God’s Sorrow Toward Unbelief

Jesus wept – John 11:35

This is the shortest verse in the Holy Bible expressing Jesus’ grief. Preceding this, Jesus had been met with Martha, Mary, and also other people who told Jesus that had he been there, Lazarus (the brother of Martha and Mary) would not have died. It is clear if you read the scriptures in context that Jesus wept because of their unbelief. Previous to John 11:35, Jesus groaned in the spirit and was troubled. He told Martha that Lazarus would be resurrected from the dead, but she still doubted. Mary doubted. The other people doubted. Their clear unbelief in what Jesus told them grieved Him. He wept because of their unbelief in the miracle that He could and would raise Lazarus from the dead after four days. This was to glorify God and to encourage those who evidenced this to believe on Him.

²⁰ Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. ²¹ Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. ²² But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. ²³ Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. ²⁴ Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. ²⁵ Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: ²⁶ and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? ²⁷ She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. ²⁸ And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. ²⁹ As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. ³⁰ Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. ³¹ The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. ³² Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. ³³ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, ³⁴ and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. ³⁵ Jesus wept. ³⁶ Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! ³⁷ And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? – John 11:20-36

God’s sorrow toward unbelief is very real, and it should grieve us too as Christians, because we care for those without Christ. I grieve for people who say that they have no sin, who trust in their goodness. Sin is mocked. God is mocked. It grieves the Holy Spirit within. There is such hardness of heart in such responses. Make no doubt about it, unbelief on Christ as saviour is sin.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. ⁸ And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they believe not on me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged – John 16:7-10

I have no power than to give God’s word, to speak of His amazing love to us through the gospel. All that we can do is to plant the seed and trust God to harvest that seed. It is difficult to trust in something that we cannot see, but this is faith. We want so much for souls to be safe, for eyes to be opened, for others to see their need for a saviour in Jesus Christ who paid for every sin. Salvation is truly free, received through faith in Christ’s finished work.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen – Hebrews 11:1

We trust that God hears our prayers. We trust in God’s great mercy toward those we reach that they will believe and grow in grace. Salvation takes one brief moment of belief in Christ, and scripture tells us that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God – Romans 10:17 

in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise – Ephesians 1:13

But without faithit is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him – Hebrews 11:6

God Almighty has given us the wonderful gift of salvation through his amazing grace. We receive this grace through faith in His son Jesus Christ.

⁷ that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ not of works, lest any man should boast – Ephesians 2:7-9

Many churches teach that human works are necessary to accomplish salvation (eternal life), but they are subtly stealing the glory from off of Christ. God will not accept human works as payment for sin.

Ask yourself this. If human works could truly merit eternal life, why did Jesus (God in the flesh) leave his heavenly throne and be born into the body of a human man (without a halo as Jesus is depicted in most churches), then willingly offer himself up as a human sacrifice for all sin? If human works could accomplish eternal life, Jesus would never have had to die. Ephesians 2:9 clearly says that salvation is not of human works because God will have no boasters in heaven. God wants us to boast of the wonderful saving work of Christ.

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. ² But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. ⁴ And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. ⁵ And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. ⁶ This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. ⁷ Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹ I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. ¹² But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. ¹³ The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. ¹⁵ As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And other sheep I have (the greek or gentiles – non Jews), which are not of this fold (Jews): them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. ¹⁷ Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. ¹⁸ No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have (the greek or gentiles – non Jews), which are not of this fold (Jews): them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father – John 10:14-18

Heaven is a perfect place, and because of the inherited sin nature within every person who is born into this world, Jesus Christ had to be born of God.

²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. ²⁹ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. ³⁰ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. ³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. ³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ³³ and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. ³⁴ Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? ³⁵ And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God – Luke 1: 26-35

Jesus Christ only could be the human substitute for mankind because we are all tainted with sin.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him – 2 Corinthians 5:21

Sin simply means that we all come short of God’s perfection, and the light of God’s word convicts mankind of this truth in that we need a saviour to pay for our sin.

²² even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: ²³ for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ²⁴ being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: – Romans 3:22-24

We receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ that He paid for all of our sin, and we are reborn with the Holy Spirit into God’s Kingdom. Christ spoke of the need to be reborn in John 3, when he spoke with the pharisee Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by night.

