Isaiah 7:9b  If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.

What is true for one is true for all. Truth does not change.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Living a life of faith is unique in that we do it while still in the flesh. We should want our faith to be firm but to understand how this is possible we must discover something that is not taught by the flesh. The mind is flesh and must be subdued to the will of God by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Faith is measured out to everyone according to God’s will, not our desires. Since it is measured out and assigned, we should receive it as a gracious gift from God, unmerited favor.

Matthew 25:14-30

The Parable of the Talents tells us in verse 15, “To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.” We are given faith by measure according to our ability to handle and use this faith accordingly.

16 “He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.” Immediately the one with five invested his faith and received an increase on his  investment. Likewise was the one who received two. The man who received only one invested his in the world, where there was no return on investment.

It is obvious that where we invest our faith is more important than the measure of faith that we have been assigned.

21 His master said to him,”‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” This was said to both the one with five and two, no difference in results. At this point I will stop long enough to comment that the Lord did not tell them to reinvest their faith, once was enough to enter into the joy of the Lord. Place your faith in the Lord where it will do good.

To the one unfaithful servant the result was  30 “And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Jesus is Lord of everyone, even the unbelieving.

John 3:1-15 English Standard Version

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

At the time of this conversation,Jesus had not been crucified, buried, resurrected and ascended to His Throne. At this time Jesus invokes the Son of Man title from Daniel 7:13. The Jewish legal council called the Sanhedrin rejected Jesus for invoking this title. Jesus had not yet proven He is the Son of Man and that the everlasting kingdom is His Kingdom. What followed this conversation is the most remembered and often quoted scripture. 

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

So all you have to do is believe but we must look to John 3:15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Jesus did not say will, He said may. So why can’t we simply believe?

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

We must believe by faith to be born again. Can we do that?