Exodus 20:18-21 Fear of God and Turning Back

Exodus 20:18-21: Drawing Back from God

Exodus 20:18-21

"When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, 'Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.' Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.'

The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was" (Ex. 20:18-21).

Human beings are, by nature, afraid of God. They should be. This is because we are, by nature, sinful, and sinful beings are, by nature, under the wrath of God--and the wrath of God is something to be greatly feared.

"The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger" (Zeph. 3:8).

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God" (Heb. 10:31).

So it is understandable that the ancient Hebrews were fearful to go to the mountain of fire to meet with God. This fear they inherited from their parents, along with their sinful nature. For when Adam and Eve sinned, one of the tragic consequences of that sin was that they became afraid of God; they tried to avoid God, with Adam saying to him:

"I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid" (Gen. 3:10).

Here we see the root cause of fear of God: our sinfulness. For before Adam and Eve sinned, they walked with God in the Garden of Eden unafraid and enjoying fellowship with God. But after their sin, fear took the place of fellowship and love.

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love" (1 Jn. 4:18).

So it was that they who had known perfect love now experienced fear, because they were afraid of God's righteous punishment of their sin. That sin was unable to be hidden from God; it was exposed; their hearts were as naked and laid bare before God as were their bodies.

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Heb. 4:13).

So Adam and Eve tried to hide from the One who saw the sin in their heart, who saw who they really were. They didn't like the truth about themselves and didn't want that truth to be exposed by the light of God's Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth (1 Jn. 5:6).

It was the same with their descendents at Mt. Sinai. When God called out to them to meet with him there, just as he had called out to Adam and Eve, like Adam and Eve, they sought to avoid contact with God and told Moses:

"Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die" (Ex. 20:19).

This is a very telling statement of the condition of their hearts. When sin is in the human heart, that heart seeks to distance itself from God. Even today, many people are willing to go to church and hear another human being preach whatever he wants to them, even telling them that they are sinners--but they do not want God himself to say that to them or anything else. They want an intermediary between themselves and God. They want to keep God at a "safe" distance from themselves, pretending that such a thing is even possible because it gives them a false sense of security.

But in truth, it is impossible to hide anything from God, no matter how great a distance one pretends to have between one's heart and God, for "the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10). If the Spirit searches the deep things of God's own heart, it knows how to search the deep things of every human heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from the eyes of God's Spirit. Those who pretend otherwise are out of touch with reality and living in a make-believe world, a world of fantasy and of one's own imagination, not the world of truth and reality. So, in a way, those ancient people of God who feared for their lives on the mountain where God had desired to speak to them were correct in their belief that just hearing the voice of God speak to them could be fatal to them. Much later, God gave a vision to his servant John that illustrates this truth. On the island of Patmos, the disciple John saw in a vision from God this picture of the Lord:

"Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations" (Rev. 19:15).

"(They) were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse" (Rev. 19:21).

Jesus is portrayed in this vision as the great judge of all humanity, who will carry out that judgment by speaking the word of judgment. For he knows the heart of every human being and in this great and final judgment, he will swing that sword and strike into the heart of every human being, exposing the true nature of each person's heart. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh (Jn. 1:1), and Scripture says of the Word of God:

"The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit . . . It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed" (Jn. 3:19,20).

What a telling description of the hearts of the Hebrews there at Mt. Sinai, unwilling to come close to God on the mountain because of their fear of him and his wrath over their sin. They feared the light of God's word and truth exposing the darkness of their hearts. They are afraid both of light and darkness, and pull back from the darkness on the mountain where God had hidden himself from them for a moment.

"Truly you are a God who hides himself" (Is. 45:15).

But wait a minute. If God truly is a God who hides himself in darkness, and if he is a righteous judge who can strike us down merely by speaking the word of judgment upon us--if God is so terrible in majesty and so far above us in holiness and righteous judgment, what hope is there for us? Surely the Hebrews were right in refusing to enter into the deep darkness where God was, for that would have meant death to them.

Ah, but that is precisely the point! If a person truly wants to know God and would come to him, he must die. Jesus himself made this clear.

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it'" (Mt. 16:24,25).

In the time of Jesus’ life here on earth, a person took up his cross in order to go to his death by crucifixion. In order to be born again as a new creature in Christ, the old man within us must be put to death. He who would live in Christ must die. This is not a message the human soul wants to hear and it takes a dedication to the truth to fight against this natural reaction to the need for death to one's self in order to gain the true life that is in Christ. The people at Mt. Sinai did not have this desire for the truth at all costs, therefore they drew back. Only one man dared to continue on to approach the thick darkness where God was. That man was Moses. What was so different about him that enabled him to succeed where the whole nation failed?

We are told in Scripture of Moses that he "was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth" (Num. 12:3 NIV), with the RSV using the word meek instead of humble. Either way, meekness and humility are crucial to being able to approach God and to hear him speak to us without us being slain by such word of God.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" (Lk. 18:17).

"For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives forever, whose name is holy: ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite‘" (Is. 57:14).

