A Brief Examination of Mustard Seed Faith

Too often people think Christ said if one had faith the size of a mustard seed then the great things He mentioned will happen. But in both of those cases, in Matthew 17:20 where He states a mountain would be removed and in Luke 17:6 where He speaks of a mulberry (or  sycamine) tree being uprooted, size is not mentioned in those statements. He simply says “faith as a mustard seed.”

This seed is mentioned three other times, viz., Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-32, and Luke 13:18-19, where It is used in a parable to describe the Kingdom of God (Matthew uses the term “Heaven”). Only Matthew and Mark note the size of the seed. Even at that, whether it’s “the least of all seeds” or “smaller than all the seeds,” the mustard seed was used in that sense as a figure of speech intended to set forth a contrast. Symbolically, the seed represented Christ Himself, Who, in the eyes of most of the unregenerate, is set at nought. However, though He was planted (died and buried), His life springs forth in those who truly trust Him. His true disciples form His Kingdom on earth where any person from any nation can find spiritual refuge and food when they truly surrender to Him.

Those who have really made Christ their King grow into His character. They develop the fruit of the Holy Spirit, full of the seeds of the Gospel that spread throughout the world in word and deeds. This speaks of the matchless quality of the life of Christ.

The life of Christ has a tremendous purpose: to redeem mankind from sin, making each disciple a child of God. Mustard seed faith that can move a mountain is not mere head knowledge that God is omnipotent, but a living faith that fully trusts in Him in such a way that one spiritually grows in Him through obedience to His written Word and Holy Spirit. It is a faith that is focused upon not what we want, but what God wants.

Many will attest to the fact that the miraculous does occur today, but such powerful things happen to advance His Kingdom. A heart-cry of God is that not one soul should perish. When we live in such a way that our focus is to bring people into fellowship with God through Christ and develop the character of Christ in our lives and their’s. then we, by the grace of God, are developing quality of faith– a faith that hears God and trusts Him to do mighty things to accomplish His will.

Notes:

Holy Bible quotes are from the King James Version.

“Mankind” is the traditional term to denote all humanity.

This article will be part of Bible GemLight series as hiddenite002.

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