Imagine you must warn people they are exposed to a deadly chemical. It’s in the air, soil, and water – invisible and yet very dangerous. The symptoms will not appear for decades.
They don’t believe you and continue working, playing, and living in the environment. You warn them, and they still do not listen. They do not believe what they do not see.
Unbelief can be lethal.
Disbelief
Sadly, we find Jesus in this situation (see John 6 & 7). Spiritual death is unseen and deadly.
Swirling around Jesus was a cloud of disbelief. His secondary disciples deserted Him, and to add insult to injury, one of the chosen twelve had such a shallow belief that he would end up betraying Jesus. Even His own brothers didn’t believe.
The Jewish leaders were out to kill Him. Murder was on their lips and hatred in their hearts.
We see His brothers were skeptical as they tried to force Him to go to the Festival of Shelters to show off to the world.
The Jewish Festival of Shelters was near. So His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea so Your disciples can see Your works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” (For not even His brothers believed in Him.) John 7:2-5 CSB.
Public Recognition?
Jesus was not doing any of these things to gain “public recognition.” His very existence was greater than that. His time had not yet come to fall into the hands of the Jewish authorities.
He refused to go with them.
When He finally went, it was in secret. He didn’t come to “show off”, but to seek and save the lost. He warned them He was the Bread of Life – the antidote for death. Those around Him refused to believe.
Unbelief?
The word “belief” is a mental attitude. It accepts something as true without absolute, empirical proof. The act of belief is interesting. Mental filters direct perception, provide meaning, and guide our actions. Belief is powerful because it changes us through new experiences, evidence, and our intentional choices.
Yes, belief is a choice. When Christ returns, how many will He find faithful? How many will believe?
… Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8b CSB.
Faith and belief are sisters. First, we believe; then faith helps us as we remain persistent in prayer and trust.
Either we believe, or we don’t. Either we are faithful to the end, or we’re not. There’s no middle ground. An honest, wholehearted yielding to the Holy as Lord, Master, and Redeemer is the hallmark of belief.
Words of Eternal Life
Belief means we take Him at His word.
… Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God. John 6:68b-69 CSB.
Belief! The estranged will never know it. Those in a long-distance relationship have shaky faith and wonder what’s wrong. At the sound of His call, they may or may not come.
But the intimate walks with Him daily in order to move from mere belief to faithfulness. They delight in the words of eternal life.
A Matter of the Heart
Belief is a matter of the heart – the faithfulness of the soul.
Unbelief surrounded Jesus because their hearts were not right with God. You see, “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matt 10:22 CSB).
Belief!
Take a minute and think about what that word means to you. Does your heart burn as you engage in Scripture? Do your eyes light up at the mention of His name? Does a day not go by without prayer and meditation? Did you tell Him, “I love You” today?
If your answer is yes, then your belief has led you to faithfulness.
Belief involves more than just saying, “I believe.” It involves intimacy. The Lord teaches us to understand His ways, shows us how to live right, and reveals the value of commitment in our intimate relationship with Him.
We need to walk so close to Him that even questioning His faithfulness feels wrong. Know Him so closely you can feel His breath on your soul. Trust Him because His nature is love and His character is good.
Belief internalizes the truth with wholeheartedness and mindfulness. It’s being born again into the very intimacy of His enduring love.
No turning back.
In Conclusion
The wayward disciples lost out on following Christ because of their unbelief. Judas, himself steeped in unbelief, would betray the Son of God. His brother’s unbelief made them think they could manipulate Him to “show off.” The Jewish leaders still wanted to kill Him.
A cloud of disbelief surrounded Jesus.
Notice this didn’t stop Him. Did He know in His heart that today you would believe? I don’t know, but His love led Him to maneuver through the cloud of unbelief to the cross – to the resurrection – to your heart.
He’s seen enough unbelief. I refuse to let him find me unfaithful. I will not to go with the crowd. I am placing my ultimate trust in Him, especially now.
Call to Action
My belief is ever more precious to me when I think of the story I told you about the chemical exposure. You see, that story is mine. I’m the one exposed to a deadly chemical called PCBs.
In 1973, while in the Army, I unknowingly marched in dirt laced with PCBs and even drank from the water. I wore no protective gear. It took decades before the PCBs raised its ugly head.
There’s no cure – I am infertile and now living with a degenerative liver disease that might turn fatal. What was once a mystery is no longer hidden, but out in the open. Wish someone had warned me. I would have believed.
Honestly, I’m not bitter, angry, or even scared. My faith is strong enough to see that His hand has guided me through the years, and I don’t expect Him to give up on me now. He is faithful to see me through, and I’m most grateful for the One who has the words of life.
I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. I believe and that makes all the difference.
How’s your faith? Do you believe?
For God so (greatly) loved and dearly prized the world that He (even) gave His (One and) only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him (as Savior) shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 Amplified Bible.
If this post has resonated with you or encouraged you in any way, please add your comment on and tell us your story.
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The word “belief” is a mental attitude. Sister Bear this word caused me to pause. I as you seek the path of belief, I know by faith alone and His Words (Bible) “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. “We need to walk so close to Him that even questioning His faithfulness feels wrong. Know Him so closely you can feel His breath on your soul. Trust Him because His nature is love and His character is good.
These words are beyond imagination! I wrote in my journal yesterday, (When He comes will He find faith in the people.) ? I pray to be a strong believer in Jesus, and I find when I yield to His Holy Spirit, that I need not strive, my heart and mind say Yes Jesus Yes.
This is the Catch it, Check it, Change it, sitting down with His Word and checking in on my condition and beliefs. They are aligned with His, as long as I have true faith in Him.
Sista bear, thank you for sharing your internal body condition, if they had only told you ????
Love you more!
Good morning,I absolutely love your sharings. This one is so pertinent for the time we are living. Belief plays out