Unbelief, Christian train-wrecks
The key to understanding this miracle is about unbelief.

1. Israel’s sin has always been unbelief as follows …
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us (unbelief), and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” (Hebrews 12:1)

In Paul’s book to the Hebrews the following words of ‘believe’, ‘unbelief’, ‘tempted’, ‘harden’, ‘provocation’, ‘provoke’ … are mentioned seventeen times!

 2. Now in this case it’s also the father’s unbelief
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:23-24)

Dear Reader, we are reminded of the Old Testament scripture …

“Is anything too hard for the LORD” (Genesis 18:14)

3. Furthermore, it’s also the disciples unbelief that only fasting and prayer can redress (Matthew 17:21). Indeed “ … Jesus said unto them, Because of your (disciples) unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye (disciples) have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you (disciples).” (Matthew 17:20)

 We are reminded that Christ further addresses the disciples and their unbelief.

“Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth (the disciples) and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not (the disciples) shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe;” (Mark 16:14-17)

 4. The dispensational booby trap
With no clue about the dispensations, and not realising that Christ is only talking to his disciples, and not to us today, it’s always a saddening disappointment to Pentecostals and Charismatics that they don’t have enough faith to move mountains along with the following … “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

Dear Reader, it’s a sad fact but true, Christian train-wrecks are everywhere today, because they will not endure sound doctrine (2Timothy 4:3) … and furthermore, will not search the scriptures (John 5:39) and study them
(2 Timothy 2:15).

But back to the miracle … as with all of us who waver from time to time …
a good prayer to pray is “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
(Mark 9:24)

 Harley Hitchcock
May 2023

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