A Measure of Faith

Romans 12:3

Paul begins Romans chapter twelve calling for righteous living before God. First, the saints must dedicated their bodies as living sacrifices to God (12:1). Second, they must avoid conforming to this world by undergoing a spiritual metamorphosis “by the renewing of their minds” (12:2).

Starting in verse three Paul transitions to the next point which deals with righteous living within the Church (12:3-8). It is to everyone who is the member of the church at Rome. “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (12:3). These commandments are a result of the grace of God which was given to him. God’s grace given Paul was making him an apostles (see 15:15,16; 1 Cor. 3:10; 15:10; Gal. 2:7-9; Eph. 3:7). Because of his position of authority as an apostle of Christ, he outlines how the brethren should live righteously as a body of believers at Rome.

Just what does Paul mean in the last part of this verse about each Christian being given a measure of faith? Sometimes it is best to start with what something does not mean. Calvinist’s claim faith is a gift given directly into the heart of a man causing him to be saved. But Paul already wrote “so then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (10:17). Saving faith is not given to man apart from the Word. “As saving faith is belief in testimony, it is the product of man’s own action, and God does not deal it out, or give it to any one. If he did, how could he consistently condemn men for the lack of it (Mark 16:16), or how could he exhort men to believe (John 20:27)?” (McGarvey p. 491). Another view is that the faith given represents the various miraculous or spiritual gifts listed in verses six and seven. However, these are not spiritual gifts imparted through the laying on of the apostles’ hands. These are inherent individual abilities found in various persons and the opportunities they are given by God to use their gifts or God-given talents. After all, giving of charity or serving others is not a miraculous gift. Furthermore, not every one had spiritual gifts through the laying on of the apostles’ hands. Yet this command of Paul is universal in the body of Christ: “to everyone who is among you” (12:3). More importantly, the measure of faith has been given to “each one” (12:3).

Still others see various degrees of faith or growth in faith given by God in verse three. The Bible talks of “little faith.” ”And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). There are Christians said to have a “weak faith” (Rom. 14:1). James warns concerning a “dead faith.” “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:17,20,26). The Bible speaks of those having a “great faith” (Matt. 8:10; Luke 7:9). “Then Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour” (Matthew 15:28). Yet the context is not dealing with the quality of one’s faith but the ability to have humility. Furthermore it is only assumed that this statement is talking about different measures or portions of faith.

The context does not connect the measure of faith with gifts of verse six, but with the command to be humble-minded in one self-estimation in the first part of verse three. “Taken in connection with what precedes, the idea seems to be: There are various degrees of self-estimation proper, for God gives one more and another less; but all are fundamentally regulated by humility, for no one has anything that he has not received” (William Robertson Nicol, The Expositor’s Greek Testament). Mankind has often had a problem with pride. And over-inflated ego begins with an exaggerated view of one’s own abilities and value. A healthy self-esteem is not being condemned. Consider the self-exaltation of a Diotrephes (3 John 9) who thinks himself to be more than was he really is. “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Gal. 6:3). In contrast to this he is not to think lowly of himself but “to think soberly.” When thinking about oneself it is good to keep one’s opinion reasonable. No one is so great as to warrant an indispensable place in the body of Christ.

Paul states that the means by which one can think soberly is “as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (12:3b). Faith or scripture is the measuring tape used to help one think soberly about himself. R. L. Whiteside wrote, “Faith is the measuring instrument, the instrument by which we are to measure our thinking” about ourselves (Whiteside 250). Thus to be right-minded about oneself they must study the Word of God. All the saints have different functions in the body of Christ. But all the saints are to be sober-minded in their self-estimate regardless of how talented they may be. After all, all such abilities come from the same God who made us His children by faith (John 1:12). This fact should humble any Christian’s false sense of superiority concerning his talents.

– by Daniel R. Vess

 

A Great Way to Live

✓ Why should I say “I can’t” when the Bible says I can do all things through Christ who give me strength?-Philippians 4:13 ✓ Why should I lack when God supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus?-Philippians 4:19 ✓ Why should I fear when God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind?- 2 Timothy 1:7 ✓ Why should I be weak when the Lord is the strength of my life?- Psalm 27:1 & Daniel 11:32 ✓ Why should I feel like a failure when I am a conqueror in all things through Christ?- Romans 8:37 ✓ Why should I allow Satan supremacy over my life when He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world?- 1 John 4:4 ✓ Why should I lack wisdom when God gives wisdom to me generously when I ask for it?-1 Corinthians 1:30; James 1:5 ✓ Why should I accept defeat when the Bible says that God always leads me in triumph?-2 Corinthians 2:14 ✓ Why should I be depressed when I have God’s loving kindness, compassion, and faithfulness to give me hope?-Lamentations 3:21-23 ✓ Why should I worry when I can cast all my care on Christ who cares for me?-1 Peter 5:7 ✓ Why should I be in bondage when the truth has set me free?-John 8:32 ✓ Why should I feel condemned when there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus? Romans 8:1 ✓ Why should I feel alone when Jesus is with me always, even to the end of the world? Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5 ✓ Why should I be discontented when I can be content in all my circumstances?-Philippians 4:11 ✓ Why should I feel worthlessness when Christ values me?-1 Corinthians 4:5 ✓ Why should I have a persecution complex, knowing that nobody can be against me when God is for me?-Romans 8:31 ✓ Why should I let the pressures of life bother me when Jesus has overcome the world and its tribulations?-John 16:33

Adapted from Herb Patnaude

 

The Bible in 50 Words

God made. Adam bit. Noah arked. Abraham split. Jacob fooled. Joseph ruled. Bush talked. Moses balked. Pharaoh plagued. People walked. Sea divided. Tablets guided. Promise landed. Saul freaked. David peeked. Prophets warned. Jesus born. God walked. Love talked. Anger crucified. Hope died. Love rose. Spirit flamed. Word spread. God remained.

 

News & Notes

  • Morning’s Lesson: Citizens of Heaven Text: Phil. 3:17-21 ● Contribution Scripture: Exodus 36:2-7 ● Tonight’s Sermon will be: How to See an Invisible God ● Business Meeting this evening after services. ● God has not problems – He only has solutions. ● God buries his workman, but carries on the work.
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