This needed humility for approaching God must extend from being willing to have our sin exposed before God (which it is anyway, but we have to be willing to see it as well) all the way to being humble enough to die to that old self. Humility to the point of death is characteristic of the God-nature that dwelt in our Lord Jesus Christ:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" (Ph. 2: 5-8).

This humility was not found in the people gathered before Mt. Sinai, but only in Moses, a preliminary type of Christ who was to come. That is why Moses was able to go forward while the people fell back: because he was a humble man, willing to admit his sinfulness before God. He was willing risk death to his own person if it meant being able to approach God. This is not a quality most people readily accept, as illustrated in the life of Jesus and his work among the people.

When Jesus first began his ministry, people flocked to him because of his miracles and healings and feeding them. But as he taught them about the deeper aspects of coming to God and the requirement for renunciation of all one holds dear in order to do this, then they began to draw back, saying, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" (jn. 6:60).

"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him" (Jn. 6:66).

This same situation arose centuries after the people of God drew back from following Moses up the mountain to meet God--and for the same reason: They did not want to pay the cost; they did not want to let go of their life; they were afraid of dying. Their situation is described and contrasted with that of us who live in the era of the new covenant of God's grace in this way:

"You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: 'If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.' The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, 'I am trembling with fear'" (Heb. 12:18-21).

Yes, even Moses trembled with fear at what was before him--and rightly he should. But he did not let that fear stop him from continuing to move forward and upward to come to God. He was willing even to die, if only he could know the Lord. In this, he showed the same attitude that Job had, who suffered so much by God's allowance, yet exclaimed boldly:

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust him" (Job 13:15).

That is the kind of faith and trust and love that the Lord is seeking in those whom he created for himself. It is what faith and love is all about, trusting God so much that even though we tremble with fear at stepping into the darkness of unknowing surrounding God, we still go on and take that step of faith and love with Moses into the terrible dark cloud on the mountain of fire and lightning. And when we do, lo and behold! the mountain is transformed into Mount Zion, the beautiful mountain of the Lord. For by faith in Christ, we leave Mt. Sinai, the mountain of the law that condemns us to death and makes us tremble in fear over God's wrath for our failure to keep that law, and we find ourselves instead on the mountain of God's grace that forgives us our sins in Jesus Christ.

"You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel" (Heb. 12:22-24).

What a marvelous, gracious gift of God, to speak kindly to those who come before him trembling with fear over their sins, that they do not need to fear his wrath if they will only confess that sin and seek forgiveness in his Son, Jesus Christ. But not all receive that free gift of God. Some turn back in fear and refuse the gift. To them, God has a further word of warning than the one he gave on the mountain of the law:

"See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, 'Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.' (Hag 2:6) The words 'once more' indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, created things--so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire'" (Heb. 12:25-29).

That time spoken of in the above passage is rapidly approaching. The end truly is near. It is time to put off any fear of God because of our sins by looking to Jesus to bring us to his mountain of forgiveness and faith and hope and love.

"The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God" (Heb. 7:18,19).

No longer must we draw back like the people of old did, for God will not be pleased if we do.

"But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him" (Heb. 10:38).

"But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved" (Heb. 10:39).

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water" (Heb. 10:19-22).

What About Birth Defects?--Exodus 4:11

Exodus 4:11--What About Birth Defects?

Exodus 4:11

"Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" (Exodus 4:11).

This verse from the bible deserves far more attention than is commonly given, for there are at least two major aspects of it that are often either ignored or unrecognized. One relates to the answer to this vital question: What or who is the focal point of all that exists: Is it man or is it God? And the other is the deficient worldview that many have, especially the lack of being able to see a plane of existence that is above that which they commonly see in this world.

Without question, the world's answer to the question of focus for man, is man. Man is what existence is all about. After all, is he not the brilliant jewel in evolution's crown? Has he not arisen to the supreme position in evolution's heirarchy? Is he not thus the Supreme Being, God?

This arrogant and presumptuous attitude is exposed by the world's reaction to those born with what are called birth defects, things such as those mentioned in Exodus 4:11: being born mute or blind. Atheists and others opposed to God use the birth of such "defective" human beings as proof that there is no God. How could a good God allow such lesser beings be born? The existence of these human beings with less-than-normal features is an affront to their belief system, because they elevate man to supreme status and such as these do not, in their minds, reflect that status.

How different the view of God. Though he normally gives most human beings the normal complement of faculties, he reserves the right to withhold this blessing from a select few in order that they might be a blessing that consternates those who cannot understand his higher ways. That they do not understand is revealed by their reaction to a man born blind, as recorded in John, chapter nine. When encountering this man, even his own disciples asked him what his sin was, or that of his parents, that he was born thus. They did not understand. But Jesus did. He told them:

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life" (v. 3).

Those who have God's vision of the higher meaning and purpose of all that exists--for God's glory and not man's--see things differently; they see things accurately, as they really are. But not all have this sight. It takes the eyes of a little child who trusts in the rightness of his heavenly Father's ways to see what is hidden from those who see only as man sees. Elsewhere, Jesus spoke about the often-hidden, higher way of God that uses this type of vision found in children to bring about the revealing of himself and his ways to a wayward world:

"At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure'" (Lk. 10:21).

