Photo: Eva Lacroix

What does Romans 12 3 means?

Put simply, one is either born again or one is not. No believer can be more or less born again than any other believer, and likewise cannot be more or less saved than any other believer. As such, saving faith cannot be what Paul has in mind in this verse.

vbc.online - What does ""Measure of Faith"" mean in Romans 12:3?

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If you are like me, you can easily get tripped up on a word or phrase when reading scripture, especially when the writer’s intention is not immediately clear. One of these passages is Romans 12:3 where the phrase, “the measure of faith that God has assigned”, can stir up questions in our minds. Let’s take a look at what Paul is (and is not) communicating with this phrase.

Paul is not thinking of saving faith in this passage

Throughout scripture, salvation comes by grace through faith. This “saving faith” is so central to the gospel that we may automatically assume that every biblical mention of faith means “saving faith.” In Romans 12:3 however, saving faith is not what Paul has in mind. We can be confident of this because he applies the concept of quantity (measure) to this particular use of “faith”. If there were different measures of saving faith then there would necessarily be different degrees of salvation. But scripture is clear: there is one flock (John 10:16) and “there is neither Jew nor Greek…slave nor free…male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28). Put simply, one is either born again or one is not. No believer can be more or less born again than any other believer, and likewise cannot be more or less saved than any other believer. As such, saving faith cannot be what Paul has in mind in this verse.

Fully Equipped for Effective Service

So if Paul is not talking about saving faith, what does he mean by talking about a “measure of faith” assigned by God? In the context of Romans 12:3-8 we see that Paul introduces the idea of a “measure of faith” in the context of God equipping every believer with:

1 Unique gifts with which to build up the body of Christ

2 The amount of faith required to use their gifts effectively

As one commentary writer explains:

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Promotion

“‘Faith’ [in the context of this passage] is not saving faith, but rather faithful stewardship, the kind and quantity required to use one’s own particular gift. Every believer receives the exact gift and resources he needs to fulfill his role in the body of Christ.” This “faith” can be thought of as a resource provided by God. As we each use our gifts to carry out our unique roles, God gives us everything we need in order to use those gifts effectively. As Paul says in verse six, we all have gifts “that differ according to the grace given to us”, and each gift requires a different “measure of faith” that God supplies us with. As such, this measure of faith enables us to use sober judgment to assess how we can use our gifts as a unique member of the body of Christ.

Case Study: Saul of Tarsus

Consider Paul’s ministry and what he endured for the sake of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:24-29). Imagine the measure of faith required to carry out his mission in the face of extreme hardship. God set Paul apart for a specific purpose and faithfully supplied him with every resource (measure of faith) that he needed. I cannot claim to have that same measure of faith myself, but the measure of faith that God has granted is enough for me to carry out the role that God has assigned to me. Our varying gifts, along with the varying faith each requires, are graciously given and empowered by God for the building up of the body of Christ. So as Paul exhorts (vv.1-2), let us present our bodies as a living sacrifice so as to serve God with whatever measure of faith He has given us for His glory.

vbc.online - What does ""Measure of Faith"" mean in Romans 12:3?

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