The 3 Types of Faith in the Epistles (And Their Impact on the Believer)

What are the three types of faith in the epistles?

What’s their impact on a believer’s spiritual journey? 

Really, to grow into all of God’s plans, it is important to take note of these three levels of faith.

Let’s go ahead now to examine the faith types portrayed in the letters of the apostles to the churches.

What are the types of faith?

3 Types of Faith in the Epistles (And Their Impact on the Believer) Share on X

1. The Milk Faith (The Beginning Faith)

The first faith type is the milk faith. 

This is also called faith in the Name of Jesus Christ or faith towards God (See Acts 3:15-16).

It is the initial faith a believer should learn immediately after the New Birth.

That is after he or she has confessed the Lord Jesus Christ and is added to the Church.

Think about a newborn baby. 

Milk is the food it needs for growth. 

And, just like a baby in the natural world, a new believer is a newborn baby in the spirit.

Apostle Peter talks about the “sincere milk of the word”.  

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby… 1 Peter 2:2-3.

Many believers don’t get to experience this important stage of spiritual growth. 

Many believers have not experienced the milk stage of spiritual growth. That's the reason they find it hard to progress in their walk with God. Share on X

That is for reasons, including an insufficient revelation about it in the church. 

Missing this stage of faith is a major reason many believers can’t move on to higher faiths in God. 

Believers need the milk of the Word for their spiritual growth.

Milk Faith encompasses all the teachings that would make a baby a healthy child under the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:18–20; Hebrews 6:1–2).

What milk faith achieves in a believer

Here are some functions of the milk faith in a believer:

(i) Deals with works of the flesh 

Watch out for a believer who is grounded in the milk of the Word, and you can see an appreciable level of victory over the works of the flesh (See 1 Peter 2:2–3). 

The seven deacons in the early church are a vivid example (Acts 6). These men were honest men, and that was obvious even to their fellow believers.

(ii) Grants victory over sicknesses, diseases, demons, and situations of life

Faith in the Lord Jesus gives the believer authority over sickness and other forms of demonic oppression. 

It gives victory in the circumstances of life.

Many believers still suffer particular oppressions, which the milk faith can deal with. 

Many believers suffer particular oppressions, which the milk faith is meant to deal with! Share on X

They suffer this because they do not properly see what the word of God says, especially about faith in the Name of Jesus (Acts 3:15-16; Philippians 2:9-11). 

(iii) Prepares the believer for the higher faiths

There are higher faiths as we journey deeper into God. 

And, as the foundational faith, milk faith prepares the believer to lay hold on these higher heights of faith. (See Acts 2:42). 

Note that the Apostles’ doctrine is the teaching of the milk of the word. 

And, a major pillar of this teaching is faith in the name of the Lord Jesus.

So the Apostles, including Peter and John, went deeper in their walk with God because they were built up in the milk of the Word.

The early Apostles went deeper in their walk with God because they were built up in the milk of the Word. Share on X

It’s great to know that your maturity in the faith does not make you superior to what the name of Jesus can do!

Faith still works!

Faith in the Name of Jesus works anytime, any day.

So, don’t allow Satan to cheat you out of the benefits of that name.

We must be aware, as believers, that angels respond to the name of Jesus when declared in faith. Of course, it’s not just shouting the name, but declaring it in faith. 

It’s great to know that your maturity in the faith does not make you superior to what the name of Jesus can do! Share on X

We must be armed with that name so we can resist the distractions Satan throws at us as we seek the salvation of our souls. 

If we have faith in the name of Jesus, we will see its potency.

The name of Jesus is not weak.

The milk faith works; the name of Jesus is powerful to save!

2. Meat Faith (The Faith of The Son of God) 

The meat faith (or faith of the Son of God) is the second type of faith (See Galatians 2:20).

This is also called faith that is in Jesus Christ (Acts 26:15-18).

The meat faith deals with the nature of sin and death in the soul of the believer. 

Meat faith enlightens the believer’s eyes of understanding, removing darkness from the soul.

With this faith, we become aware of the heavenly places in Christ, and our souls are purged from loving this present evil world. 

This faith trains the soul to overcome the world and the spirit of this present age. 

The faith of the Son of God (or meat faith) trains the soul of the believer to overcome the world Share on X

It differs from the milk faith. Its dealings and warfare differ too!

While we may use milk faith to resist and deal with certain demons, meat faith chiefly works in us to discern principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of the world. 

Actually, these spirits cannot be cast out like demons.

Believers can only wrestle them down through spiritual stature that emanates from the faith of the Son of God.

It takes the meat faith to wage war against principalities and powers in high places (Ephesians 6:11–12).

It takes the meat faith to wage war against principalities and powers in high places (Ephesians 6:11–12). Share on X

3. Strong Meat Faith (Most Holy Faith) 

The third type of faith we are studying is the strong meat faith or the Most Holy Faith. (See James 2:1; Hebrews 11:1-3; Jude 1:20.)

This faith is the faith of the Everlasting Father. 

The Father God tutored Jesus Christ, our Lord, in the days of His flesh with this height of faith. And that informed the victory He had over death. 

Thus, the strong meat faith (or the Most Holy Faith) is God’s master key for overcoming hell and death” (see Revelation 1:17-18). 

That being said, as we journey deeper in the faith and through obedience to the Spirit, we are elevated to a stature in God where we can overcome Satan himself.

The strong meat faith is God's master key for overcoming hell and death. Share on X

This stature ensures the believer’s victory over the Dragon (Revelation 12:11).

And, it is strong meat faith (or the Most Holy Faith) that births that stature in the believer.

Why understand the types of faith?

Understanding the three types of faith and their strata is crucial for our spiritual journey. 

It sheds light on seeming contradictions that may arise as we walk with the Lord.

For instance, there are some spirits or demons that may not respond to the milk faith. Such spirits may only be subject to your growth or a higher faith, like the meat faith.

Also, God may allow some adverse circumstances to happen to a believer who has attained strong meat faith. 

Thus, that believer may experience situations that contradict the experience of the milk faith, such as casting out demons or receiving healing. 

An example is the experience of the Apostle Paul when he prayed to the Lord three times and the Lord simply said, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” (See 2 Corinthians 12:9).

We should be discerning enough as believers to understand the realms of these three faiths and their operations. 

This is important so that we don’t, for instance, lose sight of faith because we see a seemingly contradictory circumstance around a believer.

The fact is, such a believer may be undergoing dealings allowed by God because of the level of his or her walk with God. 

Conclusion

As a believer growing in the faith, the responsibility is on you to exercise your faith daily in the Lord Jesus! 

And always keep in your heart the three types of faith indicated in the epistles:

1. Milk faith (beginning faith)
2. Meat faith (The faith of the Son of God)
3. Strong meat faith (Most Holy Faith)

Keep walking, growing, and obeying until you arrive at the end of faith, which is the salvation of your soul.

Shalom!

Read also:
25 Timeless and Life-changing Truths About Faith

4 Reasons God Wants You to Grow Up Spiritually (And Without Delay)

9 Cogent Questions to Ask Yourself If Your Faith Isn’t Working