Increase Our Faith

The Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our Faith!"

Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have Faith in God.

But without Faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

¹ Therefore being justified by Faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
² By whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

¹⁰ He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.
¹¹ And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
¹² He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
¹³ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

³¹ Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
³² Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
³³ But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
³⁴ And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

²⁶ For ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus.
²⁷ For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
²⁹ And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

¹ I say then, Hath God cast away His people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
² God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,
³ Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
⁴ But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
⁵ Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of Grace.
⁶ And if by Grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise Grace is no more Grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more Grace: otherwise work is no more work.
⁷ What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
⁸ (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
⁹ And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
¹¹ I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
¹² Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
¹⁴ If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
¹⁵ For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
¹⁶ For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
¹⁷ And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
¹⁸ Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
¹⁹ Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
²⁰ Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by Faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
²¹ For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee.
²² Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
²³ And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
²⁴ For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
²⁵ For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

⁸ For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
⁹ Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
¹⁰ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
¹¹ And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.

If you don't believe that Christ was raised from the dead, your Faith is in vain, and you are still in your sins.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

To another Faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, Faith,

So then Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of Faith?

(But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

And the Father Himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape.

⁷ That the trial of your Faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
⁹ Receiving the end of your Faith, even the salvation of your souls.

For we walk by Faith, not by sight.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have Faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by Faith.

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith that is in me.

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

⁴ Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
⁵ For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith.

Above all, taking the shield of Faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through Faith and patience inherit the promises.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

²⁰ O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
²¹ Which some professing have erred concerning the Faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

That your Faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
²⁹ That no flesh should glory in His presence.
³⁰ But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
³¹ That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of Faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of Faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is Faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

²⁸ And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
²⁹ For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake;
³⁰ Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

² My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
³ Knowing this, that the trying of your Faith worketh patience.
⁴ But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
⁵ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
⁶ But let him ask in Faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

⁶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
⁷ That the trial of your Faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Do we then make void the law through Faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Just to make this perfectly clear ...
here is the chain of events according to God's Word:

• You hear Truth of Jesus and Grace
• You believe and Faith is established
• You repent for wrongdoing
• You receive God's Grace
• You receive the Holy Spirit
• God puts His law in your heart
• You want to obey His Will ...
• You begin to do good works out of Love not fear
• You fall down, you get up
• You maintain Faith until the end
• You receive the promise!

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the law.

³⁰ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of Faith.
³¹ But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
³² Wherefore? Because they sought it not by Faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone;
³³ As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.

⁴ Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from Grace.
⁵ For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith.

And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
²² But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
²³ But before Faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed.
²⁴ Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by Faith.
²⁵ But after that Faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
²⁶ For ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus.

⁴ Now to Him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace, but of debt.
⁵ But to Him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his Faith is counted for righteousness.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,
⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by Grace ye are saved;)
⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
⁷ That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His Grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
⁸ For by Grace are ye saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.
¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his Faith.

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
¹⁷ For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith: as it is written, The just shall live by Faith.

Now the just shall live by Faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

¹⁴ And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
¹⁵ And when it was evening, His disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
¹⁶ But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
¹⁷ And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
¹⁸ He said, Bring them hither to me.
¹⁹ And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to Heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
²⁰ And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
²¹ And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

³⁰ And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:
³¹ Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
³² Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
³³ And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
³⁴ And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
³⁵ And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
³⁶ And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
³⁷ And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
³⁸ And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

⁵ And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
⁶ Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
⁷ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
⁸ Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little Faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
⁹ Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
¹⁰ Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
¹¹ How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
¹² Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

⁴⁷ And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
⁴⁸ And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
⁴⁹ But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
⁵⁰ For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
⁵¹ And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.
⁵² For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
⁹ Whom resist steadfast in the Faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
¹⁰ But the God of all Grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
¹¹ To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

³ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
⁴ In whom the god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me Faithful, putting me into the ministry;
¹³ Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
¹⁴ And the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

²⁵ For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
²⁶ And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
²⁷ For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
²⁸ As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.
²⁹ For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
³⁰ For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
³¹ Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
³² For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all.

If we believe not, yet He abideth Faithful: He cannot deny Himself.

Watch ye, stand fast in the Faith, quit you [be brave] like men, be strong.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all Faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the Faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

⁵ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your Faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
⁶ And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
⁷ And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.