God, not man, is God, and he does not have to justify his ways to man but can mold man into whatever vessel he desires.

"This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 'Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message.

So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: 'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel'" (Jer. 18:1-6).

"This is what the Lord says--the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands?" (Is. 45:11).

In today's technological world, instruments can see the unborn child in the mother's womb, and if that unborn child has any of the conditions mentioned in Exodus 4:11, or for any other reason, really, and the parents so desire, that child can be aborted. That is the world's answer to nearly every situation where something it doesn't like arises. When a person wants to have power over people but they resist, by using force he can rise to power. The world, sadly, has many examples of this being done. No one wants another to rule over him and tell him what to do, so the world decries dictatorships and the killing of people that often accompany such regimes. Yet when similar situations arise in their own lives, they readily follow the same path, as, for instance, when an unborn baby upsets the plan they have for their lives.

Whether it is because of lack of normal faculties or any other reason, if another human being stands in the way of their achieving their goals for their lives, then that human being must be disposed of. In the one case, it is called oppression of the peoples and mass murder, such as in Hitler or Stalin; in the other, it is through legalized abortion and is called a "merciful act", saving the child from going through life with what are deemed insufficient faculties, when, in reality, it is the same desire for people to have control over their lives and the lives of others. In either case, the result is the same: Those who are seen as undesirable are eliminated.

Is this the best we can do, get rid of or kill that which stands in our way of achieving control over our own lives and over the lives of others? But it is the sinful, self-centered way of fallen humanity. When confronted with One who told them the truth about themselves, that they were sinners in need of a Savior, the opponents of Jesus, who is the truth (Jn. 14:6), killed him. Rather than submit to the truth about themselves, they sought to get rid of their perceived problem by killing it. And so they killed the truth on a cross and then buried it in the ground.

"Because of rebellion, . . . truth was thrown to the ground" (Dan. 8:12).

But in truth, truth cannot be killed. It will always rise again because truth is stronger even than death. That is why Jesus said of those who believe in him and thus have the truth within them, "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (Jn. 11:25,26).

The truth is that whether a new human life has the normal human faculties or not does not change the fact that it is a wondrous creation of God and it remains to be seen how He will use these special creations to glorify himself and open our eyes to yet more of his wisdom and ways. A child born without sight is not the most pitiable of human beings. That dubious distinction belongs to those who have eyes and ears but cannot see the hand of God in all that he creates.

"'Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear: Should you not fear me?' declares the Lord. 'Should you not tremble in my presence?'" (Jer. 5:21,22).

Existence--Exodus 3:14

I AM that I AM

"I AM that I AM" (Exodus 3:14).

This is what God said to Moses in reply to his inquiry into God's name or person. More so then than now, a person's name represented the person--his character, his being, who he was. Here, God declares first of all that he is, and secondly that, because he is, all else is: He is the one upon whose existence all else that exists depends. He is the rock-bottom foundation upon which existence itself exists. He is the ultimate reality upon which everything rests and beyond which there is no beyond. He is.

That this is the crucial issue upon which all else rests is confirmed even by those who refuse to accept the truth that God is the truth and essence of this ultimate reality. For they do not reject that this is the key matter, only that they are its essence, not God. They appropriate to themselves this ultimate title of being the great "I AM":

"You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, `No one sees me.' Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, `I am, and there is none besides me'" (Isaiah 47:10).

This is blasphemy and pride and arrogance beyond belief. It is the created thing calling itself the Creator.

"Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it, or the saw boast against him who uses it? As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up, or a club brandish him who is not wood!" (Isaiah 10:15).

Preposterous! Yet such is the irrational claim of proud man, that he is his own creator. Could that be why Scripture says explicitly, "Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and not we ourselves" (Psalm 100:3)?

It should be so obvious to all that no thing or being can create itself, yet because man has been so blinded by his pride, even this simple, obvious, basic fact is lost upon him and so God states it explicitly and clearly in his Word.

Now, of course, in one respect, each individual human being does have a legitimate right to stand in awe of his or her own existence, for it is indeed a thing to wonder at. For eternal ages, I did not exist, and now . . . here I am! What an extraordinary thing! Therefore, it is right, to an extent, to stand in awe of our own existence and want to shout to the world, "Here I am!" Is that not the essence of a newborn baby's cry? It is crying out to the world, "Here I am! I exist! Pay attention to me!"

And well we should, for life is a true miracle and wonder. Where once nothing existed, now there is something, and not only some thing but someone. Existence and life are truly worthy of the awe and attention that we give to every new baby born.

But a baby is not God, the infinite I AM. Neither is a mature, grown-up human being the infinite God. Never can that which has been created ever become that which is eternally uncreated but eternally existent. Man is not God, man cannot become God. To claim otherwise is foolishness and nonsense and irrational and does injustice both to language and logic. The Creator was, is, and always will be greater than his creation. Man may rightfully stand in awe of the fact that he exists and say in humble awe, "I am.” But that is a far cry from claiming to be the I AM upon which all other I am's exist. That right belongs to God alone. He alone has the right to say of himself, "I AM that I AM."

