Faith and salvation
I am a WELS Lutheran who comes from a modern Evangelical background. We teach that we are saved by faith alone (which is very good news), but sometimes I wonder if I truly have faith. I believe that I need Jesus and that he is the only way to everlasting life. But then I struggle with trying to keep my mindset focused on trusting in him. I want desperately to feel at peace. Is the fact that I'm worried about this prove that I have faith? Could this be a product of beliefs that I previously held that required me to choose God for salvation? Is the devil using these lies to force me to think faith is something that comes from me? Thank you and may God bless you.
When churches teach that people initiate faith, that certainly puts the pressure on people. As you have come to know, we do not initiate faith; we do not bring ourselves to faith or invite the Lord into our hearts. Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). God the Holy Spirit is responsible for faith. He gives it to people when he works in their hearts through the gospel. Because faith is God’s doing, we can have certainty about it.
What I could suggest is that you focus more on the object of faith, Jesus Christ, and less on the person who says, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth…” You wrote that you “believe that I need Jesus and that he is the only way to everlasting life.” That is a statement of Christian faith. Thank God for that, but focus more on the gospel in word and sacrament.
Scripture certainly tells us: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). While we need to follow that instruction, we don’t need to make it a continuous activity in life.
A man once came to Jesus and said to him, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) It doesn’t take much to identify with that man. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians like us are able to say about Jesus, “I do believe,” but our faith is not perfect. Our faith can be weak and wavering, plagued with doubts. What do we do? We use the very means that the Holy Spirit utilized to bring us to faith: the gospel. Through the gospel in word and sacrament the Holy Spirit strengthens our faith and deepens our conviction that we are the children of God (1 John 3:1).
Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). You notice Jesus did not qualify the faith that saves. Even the weakest of faith saves. Jesus explained that he is not interested in snuffing out weak faith but fanning it into flame (Matthew 12:20). He can do that when we use the means through which God works to strengthen faith (Romans 10:17).
Satan’s mission is to prevent people from believing in Jesus in the first place and to get Christians to fall from the faith. When Satan attacks your faith, tell him to move on because you belong to God. How do you know? God has given you his word on that through his word and sacraments.