Jewels From JohnSýnishorn

Why Not Believe?

“Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.” John 12:44 (NIV)

(Read John 12:37-50 for the entire account)

While Jesus was here on earth, he performed so many mighty miracles. He healed people with various infirmities, cast out demons, raised the dead, fed thousands, calmed the sea and even walked on water. However, in spite of the multitudes having witnessed these astounding signs and wonders, John 12:37 says “...they still would not believe in Him.” 

This was a group of people, who, as the Prophet Isaiah described in Isaiah 6:10, were blinded by unbelief, and whose hearts were so hardened that there was no way they could perceive and understand God’s ways or His thoughts, and were, therefore, unable to receive God’s healing.

There was another group of Jewish leaders who did believe in Jesus, but they were so fearful of the Pharisees and that they could be expelled from the Synagogue, that they refused to acknowledge who Jesus was openly. They were people-pleasers and John 12:43 describes them this way, “They were more concerned about what people thought of them than about what God thought of them.” (GW)

If we were to reflect on ourselves for a moment we would be surprised to know that, not only do we blindly believe and accept all of the knowledge the world offers us, but that we also have no qualms in entrusting our lives to mere men. We trust our education system, transport system, financial system, health system, communication system, and every other possible man-made system, knowing full well that they could be faulty and could also defraud us.

Isn’t it sad then, that there are so many who are unwilling to believe and put their trust in Jesus, the only one who will truly never fail us, even for a second. The blessings of believing in Jesus is that He is the only one who can lead us to the Father, save us from our sins, help us overcome all the darkness of sin, walk in the light of His holiness and give us eternal life. (John 12:44-50)

Though Thomas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, he too, doubted the resurrection of Jesus, and was filled with unbelief. In John 20:27 Jesus reappeared to his disciples, and showed His scars specifically to Thomas, and admonished him with these words “Stop doubting and believe.” (NIV) to which Thomas answered and said, “My Lord and My God.” (John 20:28)

What Jesus told Thomas that day applies to us today. He said in John 20:29, “Because you have seen me you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (NIV)