The Third Article (Part 1 – Faith)

If someone asked you, “Why are you a Christian?” how would you answer?

You might say,

“Because I decided to follow Jesus.”

Or,

“Because I believed.”

Those answers sound reasonable. After all, Christians do believe in Jesus, but Luther teaches us to look even deeper.

In his explanation of the Third Article, he writes,

“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him…”

Those words can be surprising. We naturally think of faith as something we produce. We decide. We choose. We believe.

Yet Scripture paints a different picture.

Jesus says that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws him. Paul writes that no one can confess Jesus as Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Faith itself is God’s gift.

Imagine someone drowning in the ocean.

A lifeguard dives in, pulls them to shore, and revives them. It would be strange for the rescued person to boast, “I saved myself because I grabbed the lifeguard.”

The lifeguard did the saving. The rescued person simply received it.

That is how God speaks about our salvation.

Spiritually, we were not struggling swimmers. We were dead in our trespasses and sins. Dead people do not revive themselves.

So the Holy Spirit comes through the Gospel. He speaks through God’s Word. He works through Baptism. He creates faith where there was none.

That is wonderfully comforting.

Because if your salvation depended on the strength of your decision, you would always wonder whether you had decided strongly enough.

If it depended on the strength of your faith, you would constantly measure whether your faith was big enough.

Instead, your confidence rests in the Holy Spirit’s work.

• He called you by the Gospel.
• He enlightened you with His gifts.
• He sanctified and kept you in the true faith.

Notice the verbs. The Holy Spirit is the One doing the work.

In fact, throughout the Bible our salvation is described as our be remarkably passive.

• You were saved.
• You were buried with Christ in His death.
• You have been raised to new life.

It must be the work of the Holy Spirit because,

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” – 1 Corinthians 2:14

And He doesn’t stop at salvation.

The same Spirit who brought you to Christ continues to strengthen your faith every time you hear God’s Word, remember your Baptism, receive the Lord’s Supper, and hear the forgiveness of your sins.

You are not left to keep yourself in the faith by your own strength.

The Spirit who called you is still at work.

And He is faithful.

Let’s pray…

Holy Spirit,

Thank You for calling me to faith through the Gospel. When I am weak, strengthen me. When I doubt, remind me of Your promises. Keep me steadfast in the true faith, and continue Your good work in me until the day I see my Savior face to face.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.