Audio commentary on this verse

Note 13 at Rom. 12:3: Paul begins this sentence with the conjunction "for." That means, the point he is making in verse three is a continuation or result of what was said in verse two. Many times the word "because" can be used interchangeably with "for."

Paul had just admonished them about humility and submission (a living sacrifice) being the way to true success. He now continues that thought by giving these people another reason for humility: the fact that every man has been dealt "the measure of faith" (see note 15 at this verse).

In other words, every believer has a perfect plan for their life which they can "prove" (see note 10 at v. 2) if they will totally yield themselves to God. We may have a different gift but it is not a better gift than someone else's. He then continues in verse four with the word "for" again, and draws a comparison from the way our bodies have different parts but they all work together to make one body.

Note 14 at Rom. 12:3: Religion has interpreted this verse to say that we should think of ourselves in a lowly manner, but that is not what Paul is saying. It would be proper to say that we shouldn't think of ourselves more highly or more lowly than we ought to think. We need to remember that any good thing that we have is a gift from God (1 Cor. 4:7). Paul is admonishing us to have the correct view point, not a lowly view point.

Note 15 at Rom. 12:3: The dictionary defines "according as" as "in proportion to." Paul is saying that we need to remember that God has given every believer "the" measure of faith (see note 14 at this verse). The reason this sobers us up is because we recognize that what we have is a gift from God that every child of God possesses. Some live up to more of their potential than others but it's all God's mercy that makes it possible for any of us to accomplish anything.

Note 16 at Rom. 12:3: God has dealt to every man "the" measure of faith, not "a" measure of faith. There are not different measures with God. The Lord doesn't give one person great faith while another person is given small faith. We were all given an equal amount of faith at salvation. The problem is not that we don't have faith, but rather we don't know how to use our faith because of a lack of renewing our minds.

Peter said we had like precious faith with him (2 Pet. 1:1). That same faith that he used to raise Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-42) is in us, too. The same faith that Peter used is the same faith that we have.

Paul said he was living his Christian life by the faith of the Son of God (Gal. 2:20). Since we all have been given "the" measure of faith, then that means we all have the faith of the Son of God in us. Our faith is sufficient. It's our minds that don't know what we have that is giving us the problem.

In the same way that a car battery transfers its power to the starter through battery cables, so our minds are the thing that allows this faith of God that is in our spirits to flow into our bodies. If our minds are not renewed, then it's like having corroded cables. The power is there but it won't flow. Likewise, every believer has the same faith that Jesus has but it won't flow through us until we renew our minds through the Word of God.