The synoptic Gospels indicate
that believing has an important role in the Christian life as a response to
specific revelation from God and as an instrument for the receipt of specific
blessings from God, particularly the receipt of answers to prayer. The disciple who disbelieves specific
revealed truths or acts of God is blameworthy,[i]
while disbelieving a counterfeit of the Word as proclaimed by false prophets is
commanded.[ii]
On the other hand, answers to prayer are given to believers[iii]
who, recognizing the ability of God in Christ to meet their needs, petition and
trust in Him to do so[iv]
and remain stedfast in faith,[v]
as enabled by the Holy Spirit, although God in His mercy can answer the sincere
prayer offered by one who groans under the burden of felt unbelief.[vi] Thus, while God preserves perpetually a
root of faith in all those to whom He has given it at the moment of their
regeneration and conversion, faith is sometimes a grace that pertains to the
believer’s particular acts of trust for specific situations.[vii] A believer who wants certainty that God
will answer his prayers must, enabled by grace, “have faith, and doubt not,”
and then “whatsoever [h]e shall ask in prayer, believing, [h]e shall receive.”[viii] Such answers to prayer are related to
the genuineness, rather than the quantity, of the believer’s faith (Matthew
17:20); one either is trusting the
Lord for an answer to prayer, or is lacking in faith (Luke 17:6).[ix] Faith is consequently required in
prayer for healing.[x] Likewise, one who lacks wisdom is commanded
to “ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind
and tossed. For let not that man
think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:5-7). Those who doubt in a particular
situation, such as trusting God for safety and consequently being free from
fear in a storm (Psalm 46:1-3; Isaiah 43:2), and are consequently wavering like
the waves of the sea, have, in that particular situation “no faith,”[xi]
instead of having a steadfast faith (Colossians 2:7). For specific blessings, Christians must with assurance and
confidence trust the Lord to meet specific needs, and, in prayer, ask with unwavering
faith, for then God has promised to answer them.
As a grace[xii]
that pertains to the believer’s continual, lifelong level of entrusting himself
to the Lord, some disciples have weak faith, some have strong faith, and faith
can become weaker or grow stronger.
When “the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase[xiii]
our faith” (Luke 17:5), they asked for something very proper.[xiv] As regenerate persons, the Apostles
already possessed faith, but they wished for their already extant faith to
grow. They did not ask for a new
type of faith, but for an increase and growth in what they already had from the
time of their conversion—they want “furtherance . . . of faith,” faith
progressing and passing into an ever more advanced state.[xv] Faith does not experience a qualitative
alteration from mistrust into trust, but in progressive sanctification it does
undergo a quantitative increase and a qualitative increase in stedfastness and
decrease in mutability.[xvi] Furthermore, faith is not an autonomous
product of the human will, but a supernaturally imparted gift given by
Christ. Indeed, God deals to
believers different measures of faith, and they should think soberly of
themselves and exercise their spiritual gifts in accordance with the measure of
faith God has given them[xvii]
through Christ by the Spirit.[xviii] They should not have weak faith,[xix]
or “little faith,”[xx]
but “great faith”[xxi] and
“strong . . . faith.”[xxii] They are to seek, by means of exercise,
to have their faith “increase,”[xxiii]
“grow exceedingly,”[xxiv]
and “abound,”[xxv] growing
towards the goal of having “all faith” (1 Corinthians 13:2), possessing the
highest possible quantity and quality of faith, just as they seek the highest
degree of diligence, knowledge, and love (2 Corinthians 8:7). However, as long as indwelling sin
remains in the believer, faith has “that which is lacking”[xxvi]
in it, and stands in need of being “perfect[ed]” (1 Thessalonians 3:10). Disciples should not let their faith
become weak, but maintain a steadfast and strong faith.[xxvii] They should fervently pray, night and
day, and have others pray also, for the perfecting of that which is lacking in
their faith,[xxviii] and
become those who are both “full of faith”[xxix]
and yet growing ever the more full.
While the New Testament emphasizes faith as either present or absent in
regard to receiving spiritual blessings in specific situations, it also
presents faith as a spiritual grace that, while present in all the regenerate,
has degrees, and is Divinely strengthened, increases, and abounds, as believers
exercise it.
[i]
Mark 16:13-14;
Luke 1:20 (cf. 1:45); 24:25.
[ii]
Matthew
24:23, 26; Mark 13:21.
[iii]
In all of
the texts where faith is enjoined upon people for answer to prayer those who
have exercised saving faith are in view;
the unconverted are never in view.
[iv]
Matthew
8:13; Mark 5:36; 9:23-24; Luke 1:45.
