"Faith
comes by . . .
Before we can walk by faith we must have faith,
but how does one “get
faith?”
Faith cannot be transmitted by some form of osmosis. In other words, you can’t go to sleep with the Bible under your pillow and
wake up the next day with a knowledge of what it says. And just because an ancestor was a person of faith does not mean that one will inherit it like they would
blue eyes or red hair. Also the scriptures do not teach the doctrine that faith comes upon someone suddenly by means of the Holy Spirit separate and apart from
God’s word (the sword of the Spirit). Each of us must “hear” or read what the Bible says in order to develop faith. The scriptures are clear that “...faith
comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17). It is equally clear that when we “read” God’s word we can understand it. The
apostle Paul wrote: “whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons
of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. . .” (Ephesians 3:4-5). As
we read, we can understand. It is knowledge and understanding of God’s written and inspired word that leads to the kind of faith that will save. So if you
want saving faith you must “hear” (i.e. read and study with a desire to learn) what God’s word says. There is no other way to develop a saving faith.
By: Edward Thomason, minister
New Madrid CHURCH OF CHRIST
“ .
. . where families are growing in Christ!”
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