The measure of faith and gifts in the Body of Christ

The measure of faith and gifts in the Body of Christ

A good friend of mine asked me the following excellent questions. These questions generate some great material which is too valuable to keep under wraps.

• Questions:

Romans 12:3 speaks about God giving us a “measure of faith.” Can you expound on what this means? Is it addressed only to believers? How does this measure work—do some receive a greater ability than others? In verse 4, Paul explains that the Body of Christ has different gifts according to the grace given to us. Does this mean some receive more than others, and how do we know what our gifts are? The passage also mentions prophecy as a gift, exercised according to the proportion of faith given. How should we understand that today?

• Answers:

The Measure of Faith Defined

The “measure of faith” in Romans 12:3 is not a feeling and it is not saving faith, for all believers receive the same salvation by believing the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Rather, it is the portion of faith God assigns to each believer for their role in the Body of Christ. Think of it as God’s provision for service: just as the body has many members with different functions (Romans 12:4-5), each believer has a measure of faith that matches their function.

This measure is not primarily a feeling, since feelings can mislead, and it is not simply natural ability, though God may use your abilities. It is a God-given capacity to trust Him in service, exercised in proportion to the gift He has given you. You recognise it as you walk in obedience, renew your mind (Romans 12:2), and serve. Over time, you see where God’s grace works through you effectively. It channels your service into the area God has equipped you for—whether teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling, or showing mercy (Romans 12:6-8). You identify it by testing your service against Scripture—does it edify the Body and align with sound doctrine?—and by observing fruit, seeing where your service consistently builds up others in Christ.

Why Compare to the Talents?

Why we pray differently under grace

Why we pray differently under grace

Prayer is not merely a request—it is a reflection of our doctrinal position. To understand why believers today are not instructed to ask for physical provision as Israel once did, we must rightly divide the Word of truth and examine the nature of God’s promises to each group.

Israel’s Covenant Basis for Physical Requests 

Under the law, Israel was given a conditional covenant. God promised tangible blessings—land, health, prosperity, protection—in exchange for obedience to His statutes (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Their prayers were covenantal appeals: if they obeyed, they could expect physical provision. This was not presumption—it was promise.

“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently… the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth” (Deuteronomy 28:1). “Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field” (Deuteronomy 28:3).

Their relationship with God was national, visible, and earthly. Their prayers reflected that. They asked for rain, healing, deliverance, and victory—because those were the terms of their covenant.

This is the foundation of kingdom prayer: covenant-based, earthly, and circumstantial.

Grace-Based Prayer: A Spiritual Position, Not a Physical Covenant

Several interesting Q&A entries posted here

Several interesting and relevant questions added and answered on my Q&A blog.

See them here: The BIG Picture (Q&A)

• How can understanding Paul's doctrine of grace transform the way we live our daily lives as Christians?
• If Satan can’t enter Heaven, why expect mercy for those who serve him or oppose God?
• In your opinion, would drowning millions of people because they displeased you be considered genocide?
• How can Leviticus 21:18-20 be applicable in this day?
• How true is the statement that Jesus was not born divine, therefore he became divine after he got baptized?
• Is Jonathan in the first book of Samuel generally considered a righteous man?
• How do Pre-Tribulationists justify their view after reading 2 Thess 2:2-3?
• Does “fulfilled the law” mean abolished—even with 2 Timothy 3:13-17 affirming Scripture’s role?

Many more to follow...

I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery

I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery

There’s a warning in Romans 11:25 that most believers have either never heard or never taken seriously. And that’s heartbreaking. Because it’s not a gentle nudge—it’s a piercing rebuke. Paul isn’t simply informing the church; he’s confronting a dangerous condition that has crept into the Body of Christ and taken root. He writes, “I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits…”—and you can almost feel the urgency in his voice. He’s not just teaching. He’s pleading.