The Fear of God Deters Evil

FEAR OF GOD DETERS EVIL

Fear of God is a deterrent to evil. The reason there is so much evil in this world is that there is no fear of God in this world.

"Sin lurks deep in the hearts of the wicked, forever urging them on to evil deeds. They have no fear of God to hold them back. Instead, in their conceit, they think they can hide their evil deeds and not get caught" (Ps. 36:1,2 TLB).

That the fear of God is a deterrent to evil is plainly stated in Scripture.

"Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning'" (Ex. 20:20 NIV).

It is not just that God is to be feared because he is the Almighty God of infinite power and righteous judgments, Fearing God has benefits for the one who is wise enough to submit himself to God out of fear of God. Even those who are not of God's own people realize this. When Moses, as God's spokesman, had performed miracles before all the people of Egypt and then proclaimed that a devastating storm of hail was to come upon the land, not only did the people of God, the Hebrews, respect this word of the Lord, so too did all those of Egypt who were convinced by the previous signs that had been done; they too acted upon their fear of God:

"Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field" (Exodus 9:20,21).

Those who acted out of fear of God thus saved themselves and their property from harm when God's arm of judgment fell upon the land. Those who had no fear of God suffered the consequences.

Another judgment of hail is coming upon this world, at the end. You can see my depiction of this coming disaster here: Deadly hailstones fall to earth.

"From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible" (Rev. 16:21).

And as in the situation of old, some will escape this terrible catastrophe because of their fear of God and others will feel its full force. Amazingly, those who do thus suffer for their lack of fear of God do not turn around and repent of their foolishness, but continue in their sin and lack of respect for God, even daring to curse him for his righteous punishment of their rebellious heart towards him.

"A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord" (Prov. 19:3).

It is no wonder, then, that Solomon, known for his wisdom, stresses over and over again in his book of Proverbs that the fear of the Lord is vitally important and urges with utmost passion for all to lay hold of such fear in their hearts:

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline" (Prov. 1:7).

"Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: 'How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand; since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke,
I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you--when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm'" (Prov. 1:20-33 NIV).

The consequences of not fearing God are severe: eternal separation from God. The benefits of fearing God are wonderful beyond description: a full life of knowing God now and rescue from hell in the future judgment. Only a fool would refuse to fear God. Are you a fool or do you fear God?

ORIGINS

1--Genesis1:1--ORIGINS

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1).

The first verse of the Bible begins where it should begin: with the issue of origins. For, as a number of philosophers have correctly noted, "The first question that rightly should be asked is, 'Why is there something rather than nothing?'"

By addressing this premiere and ultimate question of origin or beginning at the beginning, the Bible immediately offers evidence of its credentials as the supreme source book of knowledge about reality. Though not all readers of that book will agree with its answers, the discerning reader and thinker is still impressed that it immediately focuses on the right questions. For before one can discover the truth about any issue, it is imperative that the right questions be asked about that issue. Right answers cannot come from wrong questions. The Bible asks the right questions--and gives the right or true answers. And the question of origins is the right question to ask at the beginning of any discourse on reality.

There are other answers given to this ultimate question, of course, but the answer given by the Bible stands in stark contrast to the widely believed alternative answer so prevalent in our world today, that of evolution. For that view contradicts every aspect of the biblical answer, claiming that there is no underlying source for all that exists, that nature is the ultimate foundation for all that exists. In direct contrast, the Bible bluntly speaks against this view, stating plainly that all that exists exists because it was created by deliberate choice and act of will by an infinite Creator and God.

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being" (Rev. 4:11).

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him" (Col. 1:16).

The difference between these two conflicting and contradictory viewpoints could not be greater. One, evolution, has no foundation for any ultimate meaning, significance, or value in our existence, since all is a product of chance and forces of nature, plus it is contradicted by the very nature it says is the ultimate essence of existence itself:

"What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Rom. 1:19,20).

The other view, the biblical view, however, has a real foundation for real life, not just existence. It offers real meaning, significance, and value because the One on whom our existence depends is the ultimate reality of all these things and more. This supreme Being is real and he gives real meaning to all who must live in the heavens and the earth which he created specifically for us to live in:

"He who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited--he says: 'I am the Lord, and there is no other'" (Isaiah 45:18).

Thus one concept of reality has no hope for a true, meaningful existence because it has no foundation on which to base such hope. But the biblical view does offer such a hope because its foundation is the eternal, all-powerful God--powerful enough to create our world and us and to sustain both physically and spiritually. He is the One who is "sustaining all things by his powerful word" (Heb. 1:3).

This God is real and the hope he offers us in the book he wrote to inform us about this hope he offers in his Son, Jesus Christ, is real: real life, real truth, real hope.

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" (Rom. 5:5).

