Profile Of A Willful Unbeliever
During Jesus’ life on earth, He was confronted by religious leaders who had resolved not to believe that He was sent from God, no matter what He said or did. You might say they were willful unbelievers. Jesus told them, “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew 12:34).” In other words, what you say reveals the content of your heart. In light of this truth, we are able to profile the willful unbeliever by examining what they have said. John the Apostle records many of their words:
- Willful unbelievers continually seek a supernatural sign or proof that Jesus is God’s Son and the Bible is His Word. (John 2:18-21)
- Willful unbelievers refuse to look, listen or even think of anything outside of the realm of the physical. (John 6:51-52)
- Willful unbelievers have no spiritual perception (John. 7:15-17)
- Willful unbelievers are fixed on the temporal things of this world. (John 7:31-36)
- Willful unbelievers judge others, but refuse to judge themselves. (John 8:5-7)
- Willful unbelievers measure truth by their own opinions rather than the Word of God. (John 8:13-14)
- Willful unbelievers reject the claims of Jesus. (John 8:22-25)
- Willful unbelievers trust in their moral heritage and good works to make them acceptable with God. (John 8:33,39)
- Willful unbelievers dismiss undeniable proofs found in the Bible that Jesus is who He claims to be. (John 10:19-33)
- Willful unbelievers incriminate and condemn themselves by their own words. (John 11:47-52)
Paul writes of the unbeliever, Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. (Titus 1:15).