⁵ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. ⁸ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit – John 3:5-8

Upon trust in Jesus as our saviour, that He has paid for our sin debt, we are reborn with the Holy Spirit, a new nature that cannot sin. This is the righteousness of God that saves us from eternal hell, because we must be as perfect as Christ to go to heaven, and nobody is. This is why he died in our place. The old man remains (the flesh), but the new spirit can be fed with God’s word, has the power of the gospel to convict others of their need for a saviour, and bears the fruit of the spirit, as spoken of in Galatians 5. We are vessels for God’s glory.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³ meekness, temperance: against such there is no law – Galatians 5:22-23

Some of us will yield to the new nature within and become disciples of Christ, but some believers remain carnal. It is not the lives we live after trusting Christ that saves us or keeps us saved, as salvation is entirely of God’s grace. However, walking with God helps the cause of Christ and it gives us a stronger testimony when we do share the gospel with unbelievers. Eternal life is eternal life that can never be lost, because scripture tells us that no one can pluck us out of His hand.

²⁸ and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and my Father are one – John 10:28-30

We can surely know that we have eternal life if we have trusted in Christ as saviour. .

⁴⁷ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life – John 6:47

¹³ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God – 1 John 5:13

God truly saves us through His amazing love for mankind.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life – John 3:16

We can reject the light and remain in sin, but there are many clear warnings in scripture.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God – John 3:18³⁶ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him – John 3:36

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hethatheareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life – John 5:24

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son – 1 John 5:10

What you believe in today has eternal consequences, the scriptures makes this clear. I know that we are living in a world where there are many religions that teach that if you are a good person that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell, but only those with the righteousness of God (reborn people) will go to heaven. God makes it clear in John 3:16 that it is whosoever will believe in Him (Christ) has everlasting life. This is the scriptural truth. This is God’s word and as a believer I must speak of what God says, not what I want to happen.

It would be great if all religions saved, but the Devil is the father of lies and he has deceived mankind away from the light of Christ onto false hope through religions that are dependent upon works to merit heaven. If you do not agree, take this up with God when you come face to face with Him one day.

Believers are merely vessels to tell of God’s word and warn others of the wrath to come. Remember John 3:18 makes it clear that believers are not condemned, but unbelievers are condemned already. It is grief to God, and to believers, when people reject the light of Christ for human philosophy or beliefs in self. Good works cannot pay for sin. Only the payment of Christ (a man without sin) could ever save a fallen mankind.

God doesn’t want anyone to perish, and He has made the way possible for everyone to be saved. Unbelievers who hear the gospel and reject the light have no excuse. Calvinists are wrong in saying that God died only for a select few. They take their beliefs from a man called John Calvin, who is not God. He has added to the word of God, which is dangerous. They add to the gospel of Christ in saying that we have a part to play in salvation too by showing evidence of salvation through good works. This is a work’s salvation that steals glory from Christ’s finished work. The lordship salvation crew also add to the gospel in saying that a person has to repent of sin to be saved, and that you must change your life and show ‘evidence’ or you were never really saved. They put people into bondage. Their eyes turn from Christ onto self. They add human works before receiving Christ as saviour. No one can turn from all sin. This is impossible. I sin in word, thought and deed daily. This is why I need a saviour. My existing flesh nature makes constant war with the new nature. Paul speaks of the war against his flesh in Romans 7.

They call God’s plan of salvation cheap grace or easy believism, but what Jesus went through on the cross was agony. Scripture tells us that His bones were out of joint. He could barely breath. He was naked and shamed. Even through all of this spiritual pain, the Lord Jesus cried out asking my God my God why hath thou forsaken me. God the Father could not look at sin, and Jesus had become sin for all mankind. Jesus was all alone as sin for that brief moment in time, but He knew what was ahead. God’s glory would come as people trusted in the resurrected Christ who paid for every sin for everyone who will ever live in this world.

They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. ¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. ¹⁶ For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. ¹⁷ I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. ¹⁸ They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture – Psalm 22: 13-18

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? ² For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. ³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. ⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. ⁸ He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. ⁹ And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. ¹⁰ Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. ¹¹ He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. ¹² Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors – Isaiah 53:1-12