‘Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).”’

Preamble

Yesterday I acted as a chauffeur to take a relative to Stansted Airport. The published time of departure for her plane was 20.05. This corresponded with the time shown on my flight tracker phone app.. I didn’t see her mobile phone boarding pass, but for sure, the published departure time would have been the same.

To work out when we should start our journey to the airport by car I had to allow two hours for time on the road, plus an hour for passing through customs and for her to get to the boarding gate before it would close. I also added an extra thirty minutes for unforeseen circumstances. This meant we had to leave Southend-on-Sea at 16.35, which we did, and everything worked out fine.

Prior to setting out on the car journey I explained why we had to leave when we did. However, I was taken aback, because my relative said her plane would not actually depart until 20.50. Almost immediately she changed her mind, saying she meant 20.35. My mobile phone flight checker app. confirmed that to be the case; but only because of a thirty minute unscheduled delay to the planned departure. So we agreed that the plane was due to depart at 20.35, but I was astounded that she would not accept the original published timetable time of departure at 20.05. I could not get her to agree that this was the case.

Beliefs

This made me think about people’s beliefs, and I’m persuaded that they will believe what they want to believe, even against factual evidence contradicting their belief. Knowing the truth, they would rather believe the lie. This is perverse, and is part of our fallen nature through the sin of Adam (Romans 5:14).

In some cases misbelief is brought about through stubbornness (Deuteronomy 9:27; 21:18-21), pride (1 John 2:16), or even deliberate *folly.

My relative would not accept the truth, or she would not admit that she was in error. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, there could have been a communications problem between us. Perhaps I failed to explain my case in a way she could understand.

Blindness and Unbelief

The Bible tells of the blindness (Ephesians 4:18; 2 Peter 1:9) of people who will not accept what they clearly ‘see’ is true, and neither will they will ‘hear’ (Romans 11:8) the truth – leave alone try to understand (Matthew 13:23) it! Although they see the facts, they are blind to them. They will not open their eyes and ears and accept the truth. They see and hear the truth, but prefer to believe what they want to believe. Such people cannot be changed, except by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8), and God-given faith (Ephesians 2:8, 9) in His Son Jesus Christ.

There is no possibility that Christians can convince them they are wrong. We simply have to let them pursue their own course, and hope they will come to understand the error of their ways. With regard to belief of the Scriptures, Christians forever pray for their relatives, friends, neighbours and acquaintances. They ask God to be compassionate and merciful (Exodus 34:6) and by His grace to give them new life in His Son (2 Corinthians 5:17).

God’s Word tells us that if we believe in our hearts with faith, He will answer our prayers according to His will (Mark 11:24).

*Wisdom and Folly

https://thebiblicalway.blog/2018/10/05/wisdom-and-folly/