Some people believe that you must exercise faith and build it up; others believe that you simply receive faith as a gift. Tell me what your experiences have been.
2007-09-25 04:44:20 · 12 answers · asked by Brigid O' Somebody 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Sometimes you do receive faith as a gift but it has to be used and exercised. For the most part faith has to be built up through life's circumstances once you see God work in your favor enough times you start to realize that He is always there for you and always has your best interest in mind even if it doesn't seem that way. Usually the gift of faith is given after it has been built up awhile.
2007-09-25 04:51:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Every person (believer and non-believer) is gifted the 'measure of faith'. That means that the most abrasive atheist and the most devoted Christian have received equally of God. The difference is what they did with it-which can be likened to 'building'. The atheist 'faith muscle' is atrophied, paralyzed, or even severed...while the believer exercises theirs everyday, growing in faith. The Holy Spirit works to seal our salvation and provides a gift of faith to those who believe that is unlike the saving faith of Romans 8. This faith is 'big enough' to believe in faith for the person who cannot believe for themselves.
Personally my faith has been tried, tested and exercised many times. Sometimes I failed under the weight, and God has had to re-test me. Other times my faith has grown so strong that I could throw off the weight easily. Faith is surely a gift..and surely can grow or wither. The only difference about faith is, even in the most avowed atheist..that faith does not disappear. God can resurrect that muscle (those bones)..as described in Ezekiel 37:3... and they CAN live.
2007-09-25 12:03:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Faith is not a gift, it's a choice to believe or not believe. Faith must be built up to become more effective. When we read that we are to have faith as a mustard seed, we generally compare the size of this tiny seed and believe that we only need a little faith. Scripture doesn't say have faith "the size of a mustard seed" but "as a mustard seed". Mustard seeds are very tiny but very quickly explode into large mustard plants. We are not to have "tiny" faith, but instead have faith that will greatly increase in size at the times when we need it. Exercise your faith and build it up by trusting God to handle your situations and watch the results. The more you see how much better He can handle them compared to ourselves, the more your faith will grow in Him.
2007-09-25 11:54:06 · answer #3 · answered by edcw0214 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You m ay receive faith as a gift, but clearly the faith of new converts is not as stong as the faith of those who have lived their faith for years. Prayer, study and works of Christian charity build faith. Prayer and study are of course works. Therefore we can say that faith produces works, and works build faith. That's why faith without works is dead faith that cannot save anyone. And that is why the Bible emphasizes both faith and works as necessary requirements for salvation.
2007-09-25 12:07:55 · answer #4 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Different denominations have different ideas of "faith," because the word means different things in Greek, Latin, and English. My denomination follows the Greek definition, and teaches that faith is nothing more (or less) than believing something to be true. If you can build up faith by convining yourself of something, then you can build up faith.
2007-09-25 11:52:10 · answer #5 · answered by NONAME 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Faith is built by...
you can do this by asking God for things and letting him answer them according to his will..
you can also build faith by talking to other Christians and them telling you what God has done for them..
and some people have faith already..
but Jesus disciples didn't have faith..but He built there faith up with the word and with actions...
2007-09-25 11:53:36 · answer #6 · answered by revbill_ussery 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You must exercise your faith. Faith without works is dead.
2007-09-25 11:59:50 · answer #7 · answered by Kaliko 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Faith is truly like a muscle.....
The more you work it......the bigger it gets.
God is the One who enables us to believe in Him at the point of salvation (Ephesians 1:13) with His Holy Spirit.
But from that point on, faith is what keeps us linked to Him. We need to work at that on a daily basis. I'm not saying that salvation can be lost.....that's impossible.
What I am saying is that our faith needs to remain constantly at work.........
2007-09-25 11:47:17 · answer #8 · answered by primoa1970 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We have to add to our faith. "Consider it Pure Joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds, because we know that the testing of our faith develops perserverence. Perserverence is a byproduct of faith in action.
2007-09-25 11:49:18 · answer #9 · answered by swapitall 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You "build yourself up in faith".
Faith is a gift and you apply it more and more - learn
how to apply it and become stronger.
2007-09-25 11:48:28 · answer #10 · answered by Nickel-for-your-thoughts 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