Based on John 4:43-54 (New King James Version)
“Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast. So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.’ The nobleman said to Him, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your son lives.’ So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, ‘Your son lives!’ Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.’ So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household. This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.”
The majority of people have a big problem with faith in God, including those that profess to believe and follow God (it’s hard to believe such irony). There are many that doubt God’s existence. There are many that do not fear Him, even using His Name in vain and in a disrespectful and mocking kind of way. Unfortunately, this is nothing new, because the Lord Himself suffered it while in the flesh during His stay on this earth. And it will keep on happening until everyone sees who God really is. How can you see the lack of respect and disbelief? In many ways.
One of the ways that we see it is in today’s passage when the Lord said: “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” What is the problem with this? The problem was that there was doubt with everything God had done. And to make it worse, there was such doubt and disrespect that it gets to the point that people required signs, a demonstration of His power. This issue was seen in another part of the Scriptures when it says: “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign…’” Matthew 12:38-39a. Basically, when a person demands a sign from God, they are treating Him like a cheap magician, like if He needs to perform a cheap trick to entertain them. There is so much pride and hardness of heart that they demand a sign, thinking that they are in a place to humiliate God by getting Him to serve them and please them. Sounds bad, right? Well, this happens at every moment and many people practice this. How many times have you heard someone say: “If God doesn’t answer the way I want, then I won’t believe in Him.”? How many people continue to doubt the existence of God and even question His Word, wondering whether or not it is true? And if God doesn’t do a trick for them (per se), they won’t believe. Almost everyone has no issues in doubting the existence of God, the works of God, the person of Christ, and the Holy Scriptures; and especially when they feel that God does not fulfill their personal requests, by pleasing them with their selfish desires. And to add to the problem, how many times does God answer their prayers and petitions, and even then, they doubt in following Him, not respecting Him, and not being grateful for what He had done? As the Preacher said, “There is nothing new under the sun!”
The issue is that it may not be necessarily about a lack of faith or disbelief in a person, but rather, even though they know within themselves that there is something or Someone greater out there, they simply feel that they are greater and stronger than God Himself. Pride is such in so many people that they believe that God is there to serve them and to tolerate their pride. Or, at the very least, they think: “I don’t know who God is, nor am I interested to know; but well, if He exists, then let Him serve me.” And there is where the big problem is with faith in God.
What people need to worry about is that they will not always be able to abuse God’s goodness, mercy, love, and patience. God is incredibly patient, but not infinitely patient. God has His limits, because in the end, God is love, but He is also consuming fire. Just because God loves us does not make His worthiness and honor go away. God is God. For our own good, we need to understand that God the Father is sitting on the throne of the universe, and that His only begotten Son, Jesus, is the Lord. He is no longer the God that made Himself flesh so He could die for us on the cross. This is what the Bible teaches us: “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:11-16. The Word also teaches us this: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17. If you were able to have life, it’s because He allowed it. If you continue living, it’s because He allows it. God is the One that allows for your heart to beat and to be able to breathe. If your end comes, it’s because He allowed it. And finally, it is God who decides who lives forever and dies forever.
So then, if you have never understood your position and God’s position, I recommend that you start to understand, and quickly. If you never respected Him, start now. If you never feared Him, start now. If you never loved Him, start now. Start trying to treat Him as He deserves, while there is still time. For it is written: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36.
So then, have you decided to triumph over your issues of faith before it’s too late? Lord bless! John