Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread":
Some thoughtful persons have written suggesting that we define more clearly what “unbelief” is.
Unbelief is the most awful sin there is; we say this because it is the root of all the sin and cruelties that sin has produced on the earth. It is the reverse, the opposite of what belief is; and belief is the heart-melted appreciation of the love (agape) of Christ.
Believing is not deciding that 2 + 2 = 4 theologically, something a cold and hard heart can do. Believing is something that the heart does—“with the heart man believeth unto righteousness” (Rom. 10:10).
There were two kinds of people who watched Jesus die on His cross: those whose hearts were like ice (and they were the church leaders who cried out “Crucify Him!”).
One of the leaders permitted his hard heart to be melted; and he took the Savior’s dead body down and buried it in his own new tomb (Matt. 27:57-60). The centurion who had given the order to his soldiers to “crucify this fanatic who claimed to be the Son of God,” could not watch Him die without repenting and believing (“Truly, this was the Son of God” vs. 54). These men’s humanity was touched; if you could have seen them, you would have seen tears in their eyes. Their hearts were melted.
I once knew a man who in his childhood enjoyed pulling wings off of flies; when he was a grown man I tried to interest him in the gospel story, but I could not.
I have had men tell me after I had preached about the cross that they wished they could feel something, that they wished they could shed a tear, but they can’t. If that’s where you are, don’t give up in despair: cry out to the Lord to give you the new birth, to be born again with that new heart; He will hear your prayer. What you want is not emotionalism (that is shallow). You want to be a member of the family of God with your heart reconciled to the Father (cf. 2 Cor. 5:19, 20).
Don’t worry; believe the dear Lord answers your prayers, and in His own time He will make the miracle of our changed, reconciled heart in helping others.
One of the greatest preachers of the early 19th century was first a “deist,” a cold-hearted 2 + 2 = 4 upright citizen. One Sunday the pastor was away and he had asked William Miller to read the sermon for him, in his absence.
Miller did so, but he broke down in tears as he was reading about Jesus; thank God!
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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