Why Believe? – The Disciple-Making Lifestyle

When anyone devotes the time to reading the matchless words spoken by our Savior, it becomes fully understandable why we believe that He is exactly who He claimed to be! Who else ever spoke with such incredible authority and timeless knowledge? Even His adversaries declared, “No one ever spoke the way this man does.” (John 7:46) Listen to His teaching, “…love your enemies…” (Matthew 5:44) “… forgive not seven times, but seventy-seven times…” (Matthew 18:22) and “… do good to those who hate you…” (Luke 6:27)

Jesus never used His divine power to make healthy people – sick. Instead, He did just the opposite! He never caused the living to die or asked anyone to commit a sin. He never accepted money for healing the infirmed or for giving the discouraged His counsel. His many miracles were always for the good of those around Him. He never cheapened grace or minimized the true cost of believing or following Him (see Matthew 7:13). His sinless character is a major reason why we believe!

Ask yourself who actually benefits from anyone’s rejection of salvation. Certainly, it is not the seeker or God! Simply said, only Satan will be pleased and the number of sad unrepentant sinners in hell will increase. Perhaps this is why the Bible says, “…if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” (Matthew 15:14) Beware of spiritually blind teachers who outwardly appear religious and intelligent but are in reality only lost sinners themselves. If they do not acknowledge God’s sovereign revelation through His Son, then nothing else they say will stand on a solid foundation.

Our challenge is to love and rescue the spiritually blind and all of the Lord’s self-declared enemies. Helping them find God and experience His grace has always been challenging! Many among the spiritually blind across the centuries have been proud and, “…professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:22) We should therefore feel sorry for them when they choose to vainly swagger. Their arguments are lifeless, weak, and empty when compared with God’s holy Scripture which is, “…quicker and sharper than any two-edged sword…” (Hebrews 4:12)

When talking with unbelievers ask them to explain their personal reason for unbelief. If they point to science, ask them how often science has changed across the centuries. Can someone finite meaningfully believe in something equally finite, like science, that continually changes – rather than an infinite Creator who never changes? Remember that the Bible explains, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

If they refer to the big bang theory, ask them to consider where it came from. In addition, if they cannot explain how evil came into existence, then assure them that they cannot seriously claim to be unbelievers without having a meaningful answer to that question.

Consider the reality that in light of God’s self-revelation and the validity of your personal testimony, unbelievers have no credible reason to avoid aggressively seeking the Truth. God is omnipresent and having been crucified during His brief physical incarnation He said, “If I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to Myself.” (John 12:32)