Why Don't They Believe? ...

 There is "no excuse," says Paul in Romans 1:20 and "God has made it plain to them" in Romans 1:19 that God exists. The "heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows forth His handiwork." Indeed, we can learn the laws of nature by studying the atmosphere and outer space. Job 38:33 is where God challenges Job to make us of the laws of the universe (presumably the laws of nature or some 50 universal constants that make reality as we know it possible and the Anthropic Principle or that God has designed or made a fine-tuned earth specifically for the sustaining of life per Isaiah 45:18. (He formed it to be inhabited!) 

All those laws of nature imply a divine Lawgiver.   Einstein in his humble and simple faith saw God as a great Mathematician and the Designer of the laws of nature that are in such harmony that it makes us seem feeble; the universe seems to him as "one vast mathematical equation."  If you see design or purpose as demonstrated in nature, you can assume a Designer or Purposer. Design doesn't happen by itself; it's planned that way or fixed. 

No amount of evidence can force, coerce, or make someone who doesn't want to become a believer, and God will not change your mind it it's dead set against His will: "If any man is willing  to do His will, he shall know...." John 7:17  We see this premise established in the history of Israel which saw many miracles from Moses and still disbelieved and rejected God. Psalm 78:32 says that they refused to believe despite the many signs of Moses.  

We do not commit intellectual suicide to become believers nor does God expect us to kiss our brains goodbye.  As believers we are to cater to a person's intellectual integrity but not pander to their intellectual arrogance, according to theologian John Stott.  Most intelligent or educated don't believe for the same reasons others don't: they don't want to believe (it may mess up their lifestyle or they might think they may not have any "fun").  What people do is feign intellectual problems or issues to mask      emotional, moral, or heart-felt problems.  People give pseudo reasons for disbelief and there are many (these are known as smoke screens that hide the real issues): thinking science has undermined the Bible; thinking faith is irrational; thinking the Bible is not historical and even unscientific; thinking its ideals or moral expectations are too high; thinking that religion is all "pie in the sky;" and especially when a person loves his sin too much so they won't repent.

Jesus was in the same predicament with the hardened Pharisees who refused to believe at least in the miracles themselves as from God (they believed they were from Satan) John 12:37 says that even though Jesus did many miracles, they would [not could not] believe. "I did tell you but you don't believe.  The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me."  John 10:25  We are to believe on the evidence of the miracle themselves.  John 14:11  Remember, miracles do not make faith, but only a thirst for more miracles and often evoke skepticism and unbelief, but faith makes miracles. 

Note that they might have believed if they had not already decided against it. Jesus told them to "believe for His works' sake."   But nothing could convince them, even the mighty works, signs, wonders, and good works, and miracles of Jesus who "was a prophet mighty in word and deed."  That means He practiced what He preached and preached what He practiced for an undeniable witness. 

Jesus called them to Him but they would not because their heart was not right before God. "You are slow of heart to believe..." Luke 24:25  Is your heart in the right place? The fact of the matter is that the heart of the matter is a matter of the heart. Jesus calls us in love but will not force us to come to Him. God "is at work within us to do and to work of His good pleasure."  Phil. 2:13 

The fact of the matter is that people are blinded by Satan and don't see the wonderful news of the gospel and that their problem is sin, not being unenlightened or uneducated. "Satan has blinded the minds of the that believe not...." 2 Cor. 4:4  But God can open the heart as He did to Lydia (Acts 16:14) and do a work of grace.  

People are ignorant all right, but God can open the eyes of the blind and the eyes of our hearts and set us free from the power of the devil.  The whole world is in his influence unless they are saved, then he cannot touch them. 1 John 5:18  Point in fact: It is that people will not believe, not that they cannot.  God doesn't owe them any more proof than is in nature, His natural revelation, and the Bible, His supernatural or special revelation.  Jesus would do no miracles on demand or a biggie miracle to dispel doubt and unbelief, but expected us to be believing.  Soli Deo Gloria!

What's The Motive When People Don't Believe?

 "Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross and then we'll see and believe..." (cf. Mark 15:32, CEB).  

