Hebrews 3:18 (KJV)
And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
I’ve been meditating lately on the subject of what belief really is.
Some people have told me recently that they don’t believe in God, or that they can’t believe in God. They make it sound as if they would believe if they could—but they can’t. They treat belief as if it were something like an emotion, similar to how many misunderstand “love.”
Even love is often misunderstood. Love is not merely an emotion; it is a choice. It is the decision to give of yourself to another. There is certainly an emotional element attached, but that is secondary.
Belief—or faith, as it is called in the Word of God—is not something we work up. It is a gift given by God and passed down through others.
Consider the children of Israel in the wilderness. God answered their prayer and delivered them from slavery through Moses. Under God’s direction, Moses led them to the border of the Promised Land at Kadesh-barnea. This was not a guessing game. Every one of them knew that the land on the other side of that border was theirs by a promise God had made to Abraham.
There was no difference of opinion about the place. There was no difference of opinion about Egypt. Moses sent spies into the land, and they returned with a report of both the goodness of the land and the realities they would face. There are always realities.
Ten of the spies returned with the opinion that the challenges were too great to overcome. Two of the spies reported that God could overcome any challenge and urged the people not to hesitate.
Their unbelief—their lack of faith—was not emotional, mystical, or caused by a lack of evidence. It was disobedience.
- They asked God to save them from Egypt.
- They escaped Egypt through His undeniable work.
- They followed His chosen man to the edge of the promise.
But they refused to step into the Promised Land.
Every soul condemned to hell is there for this same reason. It is not that they lacked evidence. It is not that they did not know they could be saved. It is not that they could not have been saved.
They miss the blessing of salvation because they willfully, purposefully disobey the direction of
God to place their faith in Christ.
Disobedience—clear and simple.
And to you who are still struggling, the answer is just as clear:
Obey the gospel. Call on Jesus Christ and trust Him rather than the many voices claiming you must not.
#ObeyTheGospel #BiblicalFaith #UnbeliefIsDisobedience #TrustChristToday #EnterHisRest
Can’t Believe in God? The Real Reason People Reject God
What do you think—was Israel’s problem really a lack of evidence, or was it something deeper? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
If this challenged or helped you, I’d love for you to explore more Bible teaching, resources, and studies at marvinmckenzie.org—there’s plenty there to help you grow in your understanding of God’s Word.
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