“And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62)
They witnessed the blind see, the lame walk, the dead raised, thousands of miracles, every time they tested Him, answers were revealed to them that were irrefutable. The ruling religious authorities of the days our Savior walked amongst us knew who He was, yet they wanted Him dead.
“Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” (Acts 2:24)
Why should it amaze us then, when day after day, sometimes for years when we speak the truths of the Words of God to people, that they refuse to accept them? Why is it so difficult for us to comprehend that so many will listen politely, yet walk away from love offered, from eternal life, who will continue to believe that if they just live a good, morally correct life that they will be accepted into the Living God’s Kingdom?
“And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:31)
I have witnessed to people who are on the verge of realizing the truths offered to them, yet still hesitate, and so I have said to them, “Ask the Lord to prove to you that He is real,” and they have, returning the next day or two and informing me what occurred in their life. And with great amazement.
“And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17)
But they got their answer, yet that was all they wanted. They were fed, they were healed, they heard the words of eternal life, they got what they wanted for the moment, and then they went back to the world and their lives.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:14)
The religious rulers did not want their authority removed from them. Those we speak to want something from the Lord Jesus Christ, but they did not want Christ, many who only profess Him with their lips want their prayers answered, those whose hearts are far from Him want to see and even experience some miracle, but they do not want Christ.
They do not want to submit their lives fully to His will, they do not want to completely die to self, they want Him to serve them, and then they want Him to sit in the corner waiting to answer their next request.
These are not those who suffer with occasional doubts my friends, John the Baptist sat in a dark dungeon and had doubts, these are those who have seen and even accepted in part the truth of what they have witnessed but refuse the call of the One who has revealed Himself to them. They sit in the pews of every church across this planet, the nine who did not return, the five who did not bring enough oil, the ones who got what they wanted.
“And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (John 5:40)
The ones who will receive the greater condemnation are those who have seen, yet refused to believe, who “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2nd Tim. 3:5)
The Pharisees delivered our Lord for the sake of jealousy, many there are and have been who have received proof of Him, yet will not submit their lives to Him, who have been called yet only wanted something from Him, and when they got what they wanted, they went back to their lives without Him. And when something arrives in their life that requires His assistance, they will call on Him again.
Most that you speak to in this life will politely listen for a few minutes, but they will not hear, many who have heard will continue on that wide path, some who have been called will follow, until the next prayer is not answered.
The chosen always end their prayers with “Thy will be done,” and accept the answer given.
