Increase Our Faith

 “And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5

Read Luke 17:1-10

This request came toward the end of Jesus’ ministry, at a time when He taught many lessons, addressing the crowds and His disciples. When the twelve disciples made this specific request, Jesus had just finished teaching about offenses and forgiveness.

Offenses will come, the Lord had said. Then, He gave them a pattern to follow, a pathway to reconciliation:

Trespass committed, trespasser rebuked, trespasser repents, trespasser receives forgiveness.

The apostles then ask the Lord to increase their faith. If they had more faith (perhaps they reasoned), they would not offend and forgiveness would be easier.

Jesus answered by telling them what faith can do. He gives them a picture, a hope, something to reach for, but He continues the lesson. He talks about service.

Faith and service are connected. James discusses this in his epistle (James 2:14-26).

The answer to the apostles’ request was to serve more and humbly accept it was only their duty to do so.

Faith can move much, and the example Jesus gives is of moving a sycamine tree. Such faith could even move the deeply rooted offense another might bring to you. Nonetheless, faith must be accompanied with (and derived from) humble service. The ability to forgive and to not offend evolves through serving God in a state of true humility (Luke 17:10).

Serving God in truth and in humility positions you to desire reconciliation over revenge. You recognize your own lowly state and inability to do more than mere duty. Thus you acknowledge you are no better than the one who offended you or trespassed against you. In that position, you have the ‘faith’ to forgive, and pull up the roots of bitterness often grown from taking offense.

Paul also addresses this in Romans 12:1-3:
 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

Paul teaches the same lesson as Jesus: service, humility, faith.

Service to God with humility empowers a person to not only have faith, but to forgive those who do offend and to keep oneself from offending.

The service is to God.

The server’s heart recognizes his unworthiness, and therefore, is in a position to not take offense and not demand repentance from someone who sinned. Rather, it positions him as a loving equal, restoring and reconciling a broken relationship.

So, faith expressed and grown through humble service to God, and an understanding of our own unworthiness, enables us not only to forgive, but perhaps not take offense in the first place.

Is there anyone you need to forgive? Anyone whose forgiveness you need to request?
 

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive oursleves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  I John 1:-9