Faith in the Bible: How important is faith?

We see it painted on walls, written on bookmarks, and in picture frames: the word faith. Most people don't even give it a second thought. But how important is faith?

Well I want to share with you what God has shown me recently! It started maybe 2 weeks ago or so, when I was reading the book of Matthew and God really drew my attention to something. It was a verse that I've read and heard many times before, but on this day it took a whole new meaning. I knew God was teaching me something very important. The verse was Matthew 9:20-22;

"And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, 'If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.' Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, 'Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.' And instantly the woman was made well."

What an amazing story! Notice what Jesus said; "your faith has made you well". So did Jesus choose to heal her based on her level of faith? 

The Faith of the Centurion

Matthew 8:5-13

 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 

“Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

  Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

  The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

  When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith....

  Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.

Again, notice how Jesus accepted the Centurion's plea based on his faith? Could faith be more important than we thought it was? Could it be that if we have faith in what we ask, it shall be done based on our level of faith? Ponder on the following verses....


And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you." (Luke 17:6)

"For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done." (Matthew 21:21)

Remember Peter! 

We all know the famous story of how Jesus walked on the water, but how many really thought about what happened to Peter? Peter stepped out onto the water..and walked on it! But what happened that caused him to fall? Matthew 14:31 says; "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" This is very important! If Peter hadn't doubted, he wouldn't have fallen into the water now would he? Next time you pray and have doubt, remember Peter!

I'll conclude with these verses:

"Having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead." (Colossians 2:12)

"We live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)

"This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:4,5)

And of course, never forget this: "And without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6)

So what shall we do then brothers and sisters? Simple: Have faith! :]