Articles and Poetry by Our Members
| Shades of Unbelief |
| Author: Rod McDonald Entered on: 9/21/2006 |
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| The beauty of an object is more brilliant when set in contrast with what is drab. The experience of joy is deeper after going through "bitter waters". And the many facets of faith are more clearly understood against the many shades of unbelief. John wrote his gospel "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." (Jn 20:31) This theme is key to understanding John's gospel. What we believe about Jesus Christ determines our eternity -- of whether we have "passed out of death into life." (Jn 5:24) In order to set the meaning of true belief in clear relief, John uses stark contrasts and irony. Consider the time when Jesus healed a sick man at the pool of Bethesda. (Jn 5:1-18) The Jews responded with hostility toward Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, and for "calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God." (Jn 5:16,18) Jesus in turn responded by exposing the Jews' unbelief and thus, by contrast, teaching us about true belief. The Jews condemned Jesus for making himself equal with God, for healing on the Sabbath. Yet Jesus affirmed "the Son can do nothing of Himself unless it is something He sees the Father doing." (Jn 5:19) They thought, "how can he (a sinner by their standards) possibly do God's will and speak God's words", yet Jesus states that he cannot do and speak anything but the will and words of his Father. How ironic that Jesus performed miracles that could be only accomplished by the hand of God, yet they accused Him of acting independently of God, later even by the hand of Satan. Jesus as God's Son was dependent on the Father for everything, yet the Jews as mere men affirmed their righteousness though separated from God. The Jewish leaders did not believe the Father had "given all judgment to the Son" (Jn 5:22). In "seeking to kill Him" (Jn 5:18) they thought they had power over his body. In fact, Jesus had power ultimately over their bodies and souls in the future hour of judgment when "all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice." (Jn 5:28) What bitter irony for these men to not believe the Scriptures though they spent their lives diligently searching the Scriptures. "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of me." (Jn 5:39) Who did they esteem more than Moses, yet they did not believe him? "For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of Me." (Jn 5:46) In condemning Jesus for "breaking the Sabbath" (Jn 5:18) the Jews demonstrated they believed in a righteousness according to the works of the law. Yet Jesus affirmed that "he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life" (Jn 5:24) Although the Jews believed in the merit of a righteous life, their unrighteous deeds condemned them; yet Jesus imparts a righteousness by faith that leads to a life of true righteousness. Jesus was certain of this outcome. The eternal life that began by hearing and believing (Jn 5:24) would end at the final judgment for "those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life." (Jn 5:29). The Jews out of unbelief sought to put Jesus to death, yet Jesus in mercy spoke these things that they may be saved. (Jn 5:32) Jesus affirmed "an hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live." (Jn5:25) But the Jews thought they were alive and yet they did not hear. Jesus did not seek man's glory but rather God's glory alone; the Jews pretended they were searching for God's glory but rather cared only for the give and take of glory for one another. (Jn 5:41) How easy for men to be deceived about eternal life. How remote we think the implications of Jesus' discussion with the Jews, and yet we should take heart. If we do not recognize the stark contrasts and ironies from this Scripture in our own lives and those around us, we risk repeating the same kind of unbelief. To understand what it means to believe in Jesus, we should know very clearly what it means for us to not believe in him. |