Here we see the total failure of any man-made concept of reality, especially any solely materialistic such concept such as evolution. For man is more than a physical animal; he has been created with a soul that is created for its Creator and any concept of reality that denies this is woefully lacking in understanding of the true nature of things. It is not by accident that the first verse in all of the Bible mentions that God created not only the earth but the heavens as well. Man is not a creature only of the earth but also of heaven and he cannot truly live with an outlook that cuts out this crucial part of his existence--he can only exist, not live.

Thus the Bible at the very beginning begins where it should, telling us our origin and the origin of everything else. We all began with God's creating the heavens and the earth. We did not create ourselves, which is a contradiction in both logic and reality.

"Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and not we ourselves, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture" (Psalm 100:3).

This is our origin--and this is the beginning of the message of the Bible.

The Mystery of Unbelief

The Mystery of Unbelief

THE MYSTERY OF UNBELIEF
part 1 of 6 (introduction)

A great mystery troubled me for a long time: Why do some believe in Jesus and some do not? I say troubled because this is not simply a speculative question of curiosity or merely an intellectual item for discussion: There are consequences of the utmost severity for those who do not believe in Jesus. An eternity in the fires of hell (2 Ths. 1:9, Mark 9:47,48), or its equivalent, is not a trivial matter. When you think about this matter, then, it does trouble the heart, especially when you think of loved ones close to that heart.

Perhaps I was not ready to understand the truth about this great mystery during that time period; I don't know. If that was the case, however, I would not be the first to have been in that situation, for Jesus said to his disciples:

"I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth" (Jn. 16:12).

"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things"(Jn. 14:26).

The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, has come and he has taught me, just as he has taught you, if you belong to Christ. Therefore, you and I are now able to receive more of what the Spirit is ready to give to us concerning this matter or any other.

"Among the mature we do impart wisdom . . . (which) God has revealed to us through the Spirit . . . Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit" (1 Cor. 2:6,10,12,13).

This being so, then, I ask for this same tt's presence as you read the following, which is what He showed me over time regarding this great mystery of unbelief. May the Spirit who has revealed this to us in the Holy Scripture of God's Word quicken our own spirit to receive what he shows us. As we proceed here, may the working of the Lord and his Spirit so work in our hearts that we will be able to say the same words said by the disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus:

"Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Lk. 24:32).

THE REALITY OF THE DIVISION
part 2 of 6

It hardly needs to be stated that there is a true divide in this world's reaction to Jesus Christ: Some do believe and some do not. In fact, no other single matter so defines our world as this one issue: Who is Jesus Christ? Further, it will be the main dividing issue in a war that will engulf the whole world in the end times, as the opponent of Christ seeks to dominate the world. Jesus himself predicted this great divide among the peoples of the world:

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Mt. 10:34).

The one great question of every person's life--the great decider and divider--is the question that Jesus asked Peter:

"'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?'" (Mt. 16:15).

"Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'" (v. 16).

That is the true answer to that question--but not everyone believes that. That is why, later, the apostle Paul asked for prayers of protection, ". . . that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith" (2 Ths. 3:2).

These are the two responses to the great question of life. Jesus can be accepted as who he truly is, the Son of God, or that truth can be rejected. Truth is the single issue around which belief or unbelief revolves, therefore it is one's attitude towards truth determines whether one will believe in Jesus or not. It is this--one's attitude towards truth--that now demands our attention, for it holds the key to unlocking this great mystery.

TRUTH: THE KEY TO THE ANSWER
part 3 of 6

Perhaps you thought the matter of truth was overstated in the last section. Does it really hold the key to discovering why some believe in Jesus and God and some do not? It most assuredly does--especially, as was stated, one's attitude towards truth.

From birth to death to judgment after death, all is based on truth.

Birth: "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth" (Js. 1:18).

Death: "For we are to God the aroma of Christ (who is the truth: Jn. 14:6) among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life" (2 Cor. 2:15).

Judgment after death: "God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth" (Rom. 2:2).

Everything that is of God and existence--life, death, and judgment--revolves around Jesus Christ.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created (birth): things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together (life). And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead (death), so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him" (Col. 1:15-19).

And judgment: "God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ" (Rom. 2:16).

Jesus, who is declared in God's Word to be the truth (Jn. 14:6). is the one around whom everything exists. He is the ultimate reality, the rock-bottom, foundational truth upon whom all reality depends for its existence and meaning and purpose. That is the basic truth about all that exists. Therefore, if any person rejects accepting Jesus as Lord of all that he created, including the person doing the rejecting, then it is clear that that person is rejecting truth, for Jesus is the truth about all reality. A person's attitude towards the truth, then, is where we must look to understand the mystery of why a person does not believe in Jesus. We must look at a person's heart and mind to understand this mystery.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER IS THE HEART ITSELF:
DO YOU LOVE THE TRUTH IN YOUR HEART?
part 4 of 6

It is a matter of the heart. This cannot be stressed enough, for it is a person's attitude or heart towards the truth that determines whether that person will believe in Jesus or not. Despite a person's claims that he or she does not believe in Jesus because of intellectual reasons (How can there be three gods in one? Who created God? etc.) or moral reasons (Why is there evil if God is good?), there is really only one scriptural reason why people do not believe: They do not love the truth. Permit me to give an example of this truth from real life.

