Romans 90

The Measure of Faith

November 24, 2002

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

 

ROMANS 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

 

Let’s bow our heads in prayer. Gracious and Loving Father we have read from your Holy Word these things the Apostle Paul has said to us concerning this measure of Faith, and we know Father that Faith is a revelation, something that has been revealed to us. Therefore, Father we would ask that you would help us to lay aside our own thinking this morning and open up our hearts and our minds to what this scripture is all about. Help us Lord, to have and take hold of this Measure of Faith that he is speaking of here, for we ask it in the Name of your First Born Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Now, before we begin, I first want to say that if you are a Baptist, or an Evangelical, or a Fundamentalist, you are not going to agree with what I have to say this morning. But don’t let that turn you away from hearing what I am going to say. Now, when you are eating cherty pie, you sometimes come across a cherry pit, but that doesn’t stop you from eating that pie. You just sort of spit it out and keep on eating.

 

Of course, some of you are well trained in how to spit out the seed and others are not so well trained. And the way you spit out that pit all depends on the way you were raised. If your mother taught you table manners, you will take your spoon, and place it up to you mouth and slide the pit onto it, and then lay it on your plate. Or, if you are high society, you will take your napkin, and fake like you are wiping your mouth, and then slide that pit with your tongue into your napkin. However, if your mother didn’t teach you any table manners, you will just sort of curl your tongue into a pea shooter and let her fly hoping to hit the trash can across the room.

 

But it all depends on how you were raised. And that is the same concerning The measure of Faith. The Measure of Faith to the Baptist or evangelical or fundamentalist is not the same as it is to me. They look at this verse as if Paul is speaking of every person having received from God a different measure, when that is not what he is talking about at all.

 

Now, for the next few minutes this morning let’s focus our thoughts on this thought that  the Apostle Paul calls, “the measure of faith”. And notice Paul tells us God hath dealt to every man The measure of faith. Notice, we are not talking about “a” measure of faith as thought there is one measure for one person and another measure for another person. You see this is where I draw the line with the evangelical and the fundamentalist. They will look at this verse and say, “you see, every man is given “a” measure of faith. And then they will say, some men are given a greater measure than others, and they will thus take the focus away from “The” Faith, and place it upon faith as though it is some sort of gift or some sort of empowerment.

 

But Paul did not say that every man is given a measure of Faith. He said, God hath dealt to every man The measure of faith.

 

 

 

 

So what does this mean, and what is the Apostle Paul mean when he says, God hath dealt to every man… Now, the word dealt here is a Greek word which means to distribute in part, but this does not mean that every man is given a different part. And that is what I am driving at this morning. He did not say faith, every man is given a certain measure of faith. But he said, to every man, God hath given or distributed The Measure of Faith.

 

Now, there is only One measure, and that is the Truth.  In fact the word measure here is a Greek word,  metron    {met'-ron} –meaning -  measure  -  which means the rule or standard of judgment.

 

And we know that God has One rule and One standard of Judgment. And His Word is that Standard.  And His Word has been given freely to every man, and yet not every man wants that One standard of judgment.  In fact this same Apostle also told us in …

 

EPHESIANS 4:4  [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Therefore, if there is but One Faith, then it is this One Faith that is our measure of judgment. Notice how Paul continues, … 6 One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to The measure of the gift of Christ. Now, here we find Paul being a little more specific. He says,  7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to “The Measure” of the gift of Christ.

 

Now, Paul is not saying that everyone is given Grace according to a measure, as though each person has been given only a certain different measure one from another, as though one person receives a larger measure than another, but Paul says, “according to THE MEASURE of the GIFT of Christ.

 

Now, twice we have seen the definitive article “THE” used in speaking of this measure of Faith. And it is not speaking of a generic faith, nor is it speaking of a measure as though each receives a different measure. But, rather, it is speaking of THE measure, and the word “THE” is a definitive article and specifically speaks of One and the Same Measure. Not a different measure for each person who is different. But the same measure for all.

 

Notice how this is spoken of in the Book of Acts. ACTS 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them The like gift, (The Same Gift) as [he did] unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ;

 

So we see here that God does not give to one a greater measure than he does to others. He gives us the same Word, and the same Spirit. Now, that does not mean we are all the same. No, and it does not mean that everyone is called into the five fold ministry. But it does mean that God has One standard and that same standard is given to all.  And notice he said, The Measure of Faith. The Measure, The Measure, One Measure, One standard of Judgment.

