Maranatha Fellowship Church

I recently finished another book by John Piper that I very strongly recommend.  The book is called Battling Unbelief and it has been adapted from the practical application part of Piper’s larger work called Future Grace.  Piper encourages the reader to read Future Grace, if possible, but also acknowledges that Battling Unbelief is smaller and easier to digest. 

Battling Unbelief is written with sound theology, as one could expect.  Piper does his Biblical research well, addressing each area of unbelief with precision and thoroughness.  But it’s the kind of book that every person can understand and appreciate.  It’s not just for the Biblical scholar or theologian.  It’s written with Piper’s keen pastorial insights and enthusiastic passions that characterize so much of his other writings. 

In Mark 9:14-29 an event is recorded with greater clarity than in Matthew and Luke.  It’s the story about the demoniac son for whom the disciples were unable to deliver because of their faithlessness.  In Mark’s gospel, more of the dialogue between Jesus and the son’s father is recounted for us, and I believe it gives us a tremendous example of how we should pray.  After the father explains to Jesus about the child’s history with convulsions and the like, Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”  And here’s the part we should pay close attention to:  Verse 24 says that, “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!‘” (NKJ)

What an appropriate way for us to pray and live!  We believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  We believe that He died, was buried, and rose again according to the Scriptures.  We believe that He ascended back to heaven and now reigns at the right hand of the Father.  We believe that He redeemed us and has secured a place for us eternally with Him.  We believe that He is sovereign over all, exercising His will according to His eternal decree.  We believe that He has given us a new-found sense of purpose as we faithfully live in this world with our eyes on the world to come.  We believe all of this with our minds, but often fail to believe these things practically with our hearts. 

I found this little book to be radically illuminating.  I realized that we must continue to fight against this battle of unbelief in many different areas.  Yes, we do believe.  But we continue to ask the Lord to help us as we have often slid into harmful patterns of unbelief.  This is why the gospel is so important for all of us, and at all times.  It never ceases to become relevant for us.  Even as believers of Jesus Christ, we must constantly appropriate the power of the sin-defeating, soul-satisfying, grace-giving gospel that is in some sense beyond belief!