[v]
Note the
present tenses for the state of faith associated with answered prayer in
Matthew 9:28 (Pisteu/ete
o¢ti du/namai touvto poihvsai; le÷gousin aujtwˆ◊, Nai÷, Ku/rie); 21:22 (pa¿nta o¢sa a·n ai˙th/shte e˙n thØv proseuchØv,
pisteu/onteß, lh/yesqe; note the contrast
between the aorist ai˙th/shte and the present pisteu/onteß); Mark 5:36 (Mh\ fobouv, mo/non pi÷steue); 9:23-24 (note both coming to faith and the state of
faith in Ei˙ du/nasai
pisteuvsai, pa¿nta dunata» twˆ◊ pisteu/onti)
11:23-24 (note again the aorist and present in aÓmh\n ga»r le÷gw uJmi√n o¢ti o§ß a·n ei¶phØ twˆ◊
o¡rei tou/twˆ, ⁄Arqhti, kai« blh/qhti ei˙ß th\n qa¿lassan, kai« mh\ diakriqhØv
e˙n thØv kardi÷aˆ aujtouv, aÓlla» pisteu/shØ o¢ti a± le÷gei gi÷netai: e¶stai
aujtwˆ◊ o§ e˙a»n ei¶phØ. dia» touvto le÷gw uJmi√n, Pa¿nta o¢sa a·n
proseuco/menoi ai˙tei√sqe, pisteu/ete o¢ti lamba¿nete, kai« e¶stai uJmi√n); Luke 8:50 (Mh\ fobouv: mo/non pi÷steue, kai« swqh/setai).
[vi]
Mark
9:23-24.
[vii]
The texts
in the first part of this paragraph employ pisteu/w, while the
latter half examines uses of pi÷stiß. The two are combined because of the
similar teaching enforced by the verb and the noun.
[viii]
Matthew
21:21-22; Mark 11:22-24.
[ix]
The ei˙ ei¶cete pi÷stin . .
. a·n of Luke 17:6 (corrupted in the
critical text to ei˙ e¶cete), a second class
conditional, indicates that no faith was present for the particular prayer
request mentioned in the verse.
[x]
James 5:15
sets forth the general principle that “the prayer of faith shall save the
sick,” while New Testament narrative provides a variety of examples where
Christ tells those who have entrusted themselves to Him for salvation, “as thou
hast believed” for a particular healing “so be it done unto thee” (Matthew 8:13), “according to your
faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29; cf. 9:22; 15:28; Mark 5:34; 10:52; Luke
7:9-10; 8:48; 17:19; 18:42; Acts 3:16; 14:9). Acts 3:16 also agrees with James 5:14-16 in ascribing faith
for healing to supernatural grace given by God through Christ (the faith which is by him, hJ pi÷stiß hJ di∆
aujtouv, cf. “the
faith which comes through him,” hJ pi÷stiß hJ di∆ aujtouv, Ignatius to the Philadelphians 8:2).
[xi]
Mark 4:40;
Luke 8:25. Matthew 8:26 indicates
that the disciples had a little faith, but as the storm kept going on, their
faith for safety failed, even as Peter had faith for a little while to walk to
Christ on stormy water, but then his faith, being only little, failed him as
well, and he began to sink (Matthew 14:28-31).
[xii]
Thus,
faith is a central and abiding quality in the believer comparable to hope and
love, 1 Corinthians 13:13.
[xiv] A genuine trust
in the Lord for a particular request in prayer, such as an ability to forgive
those who repeatedly wrong one, is a matter of either the possession of a true
confidence in God to answer the request or a lack thereof—even the faith of a
mustard seed, if a true confidence, will bring the fulfillment of the prayer (Luke
17:4-6). On the other hand, the
believer’s entrusting of himself to God in Christ, which began at the time of
his conversion and never thenceforward departs for the course of his life, can
increase in its measure. As a
mustard seed, in the proper conditions of watering and provision, grows into a
very large tree, Matthew 13:31-32, so faith grows through the spiritual
provision of God. Indeed, both the
continual entrusting of oneself to Christ that marks a Christian and the
ability to trust the Lord for a specific answer to prayer are Divinely wrought
graces within the soul—neither is a self-production of the human will.
[xv]
Philippians
1:25, prokoph\n
. . . thvß pi÷stewß. A “progress, advance . . . frequently
of moral progress” (Liddell-Scott) of faith, a “change [of] one’s state for the
better by advancing and making progress,” to “advance, to progress, to change
for the better, advancement” (Louw-Nida). Compare 1 Timothy 4:15 & TLNT, as well as proko/ptw in
Luke 2:52; Galatians 1:14; 2 Timothy 2:16; 3:13.
[xvi]
The
qualitative continuity and quantitative development of faith is well expressed
in the Old London/Philadelphia Baptist Confession of
1689:
1. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to
believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ (2
Corinthians 4:13; Ephesians 2:8) in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by
the ministry of the (Romans 10:14, 17) word; by which also, and by the
administration of baptism, and the Lord’s supper, prayer, and other means appointed
of God, it is increased (Luke 17:5; 1 Peter 2:2; Acts 20:32) and strengthened. 2.
