Beech Tree News Network

            There is a difference between believing in God and believing God. There are many who claim to believe in God, saying that they are aware that One greater than all has made this world. However, there are few who truly believe God. If people believed God, we would not face so many of the problems we are facing today.

             Consider Adam and Eve; two people who walked and talked with God (Gen. 2-3). They were fully aware of Him, and aware of His will (Gen. 2:15-17). In fact, Eve knew God’s will so well, that she repeated it to the serpent (Gen. 3:2-3). God’s will was easily understood and easily followed. The problem came when Satan convinced her to eat of the tree forbidden to her and Adam (Gen. 3:4-5). In eating of this tree, she forsook God’s will and followed her own. So did Adam (Gen. 3:6). Thus, the beginning of sin in the world (Jas. 1:14-15).

            In sinning, they stopped believing God. If they had believed God, they would not have succumbed to the temptation put before them by Satan; for they would have believed God’s warnings (Gen. 2:17). How many of us fall into this same trap? We are fully aware of God and know what God’s will is, yet we continue to sin, and many times commit the same sin over and over. There is a difference between knowing and believing. We know God’s will and the consequences, and yet we do not believe. If we believed, we would not yield to the temptation placed before us by Satan.

             The record in II Samuel 11 of David’s sin with Bathsheba is another example of one not believing God. Can we believe that David was not aware of the Ten Commandments? Had David never heard, “You shall not commit adultery,” or “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Ex. 20:14, 17)? Would anyone believe that David never knew that God had said, “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13)? He knew what God had said. He evidently did not believe he would face the consequences of his sins. If he did, he would never have done what he did, subjecting his family, the nation, as well as a newborn babe to the dire consequences of his sins.

             As we consider ourselves, are we guilty of not believing God? Consider for a moment some of the plain statements of Scripture. Do we fight, argue, and even completely deny what the New Testament says? There are those who will deny plain statements when it goes against what they have been taught by parents or other respected people. What will you do? Will you put the Lord before others (Matt. 10:34-37)?

             Paul said, “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” (Rom. 10:16). In this passage, we find faith and obedience forever joined together. One cannot truly obey until he not only believes in God’s existence but also believes “what he has heard from us” (i.e., the gospel, God’s word). I am sure that everyone reading this article believes in God. The question is: Do we believe God? Remember James 2:17-18. Unfortunately, this is a problem we will face until the end of time. The question is, how will we handle it? Do we believe God?

 -- You are invited to visit with the Caneyville church of Christ. Times of services: Sun.: 10:00 am, 10:45 am, 5:00 pm; Wed.: 7:00 pm. Website: http://caneyvillechurchofchrist.com Tune in to our radio program 101.5 FM at 5:30 am, Mon-Fri. Questions? Call: (270) 589-4167