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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Faith is so vital to the Christian life that Scripture tells us that, without it, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Yet faith is such a powerful gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9) Christ ...
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Liam Powell
Supporter
It's Quantum Physics and Faith rolled into one. What are we made up of? Nothing more than a collection of sub atomic particles, figuratively a 'mustard seed'. Therefore faith the size of a mustard seed is all encompassing.
Billy P Eldred
Supporter
To me this is very interesting. I know that most translations translate this as Faith as small as a mustard seed but the way that I read these verses from Strongs, the Greek simply says Faith as a Mustard seed and Faith as a grain of Mustard seed. This does not have to mean small Faith. A mustard seed does not believe it can grow into a plant, it simply uses what is made available to it, soil, water, etc. To grow into a large plant. It just does it when placed in the right situation. Why? Not because it believes it can, rather, because God designed it that way. So maybe, Jesus example here has nothing to do with size, but purity of Faith. JESUS does not want us to have small Faith, He wants us to have pure growing Faith.
Albert Ogier
Supporter
Who was the only person in the gospels to be complemented on his faith? The centurion in Matt 8:10. In the previous verse we read that the centurion said that he had authority and could command others, but when it came to his son he could nothing. So he came to someone who could. He had no faith at all in himself or in what he could do. He put his faith in Jesus. Faith is a gift from God, yes, but you cannot expect a gift if you do not believe in God. Jesus did not say that if you have faith as big as a mountain you can move a mustard seed, so it has nothing to do with how much faith we have, but what we have faith in. The smallest amount of faith in God and he will give us abundantly more than we ask or think.
Al Mari
Supporter
The power to move mountains is a power coming from God through the Holy Spirit. And, this spirit was not to be given to man until after Jesus dies and be resurrected to go to the Father who gives it as promised: John 16:7 "But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.(NIV). Luke 24:49 "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."(NIV). While receiving the Spirit of Power has a timetable, i.e. only given after Jesus' resurrection, the initiating event on how to this promise was to be fulfilled was through the faith (of) Jesus that justified all of us. Correct translation in “Romans 3:20-23 proved this concept: "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through the faith (of) Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Notice, not specifically (our) faith, as important as that is. Without Jesus' faith in the Father of the mechanics of justification and that what he (the Father) promised will be fulfilled, nothing would have happened. Absent that initiating action from Jesus, the faith of Jesus, no Spirit/Comforter will be given to us. We now have this Spirit in us, first given to man since the Day of Pentecost. Yet, can anyone of us now move mountains? The answer is, no. This teaches us that our own faith is still smaller than the proverbial "mustard seed". Let us be humble about (our) faith. True then, Matt.17:20 "He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you". See also Luke 17:6 That having been said, this Spirit of Power can not and should not be used "willy-nilly". Even man-Jesus, full of Spirit (Luke 4:1), did not use this carelessly; he did not move mountains, even when he could. The Father has control over the extent and breadth of this power. In summary, no one among us even now have "faith as small as mustard seed". That is why we can not move mountains, even though we have the spirit. And, this is the truth, as important as our faith in Jesus is. We are really blessed to know that it is not (our) faith that counts but Jesus' faith.
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