Once, I ran into a gentleman and we struck up a conversation on the subject of faith. He said he sometimes found the “Bible self-contradictory and confusing”. He went further to substantiate his assertion by citing two scriptures that seemed contrary to each other. First, he cited Romans 12:3: God has dealt to everyman measure of faith and another from 2 Thessalonians 3:2: for all men have not faith. Otherwise stated, for not everyone has faith.
Over time, I have come to find that a lot of folks, including those in the church, who do not take time to study, hold same view as the gentleman. However, I make bold to say that the Bible is not self-contradictory neither is it confusing. The problem is that most times, people don’t read the Bible in context.
For instance, Paul, in Romans 12:3, said For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you. Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Note the opening and ending phrases in this construction, to every man that is among you! – God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith…
You see, scriptures, which are God’s thought put into words, were not originally written in chapters and verses. They were put into chapters and verses by the translators.
In the above text, Paul referred to “every man that is among you” or “to every one of you”. The word among denotes “in the company of or in association with” and this letter was written to the church in Rome… To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints. (Roman1:7).
Thus, “every man that is among you” refers to all God’s beloved ones in Rome, called to be saints or to the believers — the Church — the body of Christ.
In this context, Paul is talking of the believers; he urges them not to have an over- high opinion of themselves, but to have wise thoughts, saying, For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you. Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man (believers) the measure of faith. Every believer has faith, we may not feel like we do, but we do because God has dealt to us a measure of faith.
However, in Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica, when he said “all men have not faith”; or “for not everybody has faith and is held by it”, he was referring to the unbelievers or unregenerate — those who are without God, without hope in this world.
He urged the believers in Thessalonica to pray for him and his crew: Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).
Otherwise stated, And that we may be delivered from perverse (improper, unrighteous) and wicked (actively malicious) men, for not everybody has faith and is held by it. That said, it is important to affirm that every born again child of God has faith: God has dealt to everyman a measure of faith.
When we heard the gospel and made Jesus Christ the Lord of our life, the faith of God took up residence in our heart (spirit). We were dealt a measure of faith. It is the gift of God. Scriptures declare in Ephesians 2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Everything in the above verse is the gift of God. The grace is the gift of God, the salvation is the gift of God and the faith to receive salvation is the gift of God.
You see, faith is the lifestyle of the believer. Scriptures declare: Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man drawback, my soul shall have no pleasure in him (Hebrew 10:38).
The word just is used interchangeably with righteous. It simply means to have a right standing with God and it is bestowed on us at salvation – when we got born again.… For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthian 5:21).
Put differently, Hebrews 10:38 reads: Now, those who have a right standing with God shall live by faith. Hallelujah!!!
Until next week, remember, humbly receive the engrafted word — It is able to save you!!!
By Emmanuel Emeke Asiwe
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