LESSON 1
THE GIFT OF FAITH
You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.
In this edition, we continue with our series on The Gifts of the Spirit. The topic for this study is: The Gift of Faith. In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul listed several spiritual gifts which are manifested in the body of Christ. These spiritual gifts include the following:
"12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
12:9 TO ANOTHER FAITH BY THE SAME SPIRIT; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:"
(1 Corinthians 12:8-10; Capital Emphasis Added)
The passage above, coupled with several others (see Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11), outline various spiritual gifts that are provided by the Holy Spirit to members of the body of Christ. In this study, our focus will be on the gift of faith. The apostle Paul defines faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). The apostle to the Gentiles makes it clear that we are all justified by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ (see Romans 5:1). What this means is that every person will have to exercise faith in the sacrificial work of Christ before he or she can be accepted by God. From this point, it is clear that each follower of Christ has exercised a measure of faith (usually termed saving faith) as one cannot approach unto God without it.
But our expression of faith in the salvific work of Christ is only the beginning of our faith journey. Through the endowment of the fruits of the Spirit, the Christian also acquires the fruit of faith (see Galatians 5:22-23) which is a higher expression of faith in spiritual matters than the faith initially expressed at conversion. In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul makes it clear that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). From this text, it is clear that the fruit of faith is developed and nurtured through the hearing and studying of the Word of God. It is the mandate of every child of God to pray and work to achieve this level of faith which will be to him or her an anchor in the time of storm.
Besides saving faith and the fruit of faith is the uncommon gift of faith. According to Paul, the gift of faith just like all the other spiritual gifts, is endowed by the Holy Spirit to particular persons in the church (see 1 Corinthians 12:27-31). The gift of faith is a spiritual gift which the Holy Spirit imparts unto some in the church to believe God to work out the impossible. It is what some have described as having "extreme faith" in God to work in unusual ways to bring about His purposes. As God's people exercise faith in Him one day at a time, their faith level grows until they come to the point where the Holy Spirit endows them with the unique gift of faith to believe in God to do what is impossible with men. People with this gift in the church serve as inspirers to God's people at critical times when all heads are bowed down.
Scriptural examples of the manifestation of the gift of faith include Moses' words of assurance to Israel when the Egyptians came after them towards the red sea (see Exodus 14:13-14), Joshua and Caleb's expression of faith that God will be able to use Israel to defeat the giants in the land of Canaan (see Numbers 14:6-9), the faith of the three Hebrew boys to stand for God even if He did not save them from the fiery flames of Nebuchadnezzar (see Daniel 3:16-18), and the early disciples expression of faith in Christ after His resurrection, a faith that many will later seal with their blood in the proclamation of the everlasting gospel (see Acts 8:1-4; Hebrews 11:35-40).
Exhortation: i) "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).
ii) "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).
In our next study, we will consider the topic: The Gifts of Wisdom and Knowledge. The Bible Study references for this study are Exodus 18:17-26, 1 King's 3:5-28, 1 Kings 4:29-34, Acts 22:3 and James 3:13-18. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.
Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.
Maranatha!
Powered by White Throne Ministries
