The Power of Belief
J. Allen Blair
After presenting the gospel to a doctor, my wife and I invited him to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. He replied, "Oh, if it were not for my science, if it were not for my science. I cannot believe that."
A Christian on a parliamentary commission with professor T.H. Huxley happened to stay at a little country inn over Sunday. Huxley said to the Christian, "Well, I suppose you are going to church this morning." "I am," said the Christian. "I always go to church." "I know you do," said Huxley. "But suppose this morning you sit down and talk with me about religion-simple, experimental religion." "I shall be glad to," said the Christian. They sat together, and the Christian, out of a deep and rich experience, told him of Jesus Christ and His pardoning love. After three hours, with tears in his eyes, Huxley put out his hand and said, "If I could only believe that, I would be willing to give my right hand." Huxley was imprisoned by his intellectualism.
Like T.H. Huxley, there are many in our day imprisoned by intellectualism. Because of what they know and have experienced, they are unwilling to exercise faith in proving the facts about the Son of God. They have been blinded by unbelief. Refusing to enter the door of faith, they can never approach God. The Bible states clearly and simply, without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is (Hebrews 11:6). Often the excuse is offered that one cannot believe because he cannot fully understand it all. That is certainly a very lame excuse because there are many things we believe that we cannot understand. Suppose we are students in the clinic. The doctor has a cadaver on the table for his subject. He takes the scalpel, makes an incision, removes two pinkish threads, and holds them up. They are exactly alike in form and color. Even the most powerful magnifying glass cannot distinguish one iota of difference. One is the nerve of sight, and the other is the nerve of hearing. Can you explain how it is that one nerve will process sounds of everyday life and through your ears portray them to your brain, so that you can distinguish whether it is the sound of music, the barking of a dog, or the cry of a child? Can you explain how it is that the other nerve will process that which is absolutely imperceptible to the former nerve, and through the retina of the eyes paint on your brain a picture of nature, enabling you to revel in its beauties?
None of us understand all of this. There are many laws of nature that cannot be comprehended by the human brain, yet we believe them. Few understand all the workings of computers, yet we believe. There are scores of things we face in everyday life that we do not understand, yet we believe. Shall we then deny the fact of God's great plan of salvation made possible through His Son, Jesus Christ, because we don't understand it all? Often, our lack of understanding is an unwillingness to believe.
A father gave his son instructions about work he wanted done around the house. Then he asked, "Son, do you understand?" The reply was, "No." The father asked, "Why not?" "I don't want to," replied the boy. Isn't that often the case when people say, "I don't believe the Bible?" They don't want to believe the Bible. Whether it is intellectual imprisonment or hard-hearted unbelief, they prefer to live in their sin rather than to submit to the will and plan of God. Jesus stated it clearly when he said, Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19). How sad it is for a person to willfully remain in unbelief. Millions of people are unbelievers because they don't know any better. They don't understand the way of life as made possible through Christ because it has never been explained to them. I think it is far more serious to have the knowledge and reject Christ than it is not to know about Him. However, both lead to the same eternal condemnation-separation from God.
How tragic that anyone remains in unbelief when God has given us the Bible! He states clearly that all humans are sinners, that sin is never acceptable to Him, that Christ died for our sins, and that whosoever calls on Christ for salvation can be delivered from His sin. How foolish for anyone to ignore this gracious plan of salvation and continue on to an eternal hell!
Let me put it to you as clearly as possible. Are you a believer or an unbeliever? Maybe you say, "I think I am a believer." You must be able to say whether or not you know for sure. A person either believes in Christ, or he does not believe. There is no halfway.
A man was asked if he believed in Christ. His answer was, I believe in Him more or less. More or less? What kind of belief is that? Either you do believe in Him and you are on your way to heaven, or you do not believe in Him and you are on your way to hell. You ask, "Will God allow me to go to hell because I don't believe in Christ? What about all the good things I have done?" Let me ask you, do any of these or all of these good deeds balance on the scale when compared to the death of Christ on the cross for your sins? You are to be commended for the good things you have done. But they won't provide pardon for your sins. Only the blood of Christ can do that.
In fact, this was the primary purpose for the coming of Christ, to enable sin-laden humans to be delivered from sin's penalty, power, and presence. That's why the Bible makes it so clear that we must believe in Christ if we are to experience forgiveness for sin and new life in Him. Believing is belonging. In other words, to believe in Christ is to belong to Christ. That's how the apostle Paul could say in 2 Timothy 1:12, For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Now what did Paul commit to Christ? He committed himself to Christ. He knew this would make possible the security that could never be interrupted because it depended on the promises of Christ. For that reason, he could say, "I know, I am sure of it, there is no uncertainty in my mind. God has saved me I have been delivered from my sins, and I am on my way to heaven."
How is it with you? I hope you can say that. If you cannot, I hope you will say it. Let me explain what to do. Just simply bow your head and say, "Lord, I am sorry for all my sins, but at this moment, by faith, I lay them all on Jesus Christ who died for them." You may not experience any spectacular change. But I guarantee you, if you are sincere in this prayer, God will hear you and work in your life. Because of this, He will change your life and things around you will change as well.
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