The sermon presents faith as the essential means by which the soul is connected to Christ and receives salvation. Genuine faith is distinguished from mere doctrinal profession, presumption, or self-confidence, and believers are urged to examine and continually increase it. Faith grows in both extent—embracing more of God’s truth—and intensity—holding God’s promises more firmly through opposition, suffering, and death. The sermon closes with a serious warning that unbelief leaves sinners without Christ and exposed to eternal perdition.
Theological center: Saving faith unites sinners to Christ, enables holy perseverance, and is indispensable for salvation and pleasing God.
Applications: Pray for increased faith · Examine your faith · Pursue ongoing spiritual growth · Come to Christ in faith
Primary texts: Luke 17:5-6 · Mark 16:16 · John 3:36
“And the apostle said unto the Lord, increase our faith.” Luke 17:5 VERILY if the apostle said this, one and all of us had need take up the prayer. If the twelve mightiest in the army of the Lord of hosts had need of such a supplication, what shall we say who are but the interior soldiers—the feeblest saints? If you hope to win the day, does it not well become us to pray, “Increase our faith”? It is a matter of dispute as to the occasion when these words were uttered. Some think that we must look at the connection of the chapter for the explanation. Jesus Christ had been teaching His disciples that if their brother should trespass against them seven times a day, and seven times a day turned again to them saying, I repent, they were to forgive him, and that constrained the apostle to say,…