A: People often claim that if Jesus would appear in front of them or make everything easy to understand they would believe. They claim that the reason they just can't believe is because they can't see Jesus or any evidence of Him.
So why would a loving God, who wants us to believe not make himself visible so that we would all believe? The answer is simple, He tried that once. Look at the life of Jesus. He taught here on earth for 3 years, and many people did believe but many still did not. He healed the crippled and made them walk. He healed the blind and made them see. He even raised people from the dead. Still many people did not believe that He was the Son of God.
He even told a story of a rich man who had it all and died and a poor man who also died. The rich man was in torment but could see the poor man who was now taking it easy in what we would consider heaven, but at that time, (before Jesus died) it was called paradise. After being told that there was nothing that could be done to help him, the rich man asked that the poor man be sent back to talk to his brothers so they would not end up where he was. Luke 16:31 says, "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" This verse is very important. Remember Jesus told this story before His own death and resurrection. He was right, many of those who refused to believe before His death still refused to believe after He arose from the dead.
Remember how the disciples were changed after seeing Jesus after His death, but they did not have a clue until they saw Him. In John 20:27-29 he said to Thomas: "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Do you realize Jesus was talking to Thomas about us? We are the ones who are blessed because we believe even though we have not seen Him. But don't miss what He told Thomas: Stop doubting and believe!
For instance let’s say that you are on one side of a deep pit and another person is on the other side. There is a bridge over the pit but you know that it is not safe so you tell the other person not to go out on it but they tell you they don't believe you. They then go out on the bridge and start jumping up and down, and sure enough the bridge gives way and they are killed. What will your reaction be? Will you admire them because they checked everything out for themselves? Or will you think they were stupid, because they would not listen to you? They could not see that the bridge was weak, so why should they believe you?
Does it make you feel good when people trust you? Does it make you mad when people refuse to trust what you say? God has done many things to prove to mankind that He exists but we keep refusing. He takes trust and belief very seriously. John 3:18 tells us that whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
What does God require of us to be saved? People asked Jesus the same question in John 6:28-29. Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." The one who was sent was Jesus. That is all God requires of us, that we believe.
People claim that because God does not show himself visibly to them proves that He does not really want to save everyone. That is a lie. In fact we are told in 1 Timothy 1:15-16, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”
God has revealed enough of His nature for us to be able to trust Him. He has declared and shown through the events of history, in the workings of nature, and through the life of His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving, all-holy, unchanging, and eternal. He has shown that He is worthy to be trusted. But as with the Israelites in the wilderness, the choice is ours as to whether or not we will trust Him.
Often, one is inclined to make this choice based on what he/she thinks he knows about God rather than what He has revealed about Himself and can be understood about Him through a careful study of His inerrant word, the Bible.
If we are honest, we have to admit that there are many things we don't understand about God and about life. We do not have final answers to the deep problems of life. There are areas of mystery in our Christian faith that lie beyond quick answers or even the most profound spiritual exercises. For many people, these problems raise so many questions and uncertainties that faith itself becomes a struggle, and the very person and character of God are called into question. Instead, let’s encourage one another to face up to the limitations of our understanding and to acknowledge the pain and grief they can often cause. Instead let’s be like the psalmist in Psalm 73:28: “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God and made Him my refuge that I may tell of all your works.”
For those who refuse to believe, we cannot blame God. Based on the evidence of the life of Christ and the Bible, we have all the proof we need right before us. All we have to do is believe and we will be saved. The decision is up to each person. We need to remember that only we can make this decision while we are still alive. Once we die it is too late, our fate is sealed.
[answered by Pastoral Intern, Ray Lee]
