Topical Bible: Faith: Faith in Christ: Multitudes

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Faith in Christ, as depicted in the New Testament, is a central theme that underscores the transformative power of belief in Jesus as the Messiah and Savior. The multitudes who followed Jesus during His earthly ministry provide a vivid illustration of this faith, characterized by both personal and collective expressions of trust and hope in His divine authority and teachings.

Throughout the Gospels, we observe numerous instances where large crowds gather around Jesus, drawn by His teachings, miracles, and the promise of spiritual renewal. These multitudes often demonstrate a profound, albeit sometimes nascent, faith in Christ, seeking healing, guidance, and salvation.

One notable example is found in the account of the feeding of the five thousand, as recorded in the Gospel of John. The multitude, having witnessed Jesus' miraculous provision, recognized Him as the Prophet who was to come into the world (John 6:14). This event highlights the initial faith of the crowd, who saw in Jesus the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and a source of divine provision.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we see another instance where the multitudes express their faith in Christ. As Jesus travels through Galilee, teaching and healing, "great crowds followed Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet; and He healed them" (Matthew 15:30). The faith of the multitudes is evident in their actions, as they bring their afflicted to Jesus, trusting in His power to heal and restore.

The faith of the multitudes is also evident in their response to Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As He rides into the city on a donkey, the crowds spread their cloaks on the road and cut branches from the trees, shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" and "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Matthew 21:9). This acclamation reflects their belief in Jesus as the promised King and Savior, though their understanding of His mission may have been incomplete.

However, the faith of the multitudes is not without its challenges. In John 6, after Jesus teaches about being the Bread of Life, many of His disciples turn back and no longer follow Him, unable to accept the depth of His message (John 6:66). This moment reveals the fragile nature of faith when confronted with difficult truths and the cost of discipleship.

Despite these challenges, the faith of the multitudes serves as a testament to the compelling nature of Christ's ministry and the hope He offers. The Gospels consistently portray Jesus as responding to the faith of the crowds with compassion and grace, meeting their needs and inviting them into a deeper relationship with God.

In the Acts of the Apostles, the faith of the multitudes continues to play a significant role in the spread of the early Church. As the apostles preach the Gospel, large numbers of people come to faith in Christ, forming the foundation of the Christian community. The Book of Acts records that "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47), illustrating the ongoing impact of faith in Christ among the multitudes.

The faith of the multitudes, as depicted in the New Testament, is a dynamic and multifaceted phenomenon. It encompasses both the initial, often enthusiastic response to Jesus' ministry and the deeper, more enduring commitment required of His followers. Through their faith, the multitudes bear witness to the transformative power of Christ's message and the hope of salvation He offers to all who believe.

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Acts 5:14
And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
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Library

'The Door of Faith'
... and it was wide enough to admit of multitudes entering ... one refers to the objective
fact of Christ's work as ... Faith is the means of God's entrance into our hearts ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/the door of faith.htm

Obedience to God the Way to Faith in Christ.
... obedience to God leads on to faith in Christ ... highly, and whom the Apostles, after
Christ's departure, brought into the Church in such vast multitudes"none, as ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon xiv obedience to god.htm

The Touch of Faith and the Touch of Christ
... could lift no cry, nor exercise any faith, and all ... We have to think of Christ's deeds
as 'signs,' not ... in so far, they were in advance of the gaping multitudes. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the touch of faith and.htm

The Power of Feeble Faith
... from the faith which unites us to Christ, and is the condition of our receiving
our soul's cure; and we shall never understand the relation of multitudes of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the power of feeble faith.htm

Healing of the Heathen Centurion's Slave at Capernaum. --The ...
... Here was the deep import of his signs of faith; and here the ground of these striking
words of Christ addressed to the attendant multitudes: "I have not found ...
/.../section 160 healing of the.htm

Victory Over the World through Faith
... Great multitudes, it must be admitted, are under this influence of fearing ... more forcibly
and beautifully teach the doctrine that by faith Christ is introduced ...
/.../finney/sermons on gospel themes/xxii victory over the world.htm

What the Scriptures Principally Teach: the Ruin and Recovery of ...
... And thus multitudes of souls perish in the very opinion of ... soul with the colour and
appearance of faith in the ... They think, to believe in Christ is nothing else ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/lecture vi what the scriptures.htm

The Vatican Decrees. The Constitution on the Catholic Faith.
... were multitudes of Protestants in Germany, England, and North America who loved
our Lord Jesus Christ, and had inherited from the shipwreck of faith positive ...
/.../ 32 the vatican decrees.htm

The Syro-Phoenician Woman. (Matt. , xv. , 21; Mark, vii. , 24. ) ...
... in this case was likely to draw multitudes around him ... in him, and share, through
their faith, in the ... may be a question whether this was Christ's intention from ...
/.../section 184 the syro-phoenician woman.htm

Faith
... Multitudes have confessed the name of Christ, and have ... and yet they have never been
pleasing to God, from this simple reason, that they had not faith. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/faith.htm