Is faith quantifiable?

[tonychanyt]

Berean Study Bible, Luke 17:

5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Add to us faith!”
6 And the Lord said, “If you have faith like a grain of mustard, you would have said to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would have obeyed you.

Is it possible to add to or subtract from faith as if faith can be quantified by a number?

Romans 12:

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another. 6 We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;

Proportional faith by multiplication?

Is faith measurable by some means even by some unknown spiritual means somehow?

Are the disciples, Jesus, and Paul talking about different degrees of faith?

The following is from Nigel:

Jesus said :

I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel [Matthew 8:10 KJV].

and, also :

O ye of little faith [Matthew 8:26 KJV.

In the context of these two quantified estimations, across a spectrum of 'little' to 'great' Jesus' comments relate to what people did, or said, or what attitude they had.

It was visible.

James has much to say about this :

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? [James 2:14 KJV]

Faith, itself, as a quality, can only be 'measured' by God. And he does so, for he justifies them that believe, because he, alone, can see the faith. And can see his own righteousness, the righteousness of God, within that faith. Therefore 'Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him (by God) unto righteousness (divine righteousness)'. Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:9, Romans 4:22, James 2:23.

Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law ... but that which is, through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God, by faith. [Phil 3:9]

But living faith can also be seen, by others as well, by works: by deeds, by words, by attitudes.

And thus the faith can be 'quantified'. By the quantity and quality of the evident results of that vibrant faith.

 

[B Griffin]

Hmmm... Fruit inspectors like to inspect fruit. I guess that tells you everything you need to know about their faith.

 

[tturt]

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' Rom 10:17

 

[d taylor]

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Yes a person can have more or less faith, as related to God and faith in God's word (The Bible).

That is clearly seen in how many, do not have much faith in God's word. Especially in areas of creation and of course other areas too. So much so, that many types of theologies have been formed to handle a person's lack of faith, in/of the accounts given in The Bible.

 

[Bobber]

Somethings that's got to be understood about FAITH is that it's used in different ways in the scriptures. Think of "government". Means different things. Are you talking municipal, state, or federal. Not all government is the same although it's the same word. Same as FAITH

In Rom 12 as has been quote it's speaks of FAITH but reading the text it's talking about everyone having different ministry gifts, empowerments, anointing for service. God gives one the confidence to function in those in the measure of gifts God has imparted. That really has nothing to do with FAITH to receive and believe God in the general sense of the word.

Here's a problem. The Bible says the disciples asked the Lord to increase their faith. Most stop reading right there. They say that's just like me and they can identify with their request. But Jesus responded to them. He didn't say OK that's fine he rather brought instruction to straighten out their thinking. He said in reply, “If you have faith like a grain of mustard, you would have said to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would have obeyed you."

Remember he did not say they had small faith. They did. Jesus came on their side of their claim and said OK you guys are the ones saying you have small faith not I. OK if you have small faith here's what you've got to do with it. Learn how to release it. How do you do that? You speak to the problem.....you shall say to the mulberry tree be uprooted and be planted in the sea and it will obey you" He said the same thing in Mk 11:23 about speaking to mountains. Release the FAITH you've got. (more could be said)