How God Distributes Faith Among Us

The Bible states that God gives faith to his people as an avenue to bring salvation. In Romans 12:3, Paul says that God has allotted to each a measure of faith. This means that God gives different amounts of faith to different people. This is to prevent people from becoming proud and to encourage humility. Paul says that people should not think more highly of himself than he ought to think.

However, some people interpret this passage differently. They argue that God gives everyone the same amount of faith, and that this faith is generated by our understanding of God's teachings.

God gives faith as a gift

In Romans 12:3, Paul says:

> "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned."

Paul is concerned that people were "thinking of themselves more highly than they ought to think". His remedy for this pride is to say that not only are our spiritual gifts a work of God's free grace in our lives, but so also is the very faith with which we use those gifts. This means that every possible ground of boasting is taken away. How can we boast if even the qualification for receiving gifts is also a gift?

This is also the case in Ephesians 2:8-9, where Paul stresses that saving faith is a gift: "By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast."

Faith is a gift from God, so that no one may boast. The last bastion of pride is the belief that we are the originators of our faith.

Paul knew that the abundant grace of God was the source of his own faith. He said in 1 Timothy 1:13-14:

> "I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; but the grace of our Lord overflowed [for me] with the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."

He knew this was the case with every other believer too. He said to the Philippians:

> "To you it has been given for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake."

This is why he thanked God and not human resourcefulness for the faith he saw in his churches: "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged."

We thank God for the enlargement of faith because "God has allotted to each [his own] measure of faith".

Faith is the instrument God uses to bring salvation

The Bible specifies the way, or the means, that God gives faith to people: "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ" (Romans 10:17). It is the Word of God that produces faith. Someone could receive faith while hearing a sermon teaching the gospel, or by reading about Jesus in the Bible. Any time the true gospel of Jesus is communicated, there is potential for faith. This is why it’s of paramount importance for believers everywhere to be obedient to the Great Commission and tell people what Christ has done for humanity. Faith is not the product of a preacher’s compelling presentation, his eloquence, or even his theological soundness—faith is given through the message about Jesus. This is the means God has chosen.

It is good for anyone who wants faith to ask for it. God freely gives what is good to all who ask, and it’s good to ask for an increase of faith. Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith to be strengthened. As with any gift from God, it is our responsibility to exercise the gift and not become complacent, lazy, or apathetic. Christians can find comfort and peace of mind knowing their faith is from God, because He has said He will finish the good work He started. God is the Author and the Perfecter of faith.

Faith is the instrument by which we receive the righteousness of God. It is the means by which we receive the blessings of justification and reconciliation with God. Justification is not based on anything in us or anything we do, but solely on what Christ has done for us. It is by grace alone, through faith alone, that we are saved.

The apostle Paul gives an example of the godly humility believers should have when they contemplate their own faith:

> "Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 1:13–14).

Paul understood that his faith in Christ was given to him because of God’s grace in spite of his own sinful life.

Faith is not earned

Faith is a gift from God, and it is not something that can be earned. This is a key tenet of Christianity, and it is mentioned several times in the Bible.

In Ephesians 2:8, it is stated that "faith is a gift from God". This is reiterated in Romans 12:3, where Paul says that God has "allotted to each a measure of faith". The idea that faith is a gift is important because it means that no one can boast about their faith or feel superior to others because of it. As Paul says in Ephesians 2:9, if faith were something that could be earned, then people would have a right to boast, but all such boasting is excluded (Romans 3:27).

The fact that faith is a gift from God also highlights God's grace and mercy. In Ephesians 2:5 and 2:8, it is written that we are saved "by grace... through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God... For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith". This idea is echoed in Titus 3:5, which states that we are saved "not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy".

Furthermore, faith is not a result of our own efforts or merit. As mentioned earlier, it is a gift from God, and receiving it is a non-work (Romans 4). In other words, faith is not something that we can achieve through our own strength or actions. This is emphasised in Romans 3:20, which states that "no human being will be justified in [God's] sight by works of the law".

The concept of faith as a gift from God also has implications for how we pray and act. Knowing that faith comes from God should encourage Christians to be humble and to pray for guidance and strength in their faith. As Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:13-14, even those who were once "blasphemers, persecutors, and violent aggressors" can be shown mercy and receive faith through God's grace.

In conclusion, the idea that "faith is not earned" is a fundamental aspect of Christian theology. It underscores the importance of humility, gratitude, and reliance on God's grace and mercy.

Faith is not a result of works

The Bible states that God gives faith to his people in varying measures. In Romans 12:3, Paul says:

> "God has allotted to each a measure of faith."

Paul is concerned that people were "thinking of themselves more highly than they ought". His remedy for this pride is to say that spiritual gifts are a work of God's grace, and so is the faith with which we use those gifts. This means that every ground of boasting is removed. If even the qualification for receiving gifts is a gift, how can we boast?

This is why faith is not a result of works. It is a gift from God, so that no one may boast. As Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9:

> "By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast."

Paul knew that the abundant grace of God was the source of his own faith. He said in 1 Timothy 1:13-14:

> "I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; but the grace of our Lord overflowed [for me] with the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."

Paul knew that this was the case with every other believer, too. He thanked God for the faith he saw in his churches:

> "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged" (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

> "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

The Bible is clear that our works do not help merit salvation. We are saved "not because of righteous things we had done" (Titus 3:5). "Not by works" (Ephesians 2:9). "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10). This means that sacrifices, keeping the commandments, going to church, being baptised, and other good deeds cannot save anyone. No matter how "good" we are, we can never measure up to God's standard of holiness (Romans 3:23; Matthew 19:17; Isaiah 64:6).

The one condition for salvation is faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said:

> "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent" (John 6:28-29).

The Bible also specifies the way that God gives faith to people:

> "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ" (Romans 10:17).

It is good to ask for faith, and to ask for an increase of faith (Luke 17:5; Mark 9:24).

Faith comes from hearing the message of Christ

The Bible states that faith comes from hearing the message of Christ. This is derived from Romans 10:17: "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ".

The verse implies that faith is produced in the heart when one hears the message of Christ. The message of Christ refers to the good news or the gospel of Jesus Christ, specifically his crucifixion, resurrection, and salvation. It is through hearing this message that faith is born.

The act of hearing is not limited to the physical sense of receiving sounds. Instead, it refers to the receiving or acceptance of the message. As Paul quotes Isaiah 53:1 in Romans 10:16: "Lord, who has believed our message?" Isaiah laments that Israel received the message but few believed it. Thus, the "hearing" is not just about sounds but the acceptance of the message.

The content of the message is crucial. It must be "the word about Christ". Faith that leads to salvation comes after "hearing", that is, after receiving the message concerning Christ. This is further supported by Romans 10:14-16, which explains the requirements for a series of actions: to call on the Lord, one must first believe; to believe, one must hear; to hear, the message must be given; and for the message to be given, someone must be sent to preach.

The Bible emphasizes that faith is a gift from God, and it is only because of what Christ did on the cross that God gives anyone faith. This is in line with Ephesians 2:8-9, which states that salvation is by grace through faith, and that faith itself is a gift from God.

Therefore, faith comes from hearing the message of Christ, and this hearing involves receiving and accepting the gospel, which is the good news about Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen savior.

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