Belief is the Bottom Line

In our metaphorical traveling to know God and His Word, there will come a proverbial river that we can’t cross intellectually — we’ll only be able to cross by faith. By this, I mean that there is going to be something about God that we can’t know in this age. We know that faith is essential to following Christ and it’s necessary for salvation. But I have experienced God work so much that I don’t feel like my faith is really that big. Transparently, I believe I take my application of faith for granted. Through His Word and work in my life, the Lord has laid a certain foundation. I imagine, for most who read this, you feel the same.

My eyes were opened this past week as I had a Facebook post get a lot of traction. The post was a simple meme that said, “I want my friends to know Jesus is Coming Back.” There were tons of positive comments and sharing, but someone must have shared it in an atheist group because it received numerous negative comments. I was blown away. There was so much bitterness and disbelief toward the Lord. I can’t share most of the comments because of the offensive language and outright blasphemy, but although I cringe rewriting them, it was helpful for me to see what others think:

• “Good for him.”

• “Uh, huh, suuuuuuuuuuuure he is.” 

• “Yeah right, he couldn’t prevent the Holocaust or all the child molestations throughout human history, so…”

• “I’m pretty sure sky daddy isn’t coming back with those cigarettes buddy. It’s been 2,000 years.”

• “No, he isn’t”

• “Y’all put this image of Jesus in your heads, but if he really did come back, you would hate him. There would be revolts against him for not living up to your expectations.”

• “Can’t see how, it’s not like he was nailed to a boomerang.”

• “It’s been 2,000 years bro. You’ve been ghosted.”

• “Are you sure about that?”

• “You guys have only been screaming it for 2,000 years but any day now.”

• “Maybe you need a plan B.”

• “Fearmonger.”

• “Bible said he’d come back in the apostles’ lifetime. They’re dead.”

• “More chance of Lenin being resurrected and going on a communist rampage.”

• “Oh look, another internet Christian leading with graphic violence.”

• “Been coming back for over 2 millennia now... dude’s kinda slow ain’t he?”

• “Pretty sure your cult leader left you pathetic simps long ago.”

Heartbreaking, isn’t it? Those were the less profane comments. It was eye-opening to me. It also made me think, that to many people, a return of Jesus may sound like a fairytale. I was reminded of what Paul said about the cross in I Cor. 1:18: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The same apparent foolishness could be said about the return of Jesus, the resurrection and all the blessings of the age to come. It could be said about all the things we believe from Scripture.

I write this to say that to the world we’re weird. You and I appear to believe in fairytales, believe in a crazy conspiracy story and what seems to be foolish. Therefore, if we are already weird, why do we still shrink back in other areas of following Christ and being obedient?

I also write this to remind you that you have placed belief in the unseen. You may be like me and have come to take the “risk” of that faith for granted, but the bottom line is your belief in the unseen is important and doesn’t need to be taken for granted. 

Jake is available for revivals and preaching learn more at standfirmministries.com.