By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true (Acts 24:14) whatsoever is
revealed in the word, for the authority of God himself; and also apprehendeth
an excellency therein (Psalm 19:7, 8, 9, 10; Psalm 119:72) above all other
writings, and all things in the world; as it bears forth the glory of God in
his attributes, the excellency of Christ in his nature and offices, and the
power and fulness of the Holy Spirit in his workings and operations; and so is
enabled to (2 Timothy 1:12) cast his soul upon the truth thus believed; and
also acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof
containeth; yielding obedience to the (John 15:14) commands, trembling at the
(Isaiah 66:2) threatenings, and embracing the (Hebrews 11:13) promises of God,
for this life and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith
have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon (John
1:12; Acts 16:31; Galatians 2:20; Acts 15:11) him alone, for justification,
sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. 3. This
faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak (Hebrews 5:13, 14;
Matthew 6:30; Romans 4:19, 20), or strong, yet it is in the least degree of it
different in the kind, or nature of it (as is all other saving grace) from the
faith (2 Peter 1:1) and common grace of temporary believers; and therefore,
though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets (Ephesians 6:16;
1 John 5:4, 5) the victory, growing up in many, to the attainment of a full
(Hebrews 6:11, 12; Colossians 2:2) assurance through Christ, who is both the
author (Hebrews 12:2) and finisher of our faith. (Chapter 14, “Of Saving Faith.”)
[xvii]
Romans
12:3-6. In Romans 12:3, both meri÷zw, “to make an allotment . . . deal out, assign,
apportion” (BDAG), and me÷tron, “the result of
measuring, quantity” (BDAG), are clear evidence that faith can increase in its
quantity and quality, as is the reference to faith’s aÓnalogi÷a, “proportion” (BDAG; cf. “mathematical proportion,”
Liddell-Scott), in Romans 12:6.
[xviii]
Ephesians
6:23; 1 Corinthians 12:8-9; Galatians 5:22.
[xx]
Matthew
6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; Luke 12:28, ojligo/pistoß, “pertaining to having relatively little faith—‘of little faith, of
insufficient faith’” (Louw-Nida). ojli÷goß can refer, among other uses, to smallness in amount (1
Timothy 5:23) or duration (Acts 14:28).
Little faith is both small temporally and quantitatively. Also, while little faith fears (Matthew
8:26), strong faith does not (Hebrews 11:23).
[xxi]
Matthew
8:10; Luke 7:9, tosouvtoß pi÷stiß, faith of
a “high degree of quantity, so much, so great,” or a “high degree of quality .
. . so great/strong” (BDAG).
[xxii]
Romans 4:20,
e˙nedunamw¿qh
thØv pi÷stei, explained in v. 21 as “being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was
able also to perform,” plhroforhqei«ß o¢ti o§ e˙ph/ggeltai, dunato/ß e˙sti kai«
poihvsai.
[xxiii]
2
Corinthians 10:5, aujxa¿nw, “to become
greater, grow, increase . . . in extent, size, state, or quality” (BDAG).
[xxiv]
2
Thessalonians 1:3, uJperauxa¿nei hJ pi÷stiß,
from uJperauxa¿nw, “to increase beyond measure; to grow exceedingly”
(Thayer). Such spectacular growth
ought to be a continual process, as it was among the Thessalonians.
[xxv]
2
Corinthians 8:7, perisseu/w, “to exist in
abundance” (Louw-Nida). The verse
affirms that faith is a spiritual grace that can grow and abound like other
graces, such as love, knowledge, or diligence.
[xxvi]
uJste÷rhma, “the lack of what is needed or desirable, frequently
in contrast to abundance, need, want, deficiency . . . a defect that must be removed so that perfection can
be attained, lack, shortcoming”
(BDAG). The word is usually quantitative
in the New Testament; note the
complete list of references: Luke
21:4; 1 Corinthians 16:17; 2 Corinthians 8:13–14; 9:12; 11:9; Philippians 2:30;
Colossians 1:24 (not Christ’s vicarious sufferings, which are never designated
with qli√yiß
in the New Testament, but Paul’s
afflictions for Christ, which have a Divinely ordained full measure); 1
Thessalonians 3:10. The
Christian’s failure to have “all faith” indicates his quantitative lack, which
muts be perfected.
[xxvii]
Colossians
2:5; Acts 16:5; stere÷wma, “firmness, steadfastness, strength,” & stereo/w; cf. Acts 3:7, 16.
[xxviii]
1
Thessalonians 3:10, nukto\ß kai« hJme÷raß uJpe«r e˙kperissouv deo/menoi ei˙ß to\
i˙dei√n uJmw◊n to\ pro/swpon, kai« katarti÷sai ta» uJsterh/mata thvß pi÷stewß
uJmw◊n.
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