Help My Unbelief!

And... that is a gift from God
Eph 2:8-9

And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 

                                                                                  (Mark 9:20-24 KJV)

A father cries out:  "I believe; help thou mine unbelief."  This father has begged Jesus to heal his son even as he asks Jesus to heal him of his lack of faith. He knows that he cannot come to faith except by the grace of God. Faith is a gift from God. Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph 2:8-9)

We cannot come to faith; we cannot be saved by anything that we do. Our faith is not our own work. It is a gift from God. Our salvation is not by our own works. If we could save ourselves then Christ's death would have been in vain. Salvation is a gift from God. 

As Lutherans we affirm that faith is a gift from God in the third article of the Apostle's Creed and what it means to us as can be found in the Small Catechism in the Book of Concord:

"Of Sanctification.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; one holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

What does this mean? — Answer.

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life. This is most certainly true."

Let us pray even as the father who brought his son to Jesus to have the evil spirit removed:  "I believe; help my unbelief!"

God's Peace - Pr. J.