As Christians, we all have faith in Jesus Christ.  How did you come by your faith?  Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  Someone had to tell you about Jesus and share with you the word of God.  It could have been your parents or a friend or someone at a church you attended.  I have heard of some who find a Bible, read it, and develop faith without anyone talking to them, but I am confident that that situation is rare.  We all either had someone tell us the word of God or we read it and we developed faith.

However, more basic than faith in Jesus Christ is that we all believe in God.  We believe that God created the world around us.  Usually, we believe because of our observation of the world and the universe.  It is too beautiful, too complex, and too wonderful for it to just happen and evolve over billions of years.  We see the hand of a designer rather than pure chance and survival of the fittest.  Romans 1:18-21 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

Belief in God and faith in Jesus Christ are two different but related things.  Belief in God comes from what we see and experience but faith comes by hearing the word.  The word tells us about the creation.  It tells us how God dealt with the ancient patriarchs.  It tells us how God dealt with the Israelite nation.  But it also tells us about Jesus – His birth, His baptism, His miracles from turning water into wine and healing the sick, to raising Lazarus from the dead.  It tells us His teaching.  It tells us of His death and resurrection.  It tells us how He went up into heaven and gave power to His disciples to carry the gospel to the world.  It also reveals the future and the hope we have of eternal life.  And when we hear the word, it causes us to have faith. 

Have you ever questioned your faith?  I have.  But when I read the word, my faith is strengthened.  Luke 17:5 “And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’”  If you, like the apostles, want to have more faith, my recommendation is to get into the word because “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.

You should not want to keep your faith to yourself but you should share it with those who do not have faith (Matthew 28:19-20).  That could be a friend, a family member, a neighbor or someone in another part of the world.  How do you help them have faith?  There is only one way – by sharing the word of God.  They should be influenced by your faith and your righteousness, but they have to hear the word to develop faith.  “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  Share the word of God with someone who does not know it.