I once had a recent college graduate job-shadow me at my job as part of his training for his employment where I worked. When we had some free time, we talked and, as usual, the conversation got around to more serious topics, including the deepest of all, God. I inquired as to his beliefs, and in the course of responding, he raised all kinds of questions that he said prevented him from surrendering his life and soul to the Lord, as I had told him he needed to do.

At first I responded to his objections, but as he kept raising more and more, it became plain to me that this was only a smoke screen he was raising to hide his real reason for not wanting to surrender to Christ as Lord. So I interrupted his stream of objections and said, "If I could satisfy all of your objections, would you then surrender your life to Christ?" He was quiet for a moment and then simply said, "No." When I asked why not, he said, "Because then I would have to tell my girlfriend to move out." I was glad for his honesty. It was completely quiet after that; the conversation had ended. Truth has a way of doing that. I glanced over at him occasionally after that and could see that he had a troubled look on his face and seemed lost in thought--hopefully, I was thinking, about his relationship with God, as well as his relationship with this woman.

This young man was unwilling to accept Jesus because he knew that doing so would force him to confront his sin, who he really was. The truth would expose his sin.

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed" (Jn. 3:19,20).

The truth about this young man's relationship with a woman revealed a relationship that is not real, based more on lust than on love, and it is love that is to be the true foundation for what God intends relationships to be. From God's perspective, his relationship was an illusion, not real.

The psalmist calls out to God to save him from all that is not real, not true, and appeals to the supreme, ultimate Being who is God and truth to do this:

"Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth" (Ps. 31:5).

Jesus is God in human flesh (Jn. 1:14) and he is truth (Jn. 14:6). This God who is truth is the ultimate foundation of all existence. All that exists depends upon him for its existence, for he created all things (Col. 1:16). He is life itself and truth, that is, the ultimate foundation for all that exists. That is reality; that is what truth is: what really is or exists.

But not everyone accepts this. Many would rather that they were the basis for their own existence. Therefore, they reject this One who rightfully claims to be their Creator and Lord. They prefer falsehood to the truth, and since he is truth, they reject him.

"These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord's instruction. They say to the seers, 'See no more visions!' and to the prophets, 'Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!'" (Is. 30:9-11).

Amazing! People prefer illusion and deceit to the truth--even when they know that this is what they are doing! That is because they have no love for the truth. They love themselves more than the truth. And the main reason for this is that they do not like the truth about themselves. For truth reveals their sin, that they are evil and need a Savior.

I can give you another example from real life to illustrate this matter. I once had a temporary work assignment in an office set in the middle of a factory. Every day, just before shift change, the men would come into that little office to check out at the time clock, so I got to know them and we talked about many things, including God. I asked them if they would mind if I gave them a sheet of paper that summarized what the Bible said about God and salvation, and they were very open to that. So I did. I watched as they silently read that sheet to themselves, with occasional grunts that indicated something had made an impression on them.

But then one young man suddenly exclaimed, "Whoa! What's this? I am evil?" The rest quickly went down the sheet to where he was reading and they all started buzzing with words of disbelief and repudiation that they might not be perfect but they weren't evil.

I explained the matter as best I could, but was silently wondering if I had made a mistake and had put in too severe a form what the Bible says about us sinful human beings. It seemed to be putting them off from hearing what God had to say about themselves. But since then I have decided that, no, I had not used too strong a language. To sin against God and his glory and majesty and love is nothing but evil, no matter how "small" we may think such sins are. We are evil. But that is not a message the human heart and mind likes to hear. So we deceive ourselves into thinking that we are not as bad as all that. And deception separates us from the truth.

Jesus made this deception very clear in his words describing those who have no love for the truth:

"If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well" (Jn. 15:23).

Because Jesus, who is the truth, came and spoke to them the truth about themselves, that they were sinners in need of him as their Savior, they now had no excuse for their sin--and they hated him for that. They hated the truth, therefore they hated Jesus who is the truth.

When Jesus got right down to the deepest parts of their own lives in talking with his religious opponents, the Pharisees, he told them bluntly, "You do not have the love of God in your hearts" (Jn. 5:42). In this same conversation with these religious leaders, Jesus went on to state the natural consequence of this hatred of the truth in their hearts, that it was what prevented them from believing in him: "How can you believe? . . . " (v. 44).

How indeed? They were prevented from believing because they did not love God. It is impossible to believe in God, and his Son, if there is no love for God in one's heart. It all stems from that one, single quality--or rather the lack of it: love for the truth. One cannot love God, who is truth, if one has no love for the truth in one's heart. Love of truth is love for God, who is truth. Whether or not one has a love for God, therefore, is determined by whether or not one has a love for his Son, Jesus Christ. If a person denies Jesus, then he denies the Father who sent him; such a person denies the truth:

"No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also" (1 Jn. 2:23).

