"If Ye Will Not Believe, Surely Ye
Shall Not Be Established"
Isaiah 7:9
This word of God given
by Isaiah to wicked king Ahaz was recorded for our learning and admoniton.
Unbelief caused Ahaz to disregard God's word and lean upon the arm of the
flesh. The result of his unbelief was destruction. Because he would not believe
God, he could not be established in the
HERE IS A WORD OF
WARNING TO EVERY UNBELIEVER. If you will not believe God, you shall not be
established in the
YET THIS WORD FROM GOD
MAY CERTAINLY BE APPLIED TO ALL HIS CHILDREN. Everything in God's house is
given to faith. But, "if ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be
established."In all things spiritual, our instability must be traced to
our unbelief. If you will not believe you will not be established IN COMFORT
(John 14:1-3), IN DOCTRINE (Eph.4:13-16),IN HOPE
(Tit.2:11-14),IN CONSE- CRATION (Lk.14:25-33),or IN USEFULNESS (Zeph.3: 15-17;
I Cor.15:58).Faith gives stability to God's saints in this world.Unbelief makes
us unstable,wavering, and hesitant.
AND OUR UNBELIEF IS
INEXCUSABLE. God has proved his truth and faithfulness to us. Has he not? His
goodness cannot be questioned.Yet,we often question
his goodness! His providence cannot be doubted.Yet, we often doubt his
providence!His grace cannot be denied. Yet,we often deny his grace! Though we are redeemed by the
blood of Christ and born again by his Spirit, there is yet within us an evil
nature, a perverse will, and a wicked heart of unbelief. LET US CONFESS OUR
SIN. I see nothing in this world so evil as the unbelief of my own heart. Even
my faith is full of unbelief. Even my faith is sin! HOW WE OUGHT TO REJOICE
THAT OUR SALVATION DEPENDS NOT UPON US, NOT EVEN UPON OUR FAITH, BUT UPON THE
PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST! Yes, faith is necessary. We cannot be saved without
it. But our faith looks to Christ alone for grace. MAY GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT BE PLEASED
TO BOTH SUBDUE OUR SINFUL NATURE AND INCREASE OUR FAITH.
We might well pray, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief!"
Don Fortner