Our doctrine should not be open for negotiation or compromise. It's not supposed to be treated as a casual curiosity. The mystery Paul refers to isn’t a side topic—it’s the very program we’re living in. It was hidden from the prophets, kept secret since the world began, and revealed only after Christ ascended and chose Paul to unveil it. And yet, despite its weight and wonder, it’s treated like an optional extra. Something for the “deep” Christians. Something we’ll get to later. 

However, if we read further, we'll learn that Paul doesn’t give us that luxury. He says plainly: if you’re ignorant of this mystery, you will be wise in your own conceits. Not might be. Will be. And that’s exactly what we see today. Churches filled with sincere people who are sincerely wrong. Preachers standing in pulpits, crafting doctrine from imagination, blending Israel and the Body, prophecy and mystery, law and grace—until nothing is distinct and everything is confused. They quote scripture, but they quote it out of place, out of context, and out of order. And the result is not spiritual maturity. It’s spiritual conceit. A kind of self-assured wisdom that feels biblical but is built on sand.

When Foundations Are Blended – How Misunderstanding Scripture Breeds Confusion

When Foundations Are Blended – How Misunderstanding Scripture Breeds Confusion

When the Bible is not rightly divided, sincere believers often blend Israel’s kingdom doctrine with the Body of Christ’s grace doctrine. This mixture may seem harmless, even noble, but it produces confusion, contradiction, and ultimately false doctrine. Instead of clarity, we get manmade interpretations that twist Scripture to fit human reasoning. Instead of assurance, we get spiritual instability.

The root issue is foundational: Israel’s prophetic program and the Body of Christ’s mystery program are not the same. They have different audiences, different messages, and different hopes. When these are blended together, even well-meaning believers begin to reinterpret verses, redefine terms, and resist the very apostle Christ sent to reveal the truth for this age.

Below are twenty real-world claims made by believers who do not rightly divide. Each one is followed by a doctrinal correction using Scripture alone—especially Paul’s epistles, which contain the doctrine for the Body of Christ. These examples are not meant to shame, but to teach. They show how far we can drift when we ignore the dispensational boundaries God has placed in His Word.

🔹 Claim 1: “I believe the Bible teaches there is one foundation; not two.”

Correction: Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is the ultimate foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11), but it also reveals that this foundation is applied differently across dispensations.

• Israel’s foundation was laid in prophecy and promises (Isaiah 28:16, Matthew 16:18), connected to the kingdom and covenants.
• The Body of Christ’s foundation was revealed as a mystery after the cross (Romans 16:25, Ephesians 2:20), built on the gospel of grace.

Paul distinguishes between what was spoken by the prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21) and what was kept secret since the world began (Romans 16:25). These are not the same foundation in application, audience, or doctrine.

Contrasting Foundations – Israel’s Kingdom vs Our Foundation in Christ

Contrasting Foundations – Israel’s Kingdom vs Our Foundation in Christ

Scripture reveals two distinct foundations—one for Israel’s prophetic kingdom program, and one for the Body of Christ in this present age of grace. Israel’s foundation is earthly and covenant-based. It was laid through the prophets and confirmed by Christ’s earthly ministry. Jesus said to Peter, “upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18)—a reference to the Messianic assembly built on Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. This church was part of Israel’s kingdom hope, not the Body of Christ. Their foundation includes law, signs, and national restoration, and awaits fulfilment when Messiah reigns on David’s throne (Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).

In contrast, our foundation is heavenly and complete, revealed only after the cross through Paul’s gospel. It rests on Christ crucified, buried, and risen (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), and is offered freely to all who believe. Hebrews 6:1 warns Jewish believers not to “lay again the foundation” of repentance and dead works—because their foundation had already been laid in Christ. But the Body of Christ was not built on Israel’s foundation. We are built on “Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2), according to the mystery revealed to Paul (Romans 16:25). Our doctrine is grace, not law; spiritual blessings, not earthly inheritance; union with Christ, not national identity.

🧱 Israel’s Foundation – Prophetic and Earthly