They could not believe in Jesus because they had no love for his Father, who is truth, just as the Son is truth. And no one who denies the Son has the Father, for whoever loves the Father loves the Son. The reason they did not love the Son was that they did not love the Father. That is why Jesus told them, "You do not have the love of God in your hearts."

If the above seems to go around and around in circles between loving God and loving truth and believing in Jesus, it is because these three are so intertwined with each other that it is indeed impossible to separate them. Once you concentrate on one of them, you must go on to admit the others because it is impossible to separate one from the other. They all form one cohesive whole.

If a person is true and honest, he will want to know the truth, no matter where that truth leads. The question has been posed by atheists and other opponents of Christ, "If Christianity were not true, would you want to know that?" Putting aside the usual lack of sincerity in their asking this question, the only correct answer for a Christian to make is, "Yes! I definitely would want to know." For a Christian should be a seeker of truth. That is why he should be a Christian in the first place, because he knows his own sinfulness and also knows that Jesus is the answer to that sinfulness and putting him right with God, because Jesus is the truth and came for this very reason, so that all who desire the truth, even if it means--especially if it means--revealing the truth about themselves, can be freed from the consequences of that truth about themselves, that they are sinners in need of a Savior.

"For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth" (Jn. 18:37).

Because Jesus testifies to the truth of the sinfulness of human beings, he is rejected. Some reject him because they fear the truth about themselves and do not want it exposed, others because they have been deceived into thinking that there is no such thing as truth--as Pilate seemed to think, as revealed by his answer to Jesus' words, when he replied, "What is truth?" (v. 38), apparently in a scornful tone. Because he did not believe, apparently, that it was possible for such a thing as truth actually to exist, he did not recognize it even when it stared him in the face. This is the awful irony of one who does not love the truth in his heart: that he will not even recognize that very thing that his heart needs most when it presents itself to that heart.

Is it any wonder that a man known around the world for his wisdom, Solomon, issued this warning about paying attention to the condition of one's heart?:

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Prov. 4:23).

Above all else . . . nothing is more important, nothing is higher in priority than to have a heart that loves the truth. For if that love is not there, the heart will miss the one thing it cannot live without: Jesus Christ, who is the way and the truth and the life without which the heart cannot live. And if it is there, then a person cannot help but believe in Jesus, for he is the truth.

"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own" (Jn. 7:17).

In other words, if a person really loves the truth and wants to do God's will, he will believe in Jesus. It is as natural as a piece of metal being drawn to a magnet. Jesus, who is truth, draws to himself all who desire the truth--and they will believe in him.

"I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself" (Jn. 12:32).

In another place, he said that it is the Father, who is the God of truth, as the psalmist stated, who draws people to himself.

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (Jn. 6:44).

People are drawn to Jesus because of who he is. But only those who are willing to accept the truth about who he is and about who they are--sinners in need of him as their Savior--will accept and believe in that to whom they are drawn. The heart is drawn to where its treasure is.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Mt. 6:21).

But it is not enough simply to have a desire in one's heart. You must act on that desire and put into action what your heart leads you towards. This truth brings us to the next aspect of solving the mystery of unbelief: obedience.

OBEDIENCE
part 5 of 6

Much was made in the previous section about the importance of the attitude of the heart, that the underlying reason for not believing in Jesus is lack of love in the heart for the truth. Love comes from the heart. But anyone can say that he or she loves some thing or someone; talk is cheap. What is the proof that one truly loves someone? It is found in obedience, whether it be in obedience to one's marriage vows to love and to cherish and remain faithful, or obedience to one's parents, or just true to reality in general, of which God is the highest and deepest part of that reality. Obedience is the chief witness that you truly love someone. Jesus himself said:

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you" (Jn. 14:15-17).

Anyone can say that "Jesus is Lord." But to say it and mean it from the heart will prove itself by whether or not one obeys what Jesus says. By their fruits you will know who loves the truth and who does not: by whether or not those who call Jesus Lord obey him.

"Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Lk. 6:46).

"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 Jn. 2:3,4).

"Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples'" (Jn. 8:31).

But perhaps some will ask just what is it that we are supposed to do to be in obedience to God?

"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'" (Jn. 6:28,29).

Disbelief is disobedience. It is as simple as that. Or as Dietrich Bonhoeffer has said, "To obey is to believe, to believe is to obey." The two cannot be separated. That is why, even though we are saved by grace/faith alone, Scripture also says in numerous places that God will judge us by our works (Rom. 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 2:23, 20:12). That is what the whole book of James is about, the fact that there is no such thing as faith alone but that it must be accompanied by good works. This does not mean that those good works save us, only that it is impossible to have true saving faith without them. They are evidence of that saving faith.

Just as there is no such thing as a one-sided coin, the two-sided coin of salvation has faith on one face of it and works on the other. Therefore, all God has to do to see if a person has saving faith in his Son Jesus is to look at his works, for they reflect the faith that gave rise to them. Those works do not save the person, but they do present evidence, if you will, in the court of judgment that there is saving faith in the accused sinner.

