Chapter 3 Conscious or Unconscious Unbelief

As we’ve just seen, unbelief is what is behind the undirected-ness of most prayers. No one believes anything much will come of their prayers, so no one much cares what is being prayed for. "Airy-fairy" prayers are essentially products of unbelief.

Unbelief is such a serious thing that I am going to spend some time on it here.

The main thing that stops most prayers from even being considered by God is unbelief. Lets take a close look at a peculiar incident in the gospel of Mark.

Mark 6:1-6
1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
(KJV)
Now how can this possibly be? The mysterious Wonderful, The Counselor, The everlasting father, The mighty God, The Prince of Peace, Immanuel incarnate - unable to do a mighty work because mere human beings didn’t believe he could?

Actually that’s not what happened. A far more serious thing happened, and I will explain it with an analogy.

We are in a universe with a seemingly infinite number of objects. I’m using the word "object" in its philosophical sense of "something intelligible or perceptible by the mind." Let us suppose, for a moment, that there existed a universe that consisted of only two objects.

One is a Lamborghini. By all accounts, the finest automobile that has ever been made.
http://www.lamborghini.co.uk/home/

The other is a Yugo. By all accounts, the worst automobile that has ever been made.
http://balkansnet.org/yugocar.html

Question : Which is the most worthy and valuable object in that universe of two objects?
Answer: The Lamborghini of course.

Now lets suppose that by some means these two objects in this two object universe were suddenly given the ability to contemplate an object, feel something towards it, and compare and value one object in preference to another.

Question: Would it be wrong for the Yugo to contemplate itself instead of the Lamborghini?
Answer: Yes, it would be wrong. The Lamborghini is the most valuable and worthy object in that universe. The only way the Yugo could attempt in anyway to attain to "Lamborghini-hood" in this universe would be for it to contemplate and hold in its mind, and prefer the Lamborghini. That would be the only way it could attempt to relieve itself of some of its "Yugo-ness." To contemplate its own "Yugo-ness" would be to prefer the lesser and less valuable object in its universe.

Question: Would it be wrong for the Lamborghini to contemplate itself instead of the Yugo?
Answer: No, it would not be wrong. Again, the Lamborghini is the most worthy and valuable object in its universe. For the Lamborghini to contemplate the Yugo would be for the Lamborghini to aspire to a less worthy and less valuable state. It would lessen its own nature that way. It would descend into "Yugo-ness" that way.

Now, lets come back to our universe again and see that this pretty much describes our relationship with our only true Object of worship, God. The ability to contemplate an object, feel something towards it, and compare and value one object in preference to another, is, practically speaking, worship. By right, God has the right to all our worship and attention. And it makes us better to give him that attention and worship. But to the degree that we indulge our own "Yugo-ishness" we fail to see this and insist on being our own "Yugo-ish" selves most of the time. It is for our "Yugo-ishness" that Christ died and rose again, that we might be dead to it and be able to turn from it and towards Him, who is "Lamborghini-hood" incarnate.

Now, why have I trotted out this little piece of theology? For this reason. If we live our lives with the idea that "seeing is believing" and that God must prove something to us before we will believe it, we are asking God to participate in our "Yugo-ishness," and engage in becoming like us. And we will be asking God to do something He will never do. It is for this reason that the unbelief of Christ’s home town neighbors prevented Him from doing any mighty miracles there. To answer their willful unbelief would be for Him to put His "Lamborghini-hood" at the service of their "Yugo-ishness."

The fact is that in the gospels, Christ never performed a miracle in the face of willful unbelief. Here’s some examples of that.

Matt 12:38-40
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation [adulterous for loving other objects in preference to Him and His Father] seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
(KJV)
["In the heart of the earth" doing what? Well: "For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth."(Ps 74:12, KJV). Working our salvation!]
Luke 23:8-9
8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.
(KJV)
Even after His resurrection from among the dead after His crucifixion, Christ showed Himself only to His own. Here’s one list of those who saw Christ after His resurrection:
"the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:"
Acts 1:2-3.
Another list is provided by the apostle Paul:

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas (Peter), then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. "
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
None of these people were of the "show me and I’ll believe" variety (except perhaps Doubting Thomas - who’s real problem was depression rather than unbelief. Paul’s problem, on the other hand, was that he had an unconscious belief in Christ. That’s what made him such a fanatic about persecuting Christians when he was "Saul".)

The sign of the prophet Jonah will be fully fulfilled by Christ at His return to the earth:

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." (Rev 1:7, KJV)

The first time Christ was here, it was left unfulfilled.

Am I saying that God does not deal with unbelief at all? No. What I am saying that God does not put Himself at the service of willful unbelief. God puts Himself extraordinarily at the service of unbelief that is permeable, partial, and un-willful. The sign of the prophet Jonas is the ultimate and complete testament to that.

Here is the example of this principle from the gospel of Mark.

Mark 9:14-29
14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe [question mark should be here], all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.[ I.e., spending a lot of uninterrupted time with God.]
(KJV)
"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." This is the paradoxical prayer that Christ, the image of the invisible God, will move heaven and earth to answer through the Holy Spirit of God. He will answer that prayer because it is why He moved from heaven to earth.

Another example is one of Christ’s nicknames for His disciples.

"Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matt 6:30, KJV)

"O ye of little faith" was one of Christ’s on-going ways of addressing His disciples. I think it may even have been His little nickname for them.

We may contrast this with the willful unbelief of the rich man and his brothers.

Luke 16:19-31
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
(KJV)

That is willful unbelief. And God will never compromise or belittle Himself by addressing it. It is the unbelief of Pharaoh who’s heart was opened to being hardened by God’s entreaties. It’s the unbelief that calls a miracle of God, occurring right in front of the eyes, a work of the Devil. It is a "Yugo-ishness" that God will never lend His "Lamborghini-hood" to.
So in the end, it is not seeing that is believing. It is believing that is the true seeing, as St. John of the Cross once said.

Even in the scientific world this can be true. In The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas Kuhn demonstrated that throughout the history of science, believing has preceded seeing more often then not. New science starts out as theories which are beliefs that are not yet backed up by scientific observations. Kuhn revealed that it is a myth that all scientists immediately accept a theory once scientific observations support it. The reality is that a scientific theory can sometimes gain acceptance only when enough scientists who disbelieve it finally drop dead.

There’s some food for thought!

To be fair, though, much unbelief in prayer is due to a thorough going training in unbelief that comes from a misuse of prayer in the corporate setting of the weekly prayer meeting of most churches.

There’s the constant prayers for the healing of senior citizens who get sicker and sicker and sicker until THUNK! they’re dead. There’s the constant praying, praying, praying for a big revival that always seems to echo off the walls without ever being answered. There is the constant praying for far-off missionaries, from whom not much is expected, and from whom little is reported. And then there are the truly "airy-fairy" items, like "good government" and "world" peace, that are often good bets to pray for because there is no way of knowing if any progress is being made there.

Now, I’m not trying to be cynical here. And I’m not saying that assemblies of Christians should not pray for their senior citizens, and for the increase of the body of Christ, and for missionaries, and for good government and world peace. What I am saying is that there should be ways of praying for these things that do not become exercises in futility that train our young people not to believe in, or expect much from, prayer.

The last thing I’ll say about unbelief is this: Very often, it is not so much that we disbelieve something, as that they we have come to believe something else and are unaware of what it is. As Will Rogers once put it, "It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so." If you are having trouble with belief, you should try re-examining what you do believe instead. That can be very enlightening sometimes.