Faith

Summary:

1) It is written in the Bible that someone can have a spiritual gift of "FAITH" (1 Corinthians 12:9). 

2) Faith can be quantified. 

3) The spiritual gift of "FAITH" (1 Corinthians 12:9) is distinct from mere faith. 

4) Examples of the spiritual gift of faith may be found in the Bible, where someone may have a special provision of faith given at a certain moment to:

- Be ABLE to believe for things where other people may struggle.

- Have the ability to believe that something is POSSIBLE where other people may struggle with that.

- NOT EXPERIENCE DOUBT toward the outcome while other people may struggle with that. 

- Be able to ACT such as to HELP THE UNBELIEF that someone might experience.

5) There may be further descriptions of the subjective experience of someone experiencing this spiritual gift. 

You can find more details below:

1) The spiritual gift of faith:

It is written in the Bible that someone can have a spiritual gift of "FAITH" (1 Corinthians 12:9). 

This is a spiritual gift among the list of other spiritual gifts available.

For more information:

List of spiritual gifts:
Click here

2) Faith can be quantified:

Faith can be quantified. 

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12 about the spiritual gift of "FAITH" (1 Corinthians 12:9). 

In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul listed spiritual gifts which he then mentioned again in 1 Corinthians 13, for example:

1 Corinthians 12:10: "PROPHECY".

➔ 1 Corinthians 13:2: "if I-have PROPHECY".

1 Corinthians 12:10: "word (of) KNOWLEDGE".

➔ 1 Corinthians 13:1: "If I [...] know [...] all KNOWLEDGE".

1 Corinthians 12:9: "FAITH".

➔ 1 Corinthians 13:2: "if I-have all FAITH".

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13: "if I-have all FAITH so-as to-remove mountains" (1 Corinthians 13:2). Here Paul mentioned the possibility for someone to remove mountains if they have "ALL FAITH " (1 Corinthians 13:2), demonstrating that FAITH can be QUANTIFIED: it is possible to have SOME faith or even up to ALL faith. 

3) The spiritual gift of faith is distinct from mere faith:

The spiritual gift of "FAITH" (1 Corinthians 12:9) is distinct from mere faith. 

All believers in Christ have mere faith, but the spiritual gift of FAITH allows one to believe for things that are usually outside the realm of mere faith, as the Spirit gives them a special provision of faith. 

Paul wrote: "For (to) one (a) word (of) wisdom is-given through the Spirit; and (to) another, (a) word (of) knowledge (is-given) according-to the same Spirit; (TO A) DIFFERENT (ONE), FAITH (IS-GIVEN) BY THE SAME SPIRIT" (1 Corinthians 12:8-9). Paul here did not indicate that this spiritual gift of FAITH is given to everyone at the same time. 

One chapter later, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13 about "FAITH SO-AS TO-REMOVE MOUNTAINS" (1 Corinthians 13:2). The FAITH given by the Spirit here is outside the realm of the normal expectation of mere faith: it is a special provision of faith. 

4) Examples of the spiritual gift of faith:

4) A) Jesus in Matthew 17:15-20:

A man came to Jesus saying that his son was badly demonized but the disciples of Jesus were not able to cure the son:

The man said: "have-mercy-on my son, because he-has-seizures and is-suffering badly. For he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I-brought him to Your disciples and they-were not able to-cure him" (Matthew 17:15-16). Here the disciples were not able to do something because they lacked faith in front of such great manifestation. 

Jesus would have demonstrated the spiritual gift of faith:

In the parallel account of Matthew 17 in Mark 9, it is written that the father of the son then said: "But if You-are-able (to do) anything, help us, having-felt-deep-feelings [of pity] toward us”. And Jesus said (to) him, “‘If YOU-ARE-ABLE to-believe, all (things are) POSSIBLE (for) the (one) believing”. Immediately, having-cried-out, the father (of) the child was-saying, with tears, “Lord, I-BELIEVE. HELP MY UNBELIEF”." (Mark 9:22-24). Here the man said he believed but needed a special provision of HELP FOR HIS UNBELIEF. This is where the gift of faith can come in through someone else to help someone's unbelief. Notice how for Jesus at this moment had a provision of faith was in him such that all things were at least POSSIBLE, as He was at least ABLE to believe (in contrast to the man and the disciples in this specific situation).

