Unbelieving Believers

In the church today we find an undeniable, brutal irony:  believers filled with unbelief.  Christians are often termed "believers," so this claim might at first seem surprising.  But we don't have to look beyond ourselves to know with certainty that we too can beset with this sin.  Do you see unbelief in God and His Word as a sin?  It is among one of the worst faith-killing, power-sapping, glory of God-robbing sins a man can cultivate.  To add to the danger, there is no sin more easily justified by our flesh than unbelief.  We can be full of unbelief but perceive ourselves as strong, unwavering believers.

Familiarity with God's Word ironically provides an impetus to unbelief.  We assume that because we can repeat verses verbatim we have in belief appropriated all God has granted us by grace.  Through much hearing we become dull and senseless, finding more interest in reading the commentary in our study Bibles than by listening carefully for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit as we read the naked Word of God.  Did you realize this is a primary purpose of the Holy Spirit being sent?  1 Corinthians 2:12 reads, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."  As we read the inspired Word of God, the Holy Spirit enables us to believe and appropriate what God has freely given us.  We are trained to look to the scriptures for assurance concerning forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation, but we can look for feelings as confirmation when speaking about baptism with the Holy Spirit and physical healing.  This ought not to be!

As I considered the unbelief in the disciples after Christ's resurrection, it struck me that it was not only Thomas who had to see to believe:  every single one of them was full of unbelief of Christ's resurrection until Jesus revealed Himself to them.  They all had to see before they believed.  John needed to see the empty tomb, Thomas had to place his fingers in the prints of the nails, Mary Magdalene needed Jesus to say "Mary!," and the disciples on the road to Emmaus needed their eyes to be opened as Christ took bread and broke it while giving thanks.  The fact is, we all need God to personally reveal Himself to us before we can see our unbelief, confess it as sin, and believe Him.

My familiarity caused me to miss the message of this insightful verse for many years.  1 John 5:13 in the KJV at first may seem redundant, but it points out the believer's need to believe:  "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."  John was writing to people who already believed on the name of the Son of God.  The purpose for him writing was so people would know they have eternal life, and that they would believe on the name of the Son of God.  John saw there was unbelief among believers!  People were building on the foundation of Christ, but they were also filled with doubts.  It is possible to build a rickety building on a sure foundation.  If we harbour unbelief, we give place to the devil.   James 1:6-8 reads, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

When you look at your Christian walk, is it marked by stability or instability?  Is your life better personified as a lighthouse firmly established upon a rock illuminating the way of salvation through Christ, or as a darkened ship being tossed about on waves, subject to the mercy of the tide?  You do well to build your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ - hearing His Words, believing, and doing them - but if you build in unbelief spiritual and emotional instability will be the result.  When you read the Word of God, do you believe it is absolutely true without fail, even if your experience seems to say otherwise?  Some people take the wide, broad path of standing in judgment to explain away why your desired ends have not been met:  "You obviously don't have the faith."  It is not a question of faith, but more the issue of unbelief.  1 John 5:14-15 boldly proclaims, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

We can be confident that if we ask anything according to God's revealed will, He hears us.  If He hears us, we know we have the petition we have asked.  It may be that you have faithfully prayed 30 years for God's will in a situation and still you have not seen the end you desire.  Does that mean that God's Word is wrong?  No!  Trust Him and continue to pray according to His will, thanking Him in advance for answering your prayer.  Leave the timing and way to God.  God in a way is like a taxi driver.  He has revealed His plan to bring us and others to a particular end for His glory with sanctification, yet we are filled with doubts because He is taking a route unfamiliar to us.  We complain about His driving, thinking He is taking us the longer way at our great expense.  We want Him to take us by supersonic jet and He is content to let us walk through a desert.  Confess your unbelief and follow Christ in faith.  He will be true to His Word, and we are assured of His love, grace, and faithfulness.

[This Sunday at Calvary Chapel Sydney I preached on the subject of "Unbelieving Believers" from the second half of Mark 16.  If you are interested to read them, the sermon notes can be found here.  Please comment on what God is teaching you so we can all learn and grow!]