Yesterday during the evening quiz on ABC radio the question was posed, "If you could time-travel to any time in history, where would you go?" It didn't take long for me to have an answer: to Jerusalem at the time of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not because I question or doubt the biblical accounts or need visual confirmation, but to witness events which had an eternal impact for all humanity. To talk to the "man on the street," hear the buzz of the locals and travellers alike concerning Jesus, and to see their reactions of the reports of His resurrection would be intriguing.
A few callers in there was a man (to my surprise) who said he would like to see Jesus. "I'd like to hear Jesus teach the Sermon on the Mount and see if He really did miracles," he said. "Seeing a miracle or two would be great." "Sure," the host declared. "You could see if Jesus was the real deal." The caller surprised me again when he exclaimed, "With a time machine you could go forward a bit in time and see Mohammed as well." This was an odd leap for me: if Jesus IS the real deal, why would you care to see Mohammed or any other self-proclaimed prophet? The caller's perspective rang true to what scripture bears out: seeing miracles does not make believers. Countless people saw the miraculous signs and wonders Jesus did. Some followed Him, curious to see what He would do next, others reported to the chief priests who plotted to kill Him, and a handful believed.
Jesus spoke of a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus who both died and went to Sheol, to a place called "Abraham's bosom." It was a place of comfort for Lazarus and a place of torment for the rich man separated by a great impassable gulf. The rich man begged Abraham to have Lazarus dip his finger in water and to send Lazarus over to cool his tongue and ease his torment. Abraham (in so many words) replied he was receiving his just due and it was impossible. Undeterred, the rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus back to the land of the living to warn his 5 brothers what torment awaited them if they continued on their current course. The end of the conversation is recorded in Luke 16:29-31: "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.'" These words are true.
People do not need to see miracles or additional evidence outside of the Law and prophets to be convinced Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah and Son of God, the Saviour of the world. Isn't this an astounding remark? "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." Jesus spoke of the rich man and Lazarus before His crucifixion and resurrection, and after being raised from the dead Luke 24:44-47 says, "Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." The truth had already been spoken, but people refused to hear it and believe.
The underlying issue for many people is not the lack of historical or biblical evidence, the alleged hypocrisy of professing Christians, or bad experiences in church, but plain unbelief. God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and yet they did not enter into the Promised Land because they did not believe. After warning against a heart of unbelief which departs from God, the writer of Hebrews used the fallen children of Israel in the wilderness as an example. Hebrews 4:1-2 says, "Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it." People can read the Bible and have intimate knowledge of what is written therein, but without faith it cannot profit them. The natural man is unable to receive the things of God and even divine wisdom appears foolishness to him because it is only spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:12-16). Witnessing miracles done by Jesus Himself and knowledge alone are powerless to save. Without faith in Christ our knowledge of the Bible and even Christ's words and deeds are stunted, distorted, and incomplete.
Unbelief is more than lack of faith: unbelief is a steadfast refusal to believe and trust God, rebellion to submit to His wisdom and the revelation of scripture. No man can blame God for his own unbelief, for God has given us all the capacity to think, surrender our will, and trust in Him by grace. Paul wrote in Romans 12:3: "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." See that? God has dealt to every man a measure of faith. He has given us the capacity to hear Moses, the prophets, the Psalms, the words of Jesus, and the testimony of His followers - and believe in Jesus whom the Father has sent. Let us never blame God for man's unbelief. Praise the LORD we can be born again by grace through faith in Jesus. There is much even the learned do not understand: we must not allow what we cannot understand become an excuse for unbelief and departure from the truth God has revealed.
A few callers in there was a man (to my surprise) who said he would like to see Jesus. "I'd like to hear Jesus teach the Sermon on the Mount and see if He really did miracles," he said. "Seeing a miracle or two would be great." "Sure," the host declared. "You could see if Jesus was the real deal." The caller surprised me again when he exclaimed, "With a time machine you could go forward a bit in time and see Mohammed as well." This was an odd leap for me: if Jesus IS the real deal, why would you care to see Mohammed or any other self-proclaimed prophet? The caller's perspective rang true to what scripture bears out: seeing miracles does not make believers. Countless people saw the miraculous signs and wonders Jesus did. Some followed Him, curious to see what He would do next, others reported to the chief priests who plotted to kill Him, and a handful believed.
Jesus spoke of a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus who both died and went to Sheol, to a place called "Abraham's bosom." It was a place of comfort for Lazarus and a place of torment for the rich man separated by a great impassable gulf. The rich man begged Abraham to have Lazarus dip his finger in water and to send Lazarus over to cool his tongue and ease his torment. Abraham (in so many words) replied he was receiving his just due and it was impossible. Undeterred, the rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus back to the land of the living to warn his 5 brothers what torment awaited them if they continued on their current course. The end of the conversation is recorded in Luke 16:29-31: "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.'" These words are true.
People do not need to see miracles or additional evidence outside of the Law and prophets to be convinced Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah and Son of God, the Saviour of the world. Isn't this an astounding remark? "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." Jesus spoke of the rich man and Lazarus before His crucifixion and resurrection, and after being raised from the dead Luke 24:44-47 says, "Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." The truth had already been spoken, but people refused to hear it and believe.
The underlying issue for many people is not the lack of historical or biblical evidence, the alleged hypocrisy of professing Christians, or bad experiences in church, but plain unbelief. God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and yet they did not enter into the Promised Land because they did not believe. After warning against a heart of unbelief which departs from God, the writer of Hebrews used the fallen children of Israel in the wilderness as an example. Hebrews 4:1-2 says, "Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it." People can read the Bible and have intimate knowledge of what is written therein, but without faith it cannot profit them. The natural man is unable to receive the things of God and even divine wisdom appears foolishness to him because it is only spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:12-16). Witnessing miracles done by Jesus Himself and knowledge alone are powerless to save. Without faith in Christ our knowledge of the Bible and even Christ's words and deeds are stunted, distorted, and incomplete.
Unbelief is more than lack of faith: unbelief is a steadfast refusal to believe and trust God, rebellion to submit to His wisdom and the revelation of scripture. No man can blame God for his own unbelief, for God has given us all the capacity to think, surrender our will, and trust in Him by grace. Paul wrote in Romans 12:3: "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." See that? God has dealt to every man a measure of faith. He has given us the capacity to hear Moses, the prophets, the Psalms, the words of Jesus, and the testimony of His followers - and believe in Jesus whom the Father has sent. Let us never blame God for man's unbelief. Praise the LORD we can be born again by grace through faith in Jesus. There is much even the learned do not understand: we must not allow what we cannot understand become an excuse for unbelief and departure from the truth God has revealed.
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