1st Reading: Num 21:4-9; Psalm: 102. R. v. 1; Gospel: Jn 8:21-30

THE DANGER OF UNBELIEF

BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP

Recall that in the Bible, one obvious underlining trait of the Israelites en route to the Promised Land was their consistent murmuring against God despite God’s incessant effort to satisfy their needs. This recurrent babbling of the Israelites against God was a sign of unbelief. And God’s unending provision of their needs was a channel to bringing them to faith in him. But unfortunately, the Israelites remained recalcitrant. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way.

The rise in the death toll of the Israelites resulting from the bites of the poisonous serpents in the desert was the consequence of unbelief. Whoever rejects God forfeits life. Jesus re-emphasised this when he said to the Pharisees “. . . for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.” (Jn 8:24). It is not as if God is forcing us to believe in him. God is only showing us the grave repercussions of unbelief. The Israelites couldn’t save themselves neither was their choice of unbelief helpful. God then intervened through the bronze serpent; a sign that salvation only comes from him.

The unbelief of man in our world today is majorly occasioned by the deification of science. Man feels that everything can now be done or explained by science and so begins to brush aside faith in God. Belief in scientific evidence is gradually overtaken the Christian faith of realities unseen. Science is not Religion. While science trusts in evidence to believe, religion trusts in faith that yields visible evidence and brings about belief in the God who wants us to trust more in him and not in ourselves in order to see results.

Aside the good of science, some scientific inventions has also caused us a lot of harm like war, pestilence, and death. But true belief in God will always generate love and promote life. Our life begins to end when we take God out of whatever we do. Belief in God is the ultimate. There life subsists.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Lord Jesus, help our unbelief. Amen.