Faith matters; so does un-faith

God in the Flesh comes to Nazareth, teaching with unparalleled authority and performing amazing miracles. The people responded with, “Wait, we know this guy! It’s the carpenter’s son!”

Notice the people of Nazareth didn’t deny Jesus’ wisdom and power. In fact, Mark 6 tells us they asked, “Where does he get it?” But they didn’t find his grace irresistible. Their response, in spite of what they had seen and heard, was to scoff. Matthew 13 says they were “deeply offended” by him.

How’s this for a sad verdict? “Because of their unbelief, [Jesus] couldn’t do any mighty miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their unbelief.” (Luke 6:5-6)

Faith matters. So does un-faith. The one thing God Incarnate couldn’t do was overcome the hard hearts of scoffers. Not in his own hometown among lifelong friends and family members. Not among those who would have claimed to know him best.

“Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.” (Hebrews 3:12)

If saving faith only comes from God …

… then isn’t this an odd thing for the Almighty to say?

“Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.” Isaiah 7:9b

Two notes about becoming a disbeliever

A brief interaction with two “former Christians” reminds me how many people who grew up in church really have no clue what a faith relationship with Jesus is all about. I’ve posted these notes on my Facebook page. Thought I’d add them here as well.

You can’t walk away from Jesus

You can quit “believing in God.” You can quit “being a Christian.” That’s not so hard. It’s just religion. But “believing in God” and “being a Christian” aren’t the same thing as being reborn in a faith relationship with Jesus. You can’t walk away from Jesus if you were never walking with him in the first place. And if you are walking with him, no skeptic’s disbelief can shake your faith, built as it is on love for and gratitude toward the one who died to set you free.

Nothing more than a concept or legend

When God is nothing more to you than a concept, when Jesus is merely a legend, becoming a disbeliever is no more difficult than giving up your childhood belief in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. But when you have personally encountered the reality of the Living God, when the Risen Lord has transformed your heart and mind, when you have experienced the comfort and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, you can no more quit “believing” in their existence than you can question the reality of your family and closest friends.