Elsewhere, Scripture describes good works done in obedience to the truth of Jesus Christ as that which purifies us:

"They . . . receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:18).

"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart" (1 Ptr. 1:22).

Two things are worthy to note in the above two passages of Scripture. First, notice that one emphasizes faith and the other obedience. Again, it is impossible to have faith without acts of obedience that prove that faith is really there. Second, when mentioning obedience, the last passage quickly moves on to the matter of love in the heart. God has commanded us to love one another as well as to love him. When we show real, true love, we are in obedience to this command--not that it is a mere, formal observance of a command, thus making it a sort of duty that we feel compelled to do whether we want to or not, but that the love for truth that has brought us to Jesus, and that love comes from God and moves us in that love to love others with a real and genuine love.

All of this is a far cry from the dead, formal, intellectual--and meaningless--religion that far too many profess but do not live out in their lives. Rather, it is a living love for God and others that stems from a love for the truth and that has as its source God himself:

"We love because he first loved us" (1 Jn. 4:19).

Obedience follows love. Once a person loves the truth and the God who is truth, he cannot but help living or doing deeds that are for that truth:

"For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth" (2 Cor. 13:8).

What can be said about obedience, then, in conclusion? That it is a necessary evidence that one loves the truth and believes. Where there is no obedience to the truth, there is left only the terrible consequence of judgment for having no love for the truth. That judgment is the next aspect of this unfolding mystery that must now be examined.

JUDGMENT
part 6 of 6

"All will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness" (2 Ths. 2:12).

Notice that this verse contrasts not belief and unbelief but believing in the truth and delighting in wickedness; in other words, belief versus what your heart delights in, that is, what you love. What you love determines what you will believe. If you love the truth, you will believe in Jesus, who is the truth.

"For those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger" (Rom. 2:8).

Therefore, if a person loves himself--is self-seeking--that person will reject the truth, because the truth is that self must die for belief and trust in Jesus to come into that person. Therefore, if a person continues to seek self instead of the truth, that person will suffer God's wrath and anger.

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness" (Rom. 1:18).

It isn't that such people do not know the truth; they do know it, that they are a sinner and that Jesus is the truth. They know it, but they suppress that knowledge because it is knowledge they do not wish to acknowledge. Such knowledge from God can indeed be suppressed within an individual, but only for a time. In the end, all is revealed; every hidden motive of the heart is exposed before the searching presence of the Holy Spirit and his Word:

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Heb. 4:12,13).

"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known" (Mt. 10:26).

"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books" (Rev. 20:11,12).

That is the Great Judgment of all humanity by God. Besides confirming that all is revealed in this judgment, it also is another instance of where all that God needs to do to see who has saving faith is to look at the record of their deeds performed while alive on earth. Not that those who did good deeds are saved by those deeds, but, as was mentioned earlier, they are simply the other side of the faith/salvation coin. Looking at the deeds side tells whomever looks what is on the other side.

All of the above passages from Scripture show the extreme consequences of failing to have a love for the truth in one's heart. It is as Solomon said and as was earlier quoted here, that this one issue is paramount for every individual. We are to guard our heart above all else, for from it come the issues of life and death. If a person has a love for the truth--about reality and God and himself--then that person will believe in Jesus. If he does not believe, it is proof that that person does not really have a love for the truth, because Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). And if a person does not love him who is the truth and believe in him, that person will perish.

"They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved" (2 Ths. 2:10).

There is no clearer statement in God's Word than this about the cause of person's being lost and going to hell. "They perish because they refused to love the truth."

Being a sinner may condemn one to hell, but God has furnished a way to escape that condemnation:

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:1,2).

But to refuse to accept the truth about ourselves and God's rebuke of our sinful self brings down his wrath over our sin. God reminds us of our sinful self and rebukes that self, time after time. It is up to us to pay heed to those rebukes and come to our senses and accept the truth. But if we do not, then the righteous judgment falls upon us.

"A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed--without remedy" (Prov. 29:1).

What chilling, sobering words: without remedy. The time for salvation is now. The time for letting the Spirit of God break the hardness of our hearts is now. And it all begins with letting him put the love of God and truth into our hearts.

"God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" (Rom. 5:5).

It is through the Holy Spirit that God performs his work of salvation in any person.

"No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:3).

That is why Jesus said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin. Since it is only through the work of the Holy Spirit that a person can come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, if a person rejects that working of the Holy Spirit in one's heart and dies in that rejection, there is no more hope for that person: He has rejected the only way that God has provided through which a person can come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

These are thoughts and truths of terrible weight and it indeed weighed upon my heart--and still does. But at least now, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my own heart, I now understand better why it is so, why some believe and some do not: because some have a love for the truth in their heart, no matter what that truth may be, including that the truth that they are a sinner in need of a Savior; and some do not have this love for the truth in their heart. It all comes down to that. It is all a matter of accepting or rejecting the truth of the Spirit of God.

"The Spirit is the truth" (1 Jn. 5:6).