 

That is why Jesus uses the term measure in the same sense of the word judgment.  Notice in the Book of  MATTHEW 7:1 Jesus says,   Judge not, that ye be not judged.  2    For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Notice how Jesus is tying together the words judge and measure. He says with what measuring stick or standard of judgment you use, that is the same one you will be measured with.

 

 

Again we see in MARK 4:24  And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. 25  For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. Not two standards, butt on standard, one measuring stick.

 

And again in LUKE 6:37 he says,    Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:   38    Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

 

Now, in getting back to this one standard, the Apostle Paul made reference in Romans 12 to  The measure of faith”, and we know that Faith is a Revelation. And we know there is only One Faith, or One Revelation and that is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”. Therefore Paul is making reference to The Measure or standard for The One and only  Revelation.. We see also, in Ephesians 4 Paul telling us there is only One Faith, and then he uses this terminology concerning The Measure when he says,  The measure of the gift of Christ.

 

So what is this Gift of Christ?  Well, what does the word Christ mean?

 

We know that the word Christ is used of the Anointer, the Anointing, and the Anointed. So what is the application we are reading here? Is Paul saying

 

Well, Peter used the same word when speaking of receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost in ACTS 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. And we know this scriptures speaks of receiving the Baptism of the Spirit.

 

Again we see in the Book of ACTS 10:44  While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 

And remember, we already read from ACTS 11:17 Forasmuch then as God gave them The like gift as [he did] unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; and that word like is the Greek word isos which means equal, or the same. So we see that it is not a different measure, but one and the same standard.

 

Then we must ask ourselves, what is this One Measure, and we have our answer, it is the Measure of the Faith of Christ. Now our faith in Him, but His Faith alone. And we are to receive The Measure of The Gift.

 

ROMANS 5:15 But not as the offence, so also [is] The free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and The gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] The gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but The free gift [is] of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of The gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

 

Now, here we are getting a little closer to what The Gift is all about.  He is telling us here that by the sin of one judgment came upon all, so then by the Right-wise-ness of One right-wise-ness came to all. So we see then THE Measure of Faith can only be one measure or one rule or standard and that is The measure that Christ had. And in fact that is exactly what we are told that The Measure of The Gift will produce in us.

Remember Paul said, EPHESIANS 4:7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. And we know that The Gift of Christ is The Gift of The Anointing of God upon us. And we know the Grace is the understanding that comes at the Apokalupsis according to 1 Peter 1:13 and 1 Corinthians 1: 4-10. Peter and Paul tell us that we are to receive a special grace at the revelation of Jesus Christ, and this grace will bring us to the place where we will all say the same thing, because we will have the same mind.

 

I PETER 1:13   Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for The grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

 

I CORINTHIANS 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for The grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance (Logos), and [in] all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony (witness) of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 So that ye come behind in no gift (Charisma or spiritual endowment); waiting for the coming (apokolupsis, unveiling or revelation ) of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm (establish) you unto the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 ¶  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  Notice how this grace is to bring an understanding which brings with it the same mind and judgment. Not everyman receiving a different measure, but all receiving the same mind, and the same rule or standard of judgment.

 

 I JOHN 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would [no doubt] have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20 ¶  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Now, what is John saying here? He is saying that you have received an unction which is The Gift of Christ. And that Gift has given you the same measure, and you have the same mind, and same judgment. Then he says,  you are not the ones who left. You are the ones who have stayed and that is because you have received an anointing that has made you to know all things. And the difference between you who have stayed and those who have left is that you have this unction, you have this anointing, and you know better. They did not have this unction, and therefore they could not know better, and so they left to manifest that they were not the same as you and therefore did not have the same Measure of Christ, nor did they have the same measure of  Faith which is revelation. Therefore, it was not revealed to them and so they left.

 

I JOHN 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (John is saying here, look, I am not dealing here with the unbeliever. I am writing to you because you are the ones who do believe. And then he says,) 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?

(Now, you must know what he means by calling Jesus The Christ. He is not saying that Jesus is the Anointer, nor is he saying that Jesus is the Anointing, but he is saying that Jesus is the Anointed. Then he lays down a very hard saying when he continues, ) He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son (and we know that the word “and” is a conjunction linking two things, and those two linked are the Father and The Son).

 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father (Now why is that? Well, simply put you cannot have The Son or any Son without having a Father of that son.) [(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also] (And so if you acknowledge that there is indeed one Who is The Son, then you can not help but to know that the One who is The Son has another Who is The Father.). 24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. (and what is that? In the Beginning was what? The Word. Notice he even gives us a clue by saying that which you’ve heard.  And what did Jesus say? “If You abide in my word and My word abides in you then ask what you will and it will be given to you.” ) If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, [even] eternal life.

