Matter Of Faith

Do you ever imagine ideal conditions required for others to believe in God and the truth of the Bible?  Some have gone to great lengths to find ancient artifacts, thinking that if they presented hard evidence - Noah's ark, the gilded Ark of the Covenant, the tablets of stone upon which the 10 Commandments were written, or the original menorah - people would have to believe in light of the overwhelming evidence.  It sounds novel, but I do not believe miracles or relics make believers.  When Jesus told the story of the rich man in Sheol, he begged Abraham to send Lazarus to speak to his 5 brothers of the torment which awaited them so they might repent.  Luke 16:29-31 says, "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' ³⁰ And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' ³¹ But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

Jesus has risen from the dead, and still people do not believe He is the Messiah sent to be the Saviour of the world.  We have fulfilled prophesy and eye-witness accounts in the Bible and do not need the actual nails or cross upon which Jesus Christ hung to know the truth.  God could have preserved the site of Christ's death and burial without question as well as the manger in which He was laid, the broken alabaster flask which held the precious ointment poured upon him, the shackles which bound Jesus in prison when He awaited crucifixion, and the seamless tunic Roman guards cast lots for.  God was wise to allow these relics to be destroyed lest men worship them instead of Christ!  Having visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem this year, I have witnessed this folly firsthand:  people paying homage to rocks rather than the Rock of our salvation.  It is ironic the children of Israel worshiped the bronze serpent made by Moses, yet many refuse to worship the Lamb of God who was lifted up to draw all men unto Himself.

What do you suppose is a better witness of the reality of God's existence and power:  stone tablets upon which are written the 10 Commandments by the finger of God, or a living, breathing person who has been born again whose heart of stone has been exchanged for a heart of flesh upon which God has written His law?  Isn't the testimony of an eye witness who has personally been born again better than all the inanimate, silent relics of the past?  We think, "If by the power of the Holy Spirit I was able to heal that person physically, what an opportunity it would be for them to see God's power firsthand."  I agree!  And there were many people who experienced healing firsthand by the hand of Christ, and still they did not believe Him.  People saw Jesus after He rose from the dead and still doubted (Matthew 28:7)!  Man's problems with faith do not have to do with the lack of physical evidence or facts, but pride and folly in his own heart.

We who believe, let us be those who boldly testify of what we have seen, heard, and experienced.  We have the Law, the prophets, and all the scriptures which testify of Jesus.  We have the Holy Spirit who has filled us and empowered us to do God's will.  Let us believe in the power of God's Word and the Gospel to bring sinners out of darkness and into the light.  In faith bring the light of scripture into the darkest places, to hearts hardened and resistant to the truth, and see the dynamic saving power of Jesus in action.