Growing Faith

[HRea]

Originally Posted by bbyrd009

Nice; Amen. A tough step for a Western Christian. I'm persuaded that growing faith is diff from getting faith, even if they both essentially reduce to "hearing," which has little or nothing to do with your physical ears.

I agree. Western Christianity is in danger of becoming apathetic toward the kingdom of Jesus Christ. True discipleship requires rejecting the things of this world which will require great sacrifice on the part of the disciple. This is where it becomes difficult.

Getting Faith equals a response to hearing for the first time (ie hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ, or listening to someone relate a testimony concerning a realized possibility within the kingdom). This is why I included a short side trip about the woman with the issue of blood and the men of Gannesaret. They heard about the woman's miracle, responded, and received healings of their own.

Growing Faith is exercising the faith you already have.

Hearing and doing is the way we grow.

Originally Posted by Bro. Robbins

You've given some great Bible study, but not proved where faith is increased any other way than by hearing and hearing by the Word. Jesus' fame being spread has nothing to do with people's faith increasing. And you still didn't prove it with the woman and the issue of blood... sorry, just doesn't prove it. Relationship may increase, belief may even increase... excitement... zeal... but not faith.

I marvel at your response; either you are playing devil's advocate and being contentious as a means to provoke a discussion, or you're not actually seeking an answer and are dismissive of any of the scriptures posted. In either case, you're working very hard not to understand the responses given. Your constant referral to "hearing the Word" as the only means of growing faith shows a lack of understanding in what that truly means.

There are 3 outcomes that the Bible teaches about "hearing the Word" (and Word hear is specific to the Word of God - not testimonies or accounts):

1. Outright rejection - this leads to damnation
2. Hearing, acceptance, but no response - this leads to becoming dull of hearing and necessitates the need for foundational teaching to be repeated over and again. There is no forward progress and no growth.
3. Hearing, acceptance, and a response - this leads to our faith being increased and our ability to hear greater teachings and mysteries.

Jesus admonishing His disciples in Luke 17, and the passage in Hebrews 5 makes it very clear that "hearing the word" is not enough to increase your faith. Those that are hearers only are called weak, unskillful, and unprofitable servants.