The common notion is that seeing is believing, but believing is seeing!  We see by faith.  The Greeks who came to Jesus said, "We would see Jesus."  But the writer of Hebrews adds, "But we do see Jesus..." (cf. Heb. 2:3).  Jesus had performed many miracles and still the religious leaders "would not believe." Not that they could not but they refused to and would not as a choice of theirs. They couldn't deny Christ's miracles but even demanded He would do them on-demand and with some biggie miracle to cast away all doubts.  They demanded more evidence!   But Jesus would not accommodate them and the only sign He would give is the resurrection on the third day.  The fact of the matter is that no amount of evidence will convince a person who chooses not to believe.  You must want to believe!  "A person convinced against his will is of the same opinion still!" 

The heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart and the Pharisees had none!  We must believe in our hearts (cf. Romans 10:9-10).  Their hearts were hardened and they could not see the love of Christ which surpasses understanding. It is with the heart that we believe, we don't just acquiesce in the mind or simply assent or agree to the truth.  Jesus wants our hearts and to enter them!  Romans 11:7 says that the elect attained unto it but the rest were hardened!  Satan has blinded the minds of those that believe not (cf. 2 Cor 4:4).  Jesus saw through their veneer and their duplicity and insincerity.  The example of Mary's anointing of Jesus was to be told throughout the world exemplifying her genuine love of the Lord. Once you've experienced it, you want to pass it on! But love seeks to express itself! 

Saving faith isn't about how much we believe, for it only takes that of a mustard seed, but how well we obey. We don't believe despite the evidence but obey in spite of the consequences.  Belief is simply putting our trust in what we have good reason to believe and we are accountable for God as we do know Him. 

Is Seeing Believing?

"...' I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'" (Mark 9:24, NIV).  

Some skeptics will tell you that seeing is believing!  Actually, it's the reverse:  believing is seeing!  Augustine said, "I believe in order to understand."  Philosophers will tell you all knowledge begins in faith with some presupposition you cannot prove.  When our hearts are opened by the illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit we do see things in a new light though and the eyes of faith see things that the unbelieving world cannot.  There is nothing that will make an unbelieving person see--no amount of light can restore blindness!  It takes a supernatural work of God to open the eyes of the blind (spiritually speaking).

Just like the hymn that goes, "I was blind, but now I see." Then we have a new perspective on life with Christ as the center focus.  And He gives us purpose and meaning that only He can do and no other religion can do.  As the psalmist wrote, "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" (cf. Psalm 119:18, NIV), so we were blinded by Satan and could not see any spiritual truth until Jesus set us free from bondage.  Indeed, we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free!  We should be eager to see things in a new light!

"Faith is not about how much we believe but how well we obey."  It has been said that it's not believing in spite of the evidence but obeying despite the consequences. Faith has legs and goes somewhere is an action word--it goes somewhere, for we walk by faith, not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17).  James 2:18 says, "I will show you my faith by my deeds." While Paul would complement that with:  "I will show you my good deeds by my faith."  Abraham by faith obeyed God!  His faith was confirmed by his act of circumcision, not begun.  We verify that we have faith in the eyes of others and become God's witnesses.

Faith is suspect without works and we are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone (the Reformer's formula).  It has been also said that we are not saved by works but unto works! Not by good behavior but unto good behavior!  We must validate our faith by works though.  In short, we're not saved by good works, but not without them either!  As James said, "Faith without works is dead," so we must desire to live it out and grow from faith to faith.  We must bear in mind that dead faith doesn't save.  And so it is something seen, going somewhere, not just possessed.  Just like good soil produces fruit, so saving faith produces good deeds.

The point is that when we see faith in action in others it encourages our faith and it becomes a witness to a blinded world--we must show our faith and be bold to not be ashamed of the opportunity to stand up for Christ.  We only need mustard-seed faith to be saved and the object is what saves, not the faith.  We don't have faith in faith!  One problem in the church is misdirected zeal and zeal without knowledge or fanaticism.  This kind of faith does more harm than good.  The faith you have is the faith you show in essence and it's your knowledge in action.  We must never divorce faith and faithfulness, for these two go hand in hand as we grow in the faith.

CAVEAT:  We must beware of head belief or storybook faith that is not a conversion of the heart and transformation of the whole soul.  In the final analysis, we must prove we have saving faith that springs from sincerity and good deeds--a conversion of the heart, mind, and will--we will know them by their fruits.

Concluding thoughts:  There is just enough light to see for the willing and enough darkness not to see for the unwilling; at any rate, we must turn our creeds into deeds and express just like John MacArthur said, "True faith manifests itself in obedience only."    Soli Deo Gloria!