 

Now this is the point here. John is telling us that if you have received The Measure of The Gift, you will know, and your knowing will be the same. One won’t have his revelation and another have another revelation of their own. No, it does not work that way. We will all believe the same thing, and confess the same thing, and we will be able to discern between those who serve God and those who don’t.

 

Notice we will all have The same measure of Faith, because we have the same measure of Faith or revelation that Jesus had. But what if your Measure is different from what Jesus had? The your Father would have to be different also.

 

Jesus said concerning the Pharisees in the book of Matthew that they had a different measure than he had. 

 

MATTHEW 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 [Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 [Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 ¶  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! 38    Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

 

SOULS.IN PRISON NOW 63-1110M 38-3  Have you got just a couple of minutes to give me? Let's see. Let's just turn to that, 'cause I said read it. There was something there that I want to read just before... Now, I'll maybe cut something else out, but just--let's just get this, just a minute: Matthew 23, just a minute. All right, and we're going to begin at the 27th verse. Just listen. Now, you read the whole thing when you go home, if you will. Just a few more minutes. Now, watch here. Matthew 23 and begin at the 27th verse:

Woe unto you, scribes... (Now, remember this is holy men He's talking to.)... Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres... (that's dead people, see?)... whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. (Hypocrisies and envies and strife on the inside of them; outside, "I'm Dr. so and so." See?) Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men,... (Look at the Ecumenical Council and the Pentecostals setting there.)... but within you're full of hypocrisy and iniquity. (What is iniquity? Something you actually know is right and you won't do it. Jesus... Now, watch what He--what generation He puts this on then.) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous. (See? All of the prophets...) And say, If we had been in them days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. ("We would've believed the Word of the Lord if we'd lived back there." Watch.) Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. (That's just what's taking place. Now, watch what He says here.) Ye serpents, and... generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? (How can you do it?)

  179-2 In Acts 3:16 when Peter was asked how the mighty miracle had taken place upon the crippled one at the Gate Beautiful, he explained it on this wise, "And His (Jesus) Name through faith in His (Jesus) Name hath made this man (former cripple) strong, yea, the faith which is by (from) Him (Jesus) hath given him (the man) this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." See, there it is. Jesus' Name, and Jesus' Faith brought about the miracle. Peter did not claim it was his own human faith any more than he claimed that it was his own name. He said that Jesus' Name used in the faith which is from Jesus performed that great work. This faith is what the Lord was speaking about in Revelation 2:13. It was HIS faith. It was not faith IN Him. But it was HIS OWN faith that He had given to the believers. Romans 12:3  "According as God hath dealt to every man (according to verse 1 the men are BRETHREN) the measure of faith."

 Ephesians 2:8,  "By grace are ye saved through faith, and that (Faith) not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." And it also says in James 2:1, "My brethren (notice he, too, is talking to BRETHREN) have not the faith OF (not in) our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons."

            179-3    In this Pergamean Age where men were humanizing salvation, having turned from the truth that "Salvation is of the Lord,"--having cast aside the doctrine of election and opened wide the church door and their fellowship to any and all who subscribed to their tenets (never mind the Word), in this age of rapid degradation, there were still the few who had the measure of that faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not only used that faith in acts of power but withstood those who dared to say that they were saved simply on the grounds of joining a church. They knew that no man could truly believe unto eternal life and the righteousness of God apart from the measure of the faith of the Lord Jesus, Himself. As today's church is filled with mental believers who endorse the virgin birth, the shed blood, going to church and taking communion, and are not reborn at all, even so in that third age was the same problem. Human faith wasn't enough then and it is not enough now. It takes the very faith of the Son of God to drop into a man's heart so that he can receive the Lord of glory into the temple not made with hands.

  180-1 This was a living faith. "I live by the faith of the Son of God." Paul did not say that he lived by faith IN the Son of God. It was the faith of the Son of God that had given him life and kept him living in Christian victory. No, they had not denied that salvation was supernatural from start to finish. They kept alive the truth of His Name and His Faith and they were blessed by the Lord and accounted worthy of Him.

 

II CORINTHIANS 10:12    For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 But we will not boast of things without [our] measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond [our measure], as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in [preaching] the gospel of Christ: 15 Not boasting of things without [our] measure, [that is], of other men's labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 16    To preach the gospel in the [regions] beyond you, [and] not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. 17    But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18    For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.