Focus: The Fame Of Faith

Text: Rom.1:8

"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that YOUR FAITH IS SPOKEN of throughout the whole world."

Before we get into our subject for today, let us settle a question arising from yesterday's devotional, which is, how does one get faith? Moses says of Israel, "For they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith," and Paul says, "for all men have not faith" (Dt.32:20; 2Thes.3:2). Faith is of God, not of man. God is the giver of faith. 

The Scripture says that "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Rom.12:3). Every believer in Christ has received a proportion or measure of faith. Paul also tells us that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom.10:17). 

So faith is fundamentally a gift from God. Faith comes when the word comes. Every time you hear the word of God faith comes. The word of God begets faith in the hearer.

Hell is home for the faithless even as heaven is home for the faithful. Hell is introduced into a person's life the moment he refuses to accept or believe what God says to us. Why doubt God when He has never given you a reason to?

Here's God's verdict on faithlessness: "But the fearful, and UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE: which is the second death" (Rev.21:8). This Scripture makes us to understand that all sins are linked together. All sins belong together and have one destination. As all other sins, unbelief is doomed to hell. It is hell-bound.

A person only goes to hell for failing to believe in what God says, for failing to use or exercise his God-given faith, and for failing to place his implicit faith on Christ and His finished work. So one can have a gift, but fail to use or exercise it. A rejected gift lacks efficacy.

Our text today is about faith becoming famous. Paul says to the Christian believers in Rome, "Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world." Their faith in Jesus Christ has become a global phenomenon. Their faith is on the news everywhere. It has moved from local to global. They took their faith seriously. They were passionate about their belief in Christ. They lived by the dictates of their faith. They impacted others with their faith. Others felt the impact of their faith. They didn't keep their faith to themselves. They didn't see their faith as a private matter. For them, faith is acute fever, not a dull thing. 

To the Ephesian Christians, Paul says, "Wherefore I also, after I HEARD OF YOUR FAITH in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints" (Eph.1:15). Paul got a report of their faith. The news of their faith was spreading everywhere. I pray that the news of your faith will travel far and wide! The news of Solomon's wisdom went global. People traveled from distant countries of the world to hear his wisdom. May it be so with your faith!

To the Colossian Christians, Paul says, "Since we HEARD of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints" (Col.1:4). 

You cannot possess faith and hide it at the same time. Faith refuses to be silenced or hidden. Faith speaks and spreads. Faith can be seen, heard, smelt, felt and held.

Paul says again to another church, "For from you SOUNDED OUT the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also IN EVERY PLACE YOUR FAITH TO GOD-WARD IS SPREAD ABROAD; so that we need not to speak any thing" (1Thes.1:8). Their faith was spreading. Their faith was getting the deserved attention and a great deal of mentioning. Everywhere people were talking about their faith.

Again Paul says, "For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and BROUGHT US GOOD TIDINGS OF YOUR FAITH and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you" (1Thes.3:5-6). I love that phrase: "good tidings of your faith" - the good news of your faith. Your faith is good news. Someone should know about it.

Paul declares, "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth" (2Thes.1:3). Faith grows and spreads.

Also, Paul tells Philemon, "HEARING OF THY LOVE and FAITH, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints" (Philm.1:5). Finally, Matthew tells us about "Jesus seeing their faith" - the faith of four friends (Mt.9:2). Jesus Christ sees your faith. Faith can be seen and touched.

I pray for your faith to grow stronger and spread wider! Let others get to feel the impact of your faith! Let the news of your faith spread far and wide! Let people see the proof of faith in your life! Let people in your neighborhood testify of your faith in Christ! Let people feel the impact of your precious faith! Touch lives with your faith! Let your faith grow in fame and influence! Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter