Dont make God a liar
I have heard many people nowadays trying to challenge the word of God, for those of you who don't know what's that, it's the “Bible”. Yes! I often hear from my fellow brothers and sisters in our Ministry that they are most of the times questioned by their friends, co-workers and relatives. The saddest part is when elders question and argue with my fellow ministry brothers and sisters on authentication of Bible and I am sure that's the case with most believers throughout the world.
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believed not the record which God gave of his Son." --1 John V. 10.
What is unbelief? What is it to challenge Gods word?? Why are they doing it to go against God???
Many people speak about unbelief without understanding the full context, its not the absence of Faith, Its not a negative state of mind, its also not an intelligent attitude to demand sufficient proof for Gods existence, or neither it is an ignorance of Faith or its truth, its also not disbelief or merely to say the opposite of what Bible says, unbelief is simply an act of sin what the bible says and its not a sound state of mind.
Perhaps you will call me a radical writer by now, off course if I have to live in Faith, then I must teach the world what the word of God has to say and to the disbelief of the unbelievers the Bible is true.
If unbelief is a sin then I guess it's a voluntary state of mind. The Bible clearly tells us not to indulge in this spirit and it's a crime that we would be accountable for. Its one of the greatest sins and we are to stay away from it. Is it really an opposite of Faith, Then I say “What is Faith”? Its not a persons intellectual conviction, we know it cannot be, because even the devil has Faith. Many wicked people, criminals, thieves, adulteress have Faith and the matter of fact the truth assents them all , that's why they have so much trouble with it. Faith consists, then, in giving God our confidence, in voluntarily yielding ourselves up to him, confiding in him, trusting in him, casting ourselves upon him, voluntarily receiving his truth, and committing ourselves to him. It is thus that the term faith is used in the Bible; the very term that is rendered commit, is also rendered faith. "Let them commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator." And again, "But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men;" in these, and divers other instances, the word here rendered faith, is rendered commit.
So here we see that Unbelief is exactly the opposite of it, to withhold confidence without having sufficient evidence, it's the state of heart (Mathews 6: 19-24) not of the intellect, its all in the heart. It's the unbelief that doesn't imply to commit to God and asks validation for the word of God, is that so??? Or maybe it's not ready to receive the truth. We often see that state of heart which is so drowned in the treasures'of world, that even they deny to see the truth just because they think that the word lacks evidence. Once again we clearly see that their mind & heart is stuck up in the teachings or rituals of the world or I say worldly things. We see multitudes of men on every side whose minds are made up concerning the truth of the Bible; they believe it is true; assent to it intellectually, and they call this faith: they say they believe--their opinions are settled. They can argue in defense of their principles, and they say they have faith in them. You call upon them to believe, and they say they do believe; while the fact is, when men will not commit themselves to the truth, they do not believe to the saving of their souls. Intellectual belief is nothing without confidence. The Bible says, "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even your faith."
Apparently how does unbelief makes God a liar, very simple there no mathematical formula, but its said in the text “he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar." Withholding of confidence, is a practical denial that God is worthy of confidence. Now, there is nothing more unreasonable in the universe, than unbelief. God has so constituted men, that, by a necessary law of their minds, they affirm that he will not lie. Nobody ever believed that God would lie; everybody knows better, every intelligent being in earth, hell, or heaven, knows that God will not lie; and yet, wherever an individual withholds confidence in God, it is a practical denial of his trustworthiness, a practical denial of what reason and conscience affirm must be true. Indeed this is the most daring form of sin one can commit, to challenge God, who has made heaven and earth, but this sin is injurious to the self and the society. Why, who does not know that if a wife should withhold confidence from her husband, she would ruin herself and her husband too? And so, if a husband withholds confidence in his wife, he ruins his own happiness and that of his wife too. Suppose that confidence is withheld, without good reason, by a husband from his wife, how it ruins her happiness, what a trial it is for her to endure! Suppose that the husband reproaches the wife with having committed some wrong, and withholds his confidence; and, suppose the children lose confidence in her, how can she manage to govern them? What wrong is done to the family! Probably the family would be ruined. Destroy confidence in a government, and, unless it be very strong, and thus enabled to keep the people in awe, that government will very soon be ruined. So with business transactions. The world has to live by confidence in each other. There is no community whatever that is not ruined, if unbelief, want of confidence, comes to be the law of action. Withholding confidence when there is no reason, is the greatest crime a man can commit against society, or the family. Everybody must admit this.
Some of you who yourselves Christians, also fail tremendously in holding your confidence in God. How many times have you slipped from climbing your spiritual hill just because something went wrong or maybe something went absolutely right and you prospered, and prospered and fell due to PROSPERITY? When things go wrong you either run back to God or drift away from God. The Bible says “all things shall work together for good to them that love God," So even the Christians who believe in God in bits and pieces or from time to time, I say cling on to your faith and trust in God and love him with all your heart. He never fails his children. The people who cling to unbelief will be taken care by the law of God or by the wrath. God is the only virtue of ultimate and true love for mankind , that's why he sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ to save the world and to redeem us all from our original, past, present and future sins. Now that doesn't give us license to just practice all out sinfulness in open, challenging God to the end. You think someone can push God to the wall, that's blasphemy, unbelief itself is blasphemy. Something to think about through the pages of Old Testament , those chapter on flood in Noah's time, Sodom & Gomorrah and many other fates that fell upon mankind because of sinfulness, the wrath of God we read clearly in all those chapters. It was the unbelief that started all the other sinful acts on humans, from unbelief starts or is the root cause of all other evil elements in society. Where there is unbelief there is no Love for God, when there is no Love for God, there path is paved for all other sinful indulgences and veracity of evil heart. Have we ever witnessed or read anywhere that some person of high unbelief was able to defeat God. Its never heard or seen of, lets keep that example aside, we have seen some strong believers like David, Abraham, Samson, Noah, Joseph, Paul and even the
So my question is? Are you guilty of unbelief??, if so, you have just charged God of being a Liar. If you say that you need to overcome that guilt and unbelief, then you need to Love God and trust in him completely and start believing totally. The beginnings of total believe is creating peace & joy in your heart. When you have joy and peace in your heart, you will have joy & peace in everything you do. The mind cannot be reposing in the promises of God, if it has not peace and joy. Again: when persons have not power in prayer--when they have no faith in prayer, to prevail with God. In the Bible, we are told that those who have faith, have power with God, and can prevail with God, and receive the spirit of their petitions. Now, let me ask you, my hearers, if you have this confidence, this faith which makes you mighty in prayer; or, do you want this power in prayer? If the latter, then you are guilty of unbelief. Now, one of two things must be true, if these things are wanting in your soul,--if you have no confidence in the promises, no peace of mind, and no power in prayer,--either the Bible is not true, or you do not believe the Bible; because the Bible affirms that these things are true of them that believe.
"There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit."
Many live in the bondage of some form of sin, that bondage is a state of unbelief. When people live under any form of worldliness, they are under condemnation of law. Now if you are living in this state then your own conscious condemns you because of your unbelief, but what does the person so , I guess all that he does is find facts & evidences about the scriptures. Its like when I show my birth certificate, you will say that's not true and you need evidence, funny it may sound, but that's how people living under unbelief do with the word of God. Earlier I wrote about peace & Joy through believe, and then the power of prayer, now I say is that our spirit should be a spirit of a slave. A slave not of sin , but of our most high master “ Lord almighty God”. We must exactly do everything what our master pleases, isn't that what slaves are supposed to do, if not they are condemned. However, we serve this master with Love. Many great people serve God through religion and they assume that they are perfect and command great respect in the community & Church. But to serve God is to serve him with the spirit of a son, I wonder how many people serve their own parents with a spirit of son or daughter, I know most of us are feeling guilty by now. Then how do we declare that we serve God in our Church, Ministry or local congregation. Just by performing our religious duties and witnessing some Sunday rituals with the obligation of guilt, one commits to the least of evil. That's also a reason I call people that they have unbelief. Even a person holding a rosary in hand and doing novenas, offerings, etc has not submitted to our Master fully, I mean did we become his children or servants or slaves in reality. Christianity, to them, is not a peace-giving religion; it is not their life in which they have supreme delight, loving it for its own sake. It is to them something which they must attend to, something which they must not neglect, but which they would be very glad to neglect if they dared. They go to meeting, and read their Bibles, and pray, not because their hearts are filled with love to God, love to the Bible, love to their closets--not because they love to have communion with God. No! Their religious duties are regarded as a task, which they must not omit to perform. Now remember, that in every instance where persons take this view of religion, and religious duties, there is unbelief in the heart. Such persons go through a form of prayer, not from love to God, but because they think it is their duty to pray. Who does not see that to approach God from such motives is not prayer, but only an indication of a mere servile spirit, an evident manifestation of unbelief. They don't come to God to get anything. They don't expect to receive anything from God. The Bible has promised them great things in answer to prayer, but they don't expect them. They pray, because it is their duty. They never run to God to make a request, as a child runs to its father for something which it wants, holding up its little hands with a smile on its face, expecting to get the favor for which it asks. They do nothing of this sort. They say their prayers, or perhaps read them; go through a form, and do what they call praying, and what for? Many persons pray, not because God has given them promises, not because they have something in their hearts that they want God to give, and because they expect to get it, but because it is their duty to make a prayer. Now, who does not see that this is a manifestation of unbelief; the evidence of a spirit directly opposite to the spirit of prayer, and everything that belongs to true religion. Now, if any of you, my readers, have been religious because it was your duty,--have served God from a servile spirit, and not from spontaneous love; let me urge you, for once, to approach his throne to-night, and pray, expecting to receive that for which you seek. I say that now you are an unbeliever; you may call yourself what you please, but as certain as God is true--as certain as God is true, you have no faith!
The very opposite of Faith is the considerations of worldliness and just living for everything but all things in this world, I don't think there is more unbelief than this. You once give in to all the material things and evils of the world which you will think that's its trend or modern, my dear brothers & sisters you are wrong. Can you receive God's truth into your mind, if it is given up to other influences? It is naturally impossible for you to serve God and the world! If you are worldly-minded, I say, it is an evidence of unbelief! Confidence in God makes the righteous like Loins ! And I will also say read the Bible with all your attention and Love for God, Nobody neglects the Bible who believe in it. Yes its true, but we don't want to accept it, maybe superficially some might nod with me here. Once reading this is over you shall be back to the worldly routines. I don't ask you to be a monk or a sage but what I stress upon is the ultimate desire for the treasures on heaven and the true Love for God, obedience for the Gods word, fulfilling the way scriptures have guided us to be, there are lots of promises in the Bible by God and we need to rely upon those and to rely upon those one has to be on the path of righteousness just the was Jesus Christ told us to do. a spirit of indifference in regard to the state of religion, blindness in regard to the state of sinners, no compassion for them, a want of interest in their conversion, are certain indications of unbelief; and I might point out hundreds of others. But let me ask, who of us are guilty of unbelief? If I am guilty of unbelief, I am the very wretch that writes to you, and makes God a liar! If you are guilty of unbelief, you are the wretches who stand before God, and accuse him of being a liar! Horrible! horrible! But is it not true? Does not everybody know, that if a man withhold confidence from God, it is because he regards God as unworthy of confidence; and if unworthy of confidence, it must be that he is not a true being, but a liar!
The end product or the result of unbelief is a state of heartless religion. That's why you will find people who claim to be in religion, only self satisfying, without knowing how to truly Love, understand, or not to hurt others for selfish needs, they don't have principles , they don't have Joy & Peace in their lives. Their constant search for happiness leads them to live life in a worldly fashion and keep on desiring material gains. They stake their health, family, relationships, friends, co workers and everyone around. Just because their hearts are filled with unbelief, they loose their Faith, and so many things without regard to God. Oftentimes, what they call their religious duties, they perform not out of love to God, supreme regard to him, but to promote their own selfishness. Subsequently the unbelief will risk Salvation……whoa whoa whoa , now you are asking me , “What's this guy upto?”. Yes what I say if its false, then I will be the only one facing Gods wrath, so don't worry I am not here to proclaim opposite to Faith, but towards Faith.
Salvation is necessary and natural condition for us to lead to heaven, however as I said unbelief makes it impossible. If anybody has to go to heaven then he must prepare to go to heaven. What's there in heaven? What will he do in heaven? What's it like to be in heaven? What is heaven ? now if someone really needs to be there , then being Holy and living in true Faith is very important. A heart which is abiding to Gods word and obedience to God is necessary, not because someone tells you, but go check for yourself the Bible. all unbelief entirely rejects the Mediator between God and man--it rejects the office, the authority, and atonement of Christ altogether. The penalty of the law is dead against those that are unbelievers--those who believe not are condemned already, because they have not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Concluding I shall say that the first sin on earth was all because of unbelief, so you know what an obstacle unbelief is and where it could lead us into. The worst thing is that the same unbelief makes God a liar, I know what you are thinking but you gotta pause for a minute and think about Adam & Eve episode, what did they do , what did they do , it was because they didn't believe in what God had told them. However, they were lucky to have direct dealing with God and now we have the entire Bible to tell us about Gods Love and his equal wrath upon the world.
--"When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat."
All I can see in that above verse from Genesis is that it was the outcome of loosing confidence in God and stepping into unbelief. Whatever God told them was I vain, or was it not?
Now, what was the particular form of sin? Why, it was first withdrawing, and then withholding, faith from God; they refused to confide in what God had said--they did not believe that he studied their good in the prohibition. They listened to the words of the tempter, and believed what he told them, that God was jealous of them; that he forbade them to eat of the tree lest they should become gods: and then they withdrew confidence in God, and suffered the consequences.
Withholding confidence in God is also worst forms of evil, I tell you what's said above is all co-relating with each other and just gets worse as humans get entangled into the web of sins and keep on falling into it. Why persons are drawn aside into vice is, because they have lost confidence in God and goodness. If a man yielded his heart to God, could he be carried away with every breath of temptation? No, indeed, he could not; but when he withdraws confidence, the mind is darkened, and error exercises its full power in his soul. How remarkable was the effect of unbelief in Adam and Eve! As soon as they withdrew confidence in God, they thought they could hide themselves from him; so grossly did they fall into darkness by withholding confidence, that they thought they could hide themselves among the trees when the Lord God walked in the garden.
Perfect FAITH could have Holiness, confidence in God could be always rendered. Complete Love for God will direct all our characteristics, in our life, , our family, our friends and in society. How beautiful it is if all follow the word and live the life scripturally and to stop living in sin. Lastly, let me urge upon you to reflect upon the awful wickedness of unbelief. Suppose you have withdrawn confidence from God, what is the state of your hearts? Why, you are playing the hypocrite and concealing the real state of your hearts, and are thus kept from being indicted for blasphemy. Unbelievers, in the sense in which I have explained, whether in the Church or out of the Church, if you were to speak out the real state of your hearts, you would be disgraced before the community and chased from society, if you should venture to persist in this unbelief. Now, in a few days you and I shall stand before God. What will be our state then? We shall stand before him whom we have accused of lying, withdrew confidence from, and would not believe! But I must not continue this strain of remark. May God have mercy on us; and let us ponder these things, and turn unto the Lord with full purpose of heart, and thus avert his wrath from us!