hence there are difference people with different kinds of faith individually; strong faith, weak faith,little faith,no faith,mature faith……all these down to the persons described.
When is it?…..now faith is………….present tense.Now, this very moment,currently.See even if we remove the “now” we still have “faith is…” Not “faith was” past tense,or “faith will be” future tense.I therefore submit to you that faith is now present time.
As creatures bound by time we forget that God is not subject by and to time.
Still not convinced? Look at what Jesus said
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
The gospel according to Mark in 11 v 24,I wanted to take the when. Jesus says whatever you want,when you pray(present tense;not when you have finished praying) believe that you have them and they are yours.
- When do you pray =now
- When do you believe =now
- When is now =present =now
Christ never said “believe you shall recieve them” =future tense or “believe you had recieved them” past tense,he said “believe you have them” present tense.
Therefore faith is ….now
Faith is in you and faith is you and faith is a part of you
To understand this part you will need to understand the nature of God,creation and the holy trinity.
- God the father is the creator
- The Holy Spirit is the guide
- Jesus the son is the messiah
Now, three parts,One God,different functions the same Being/diety. Allow me to give an example ;a Man can be a brother,the same man can be a son and he can also be a husband.
A man was created in Gods image
- Spirit ;the real you
- Body; the flesh of clay
- Soul ;the mind,the will,the intellect,the emotions.
When you got born again the only part that was replaced was the spirit.Thats the only perfect part of you.The Body and soul remiss corrupt.
So the spirit is you,the soul is in you and the flesh is apart of you.
But our faith rests in him.
Nissi Christian Center 