It is then written that Jesus said: "Bring him here (to) Me”. And JESUS REBUKED HIM, AND THE DEMON DEPARTED FROM HIM, AND THE BOY WAS-CURED from that hour. Then the disciples, having-come to Jesus in private, said, “For what reason were we not able to-cast it out?” And the (One) says (to) them, “Because-of your LITTLE-FAITH." (Matthew 17:17-20). 

Jesus then continued, saying: "For truly I-say (to) you, if YOU-HAVE FAITH like (a) seed (of a) mustard-plant, YOU-WILL-SAY (TO) THIS MOUNTAIN, ‘PASS FROM-HERE TO-THERE’, AND IT-WILL-PASS. And nothing WILL-BE-IMPOSSIBLE (for) you." (Matthew 17:20). Notice how the key word here is "IMPOSSIBLE", in contrast to things being at least POSSIBLE if faith is present. 

This is similar to what Paul wrote after mentioning the spiritual gift of "FAITH" (1 Corinthians 12:9) about having "FAITH SO-AS TO-REMOVE MOUNTAINS" (1 Corinthians 13:2). 

4) B) Jesus in Matthew 21:23-27:

Jesus went somewhere, was hungry, and did not see fruit on a fig tree:

It is written: "early-in-the-morning (while) returning to the city, He-was-hungry. And having-seen one fig-tree near the road, He-went to it and found nothing on it except leaves only" (Matthew 21:18-19). 

Jesus would have demonstrated the spiritual gift of faith:

It is then written: "And HE-SAYS (TO) IT, “MAY FRUIT NO LONGER COME FROM YOU, to the age”. AND THE FIG-TREE WAS-DRIED-UP AT-ONCE." (Matthew 21:19). 

Jesus then continued, as His disciples asked: "“How was the fig-tree dried-up at-once?” And having-responded, Jesus said (to) them, “Truly I-say (to) you, if YOU-HAVE FAITH and DO NOT DOUBT, YOU-WILL NOT ONLY DO THE (THING OF) THE FIG-TREE, BUT EVEN-IF YOU-SAY (TO) THIS MOUNTAIN, ‘BE-TAKEN-UP AND BE-THROWN INTO THE SEA’, IT-WILL-BE-DONE" (Matthew 21:20-21). Notice how the key part here is "DO NOT DOUBT", in contrast to someone faced with a difficult situation and doubting without a special provision of faith to face it. 

This is similar to what Paul wrote after mentioning the spiritual gift of "FAITH" (1 Corinthians 12:9) about having "FAITH SO-AS TO-REMOVE MOUNTAINS" (1 Corinthians 13:2). 

5) Examples of the subjective experience of someone with the spiritual gift of faith:

Here are SOME of the POSSIBLE subjective experiences that someone with the gift of faith may experience:

1) Someone with the gift of faith may subjectively experience that they have faith and NO DOUBT for certain things that OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT FIND CHALLENGING. 

2) Such a person may be able to believe for things that some people may ask themselves if it is even POSSIBLE. 

3) Such a person may also ACT ON OTHER PEOPLE'S BEHALF TO HELP SOMEONE'S UNBELIEF if they see that others may HAVE A NEED FOR SOMEONE TO ACT LIKE AN INTERCESSOR FOR THEM of some sort. 

4) Such a person might even ASK THEMSELVES WHY OTHER PEOPLE DOUBT if they do not realize that they might be exercising a gift of faith at a certain given moment. 

5) Such a person might NOT EVEN REALIZE THAT OTHER PEOPLE COULD BE CHALLENGED IN THEIR FAITH if they do not realize that they have be given a special provision of faith to help their unbelief and not feel challenged themselves. 

This is why it can be useful to INVESTIGATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE regarding this topic as other people might recognize that such a person has something they do not have themselves, which is one way to get to KNOW if someone has a spiritual gift. 

For more information:

How can someone know what spiritual gifts they have:
Click here

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