Unbelief, what is it?
That’s an interesting question. When it comes to the Bible, what is unbelief? We are told many places in Scripture that Israel didn’t receive the promises of God because of “unbelief”. Lets look at a few verses to see if maybe, just maybe, we are guilty of the same thing they where.
Take the exodus from Egypt as an example. The Red Sea opening wide for them to walk from one side to the other on dry ground, but flooding in on their pursuers, drowning them. Manna from heaven, a big rock being split open and a river of water coming forth, enough for millions of people.
They were being fed and watered by God on a daily basis. All three are noticeable miracles to say the least, and they all saw this happen. What was their response, when confronted with another problem, they said “We should have stayed in Egypt, at least there, we ……”. What a poor excuse for not believing.
Numbers 11:5-6 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
5. We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
Nehemiah 9:9-11,15-21(ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
9. “And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, 10. and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day. 11. And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters.
15. You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.16. “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. 17. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. 18. Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies, 19. you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. 20. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. 21. Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.They knew the promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that the land was theirs.
When it was time to go into the “promised land”, Moses sends the spies in to view the land and they all come back and say it’s a land of “milk and honey”. Two say we are able to conquer it and ten say we are unable to take it, because …… .
God had already said it’s your land, go and get it. They had seen His miracles from their leaving Egypt till then, but were still in unbelief. So God says, the spies where in the land for 40 days, so a year for each day, you will wonder in the desert until everyone twenty years old and up die and are buried in that desert. That got rid of the unbelief.
There are many more examples that we could show. And we can’t throw rocks (words) at them for their unbelief, because we are just like them. God has given us promises also and we ignore them just like they did. God says to live a holy life, “DO WE”?
Do we “cheat” on our taxes? Do we tell those “little white lies”? Do we look at another and “want what they have”?Do we tell those “off color” jokes to be accepted at work? Hows our “driving, do we speed”? Do we “gossip”? Put in your own question, the one that you are dealing with.
Above all else, don’t look at what someone else is doing, and say “that’s sinful”, because you do exactly the same thing. Is your response, “I don’t do that”, if so, you just said God doesn’t tell the truth and need to repent, please read Romans (1:32;2:1-3) with yourself in mind. It’s none of our business what someone else is doing.
The answer to that question of “DO WE” is simple…”Yes We Do”. You may say, “I don’t cheat on my taxes”, maybe not, but we all have something we deal with. Everyone!!! We still do things, that deep down inside, we know God does not approve of. We continue doing them, just like the Israelites did. He will help us, if we turn to Him and ask for forgiveness and repent.
Remember Peter asked Jesus;
Matthew 18:21-22 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
21. Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22. Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
This shows us, Gods grace is for beyond our ability to imitate it. All He wants from us is to acknowledge our need for Him. Peter actually thought he was being generous, but the depths of Gods grace is for more then we can fathom. The best news of all is God is perfect, and His justice is perfect also. Because Jesus became a man and suffered like us, shows that God knows our frailty.
Hebrews 2:14-18 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
14. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15. and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Gods grace is not an excuse to keep on sinning, because God expects as to live a holy life.
1 Peter1:13-17 (KJV) (Please read the whole chapter)
13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 17. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Every day we should try our best to live up to what is written in the Bible. If we ask the Holy Spirit, He will help us to do so. If we are not trying to live by what the Bible says, does that mean we are in unbelief? The last thing we want to do in this world as a Christian is live in unbelief.
Unbelief steals our victory in Jesus and causes us to live a life that is not victorious. Unbelief is actually an affront to God, and telling Him that we just don’t care. Believing the Bible is easy, I’ve written other articles which explain why its easy. Read them and you will understand why it’s so easy. Heres a hint, “prophecy” that has been fulfilled and future prophecy. My other website “www.todayinprophecy.com is filled with information I’m sure you will enjoy.
Please read the whole chapter of 1 Peter 1 and take it to heart. You won’t be sorry, because one day soon you will meet Jesus Face to face. If you know Him, your life will show it by what you do. If you don’t know Him, please ask Him to be your savior, He won’t turn you away.