Unbelief

Idea: Unbelief prevents God's power from helping us, His efficiency from accompanying
us. Experience, feeling, our words, our love for sympathy, works against us.

Familiarity Breeds Unbelief

Perhaps contrary to what we might expect, the people that knew Jesus most personally as
a youth expected less from him than those who made his acquaintance during after
hearing of his healing power or messianic qualities.

And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their
synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, "Whence hath this
man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? is
not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon,
and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this
man all these things? And they were offended in him. Mr 13:54-56

Far from limiting this pattern of familiarity-breeds-unbelief to himself, Jesus spoke as if it

were a general law of human interaction with prophets.

But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own
country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there
because of their unbelief. Mr 13:57-58

But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own
country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do
no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed
them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about
the villages, teaching. Mr 6:4-6

And so it is that even the intimate associations of the family circle were insufficient to
inspire Christ's family with confidence in His power. Spending countless hours with Jesus
in personal association failed to cause faith to grow in the hearts of his family.

And this was so normal as to be proverbial. Jeremiah once indicated that those most
familiar with him were most zealous to find his faults and to treat his rebukes as personal
thrusts. They related as if he was the source of his testimonies and sought a type of
revenge by seeking out his missteps.

For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and
we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying,
Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we
shall take our revenge on him. Jer 20:10

This is not to say that the less someone knows of Jesus the more likely they are to trust
him. It is not "knowing him", per se, that causes the unbelief. But a knowledge of Jesus
can focus either on the Divine source of his teaching or on the natural and human side of
his life.

The latter focus, on Christ's humanness, came most naturally to those in his home village.
Their association robbed them, as it were, from awareness of the gravity of his teaching.
They cared for him and appreciated his helpfulness. But they did not submit implicitly to
the authority of God manifest in his teaching.

Unbelief mixed with Belief

Nor were the apostles immune. Though hearing Jesus daily, though loving Him and
promising to him fidelity, they tended to related to the man Jesus more than to the
prophet Jesus. They differed with him at times, doubted him at times, believed him to be
the Messiah, but not to be always right. Mt 16:16, 22; Jn 13:8.

Just as the unbelief of men had prevented Christ's power from having free course in his
hometown, so the apostles' unbelief prevented his power from healing a demon possessed
boy.

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him
out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto
you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this
mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing
shall be impossible unto you. Matt 17:19-20

This story helps us understand unbelief. Did the disciples have confidence in Christ's
power? They had enough to try casting out the demon and to be surprised when they
failed. They did believe, in a way.

The father of the boy believed in the same way as they. He believed enough to bring the
boy, enough to be disappointed. He did believe, in a way. But his belief in the infinite
power available through Christ was mixed with doubts. While he held to both Jesus could
not offer him much help.

". . . but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us."
Jesus said unto him, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that
believeth." And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with
tears, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Mr 9:22-24.

When the man submitted to the implied rebuke, when he related to Jesus as "Lord" and
depended on the Savior even to dislodge his unwanted doubts, he exercised faith. His
confidence in Christ, now unmixed with "if", brought needed power.

To this point we have observed that neither a casual relationship with Jesus, nor an
intimate one, produces saving faith. Both can focus on his character to an exclusion of his
authority; on his humanity to an exclusion of the manifestation of God's truth. Both can
conceive of Christ as good enough and powerful enough to help while still refusing to
bow to His word.

Next we will consider that viewing the cross of Calvary will not necessarily banish
unbelief.

Unbelief after the Cross

Mr 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them
with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen
him after he was risen.

Ro 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God
without effect?

Ro 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in
faith, giving glory to God;

Ro 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.
Be not highminded, but fear:
Ro 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for
God is able to graff them in again.
Ro 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained
mercy through their unbelief:
Ro 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy
upon all.

1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained
mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief,
in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Heb 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to
whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the
same example of unbelief.