The secret to having great faith and what voids faith

Jesus described only two people as having "great faith" in the four gospels: the centurion with the paralyzed servant (Matthew 8:5-13) and the Canaanite woman with the severely demon-possessed daughter (Matt. 15:21-28.)

Let's look at the centurion's story. How come he had great faith? Our thoughts could go to how he was a man of authority with soldiers that obeyed him under his command. But what about the woman of Canaan who acknowledged herself as being in the category of little dogs that eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table? She wasn't commanding soldiers or anything like that. How did her own great faith come to be?

Believers, the centurion and the Canaanite woman had one thing in common: THEY WERE NOT UNDER LAW (they were Gentiles, not Jews.) They were not trying to keep the Ten Commandments in order to be righteous. They were not paying tithes in order to be blessed. They did not do 70 days fast to get God to deliver their sick and demon-possessed. The Canaanites even worshipped idols. One thing they had in common: the both went to Jesus empty of all works done by human effort that should make them deserving of His salvation from their troubles. And did they receive!

The Pharisees and the Scribes who were bogged down with laws and things to do in order for God to bless them could not receive from Jesus. In fact, they despised Him- much like what is going on in many places of worship today. Christ did a perfect work in saving us but many are rejecting His grace (undeserved, unmerited favour) and trying to earn salvation with their puny efforts at keeping the law, doing good things and paying tithes, just like the Pharisees.

This is great faith: coming to Jesus expectant of His blessings while empty of our "filthy rags" baggage of laws kept and tithes paid, just like the centurion and the Canaanite woman.

Galatians 3:12 says "Yet the law is not of faith, ..." You cannot have faith if you are of the law aka trying to get God's blessings by keeping the law/doing good things. The law is not of faith. Just to be clear, doing things like washing church toilets and helping the needy so that God will see how hard you are working for Him and thus bless you because of what you have done is being under law. Giving gifts to little children so that God will bless you with yours is being under law. And the law is not of faith. There is no faith here and "without faith it is impossible to please God."

Also see Ephesians 2:8-9 "God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." "Salvation" here encompasses deliverance from the power, pleasure and penalty of sin, sickness, disease, anxiety, oppression, depression, lack and everything else that plagues mankind as a result of Adam's disobedience. By Christ's obedience we are made righteous and free from these ills. See Romans 5:17-19.

We are saved by grace through faith and not by works. Faith is believing that God blesses you not because of what you have done but what Christ has done. We have nothing to boast about but Christ. Be wary of "men of God" who boast about how their law-keeping, various fasts, dowdy clothes and religious tithe payment is what makes God bless them. They exposed themselves in the recent wahala over tithing. These ones boast in their own effort and not in Christ. This is not grace (undeserved, unmerited favour.) There is no Jesus saving in their equation. Believers, let's not be found here. The letter kills.

This is great faith: the centurion and the Canaanite woman seeking Jesus without the filthy rags baggage of points earned through law-keeping/righteous works that many in the church lug about proudly today. Isaiah (64:6) describes these things as "menstrual rags"- "We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."

The focus of these two was not on what they had done or not done or how well they had kept the Ten Commandments. They were not conscious of their ability to keep the law or their disqualification. They were ONLY conscious of Jesus power to save. And save He did. Believers, the law voids faith. Keeping the law in order to "get right with God" only cuts one off from Christ says Galatians 5:4-

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."

Believer, the greater your revelation of Jesus, the greater your faith. By His grace, like the centurion and Canaanite woman, come to Him empty of all of your own righteousnesses; see Him in the fullness of His grace:

• He has paid the full price for our past, present and future sins (Hebrews 10:12-14)
• He made us righteous without us obeying the law (Romans 3:28 "So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.")
• With Him God gives us ALL things FREELY and not because we kept the law of fasted (Romans 8:32)

So much more undeserved, unmerited favour, including our being caught up with Him at the Rapture. When you see Jesus in the fullness of His grace, He sees in you great faith. Jesus calls this great faith. Faith is a gift!

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.