As a matter of fact, many Jewish leaders believed in Jesus. However, they could not reveal their faith because they were afraid to be put out of the synagogue by Pharisees. They might think that they recognized Jesus, so they were free from the judgement of God. But we should keep in mind that God will reveal everything clearly for those who behave vaguely between the light and dark. Because God does not want that those people who do not love God come to the heaven.
The problem of showing vague attitude of faith is not applied to only Jewish leaders in the past. Today many people are not sure about their faith value and remain in the outward faith life. These people cannot receive God’s guidance and be reformed, and they treat the church life only as to enrich their secular life. Also, they neglect their duty which should bear fruits for God’s work as His servants and they judge their or others’ faith with the perspective of the world. All the while they keep their distance from the church.
God commanded “Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance also whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” Are you sure that such God will leave as it is? God adds more belief for those who choose faith, while to those who treat the faith lightly, He keeps them be in state of ambiguity and finally brings them into the range of judgement. Therefore, we can see that they are predestined to the judgement. However, they cannot find any excuse for this judgement because they are those who chose the judgement. It is not that God forces them to do but it has the same effect like being forced. This is the marvelous predestination of God, and this is the big point that we should be afraid in our faith life.
The Jews saw lots of miracles of Jesus but never believed in Him. Indeed, these were the very people predestined to judgement. Apostle John said about the reason why they did not believe in Him. “This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this reason, they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn–and I would heal them.”
The prophet Isaiah cried out this warning, which forecasted the incidents that would appear from Jesus Christ after hundreds of years. This means the attitude of unbelief of Israel in the past still existed when Jesus had public ministry and also since the New Testament Churches started, it warns us that this is happening repeatedly. What we should know clearly is that the purpose which God warns is not for us to have unbelief but to throw away our old self and come into Jesus Christ so that we can receive His guidance. Now let us stop the behavior of keeping distance, judging and even hurting the church. Let us pour our love to the church as giving love toward the Lord.
(Lord’s Day Service on November 6, 2022)
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