Mathew 17:20 - Mustard seed faith

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

I was reading this scripture yesterday and thought this would be a wonderful Bible study. And let's try to not debate about anything since this passage has generated lot of arguments also. I do not want to focus on the whether moving the mountains to be taken literally or not. Let's just focus on the first part. Having faith like that of mustard seed.

What is the passage really indicating here? Does it really mean to have faith at least as tiny as mustard seed? Wouldn't every believer have that tiny faith? Jesus rebuked disciples because they had "little faith". It was little faith and not "no faith". So clearly they had some faith and it was rebuked. If that is the case, would it mean a little faith like mustard seed is enough?

While my wife cooking, something came to my mind. We always use mustard while making Indian curries. We heat the oil first. When it is hot enough, we put the mustard seeds and allow it to sputter. And they get popped. They get popped all over. Some of them even get popped out of the pan.

That is exactly what would happen to faith which is not rooted in Jesus Christ. It will get popped everywhere when we are thrown into hot pan of trials and tribulations. When faith is rooted in Jesus Christ, it would grow out like mustard tree. A mustard seed rooted in good soil and nourished well will grow out as a giant tree. Similarly, faith rooted in Jesus Christ and nourished by Holy Spirit with Word of God would continue to grow big.

While the verse signifies the necessity of faith, I think it is important to understand that faith should be rooted in Jesus Christ
 
Here is another interesting fact about a mustard seed.

The mustard seed is the only Seed you can not cross pollinate. You can plant it with and around anything and the mustard seed will Not be affected

So Faith as a mustard seed will not be moved or swayed by anything. Faith like a mustard seed stays pure and the same constantly no matter what it is dealing with or coming against.

Blessings
FCJ
 
One thing that comforts me about mustard seed faith is that it's just the common, bog standard variety that's accessible to everybody.... The key understanding is that the action is not completed by our "faith" but rather by the mighty outstretched hand of God.

It's key to understand that exercise of God's power has nothing to do with our "faith" or lack thereof, but rather God's sovereign will.

Faith is more about being willing and active in aligning yourself with God's plan...
 
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