WHAT BARRIERS BLOCK THE WAY TO BELIEF IN JESUS?
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“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance.” – C.S. Lewis
One cannot be neutral toward Jesus. Followers of Him believe in His absolute divinity. The Son of God became incarnate to pay the price for our sins. He triumphed over all evil and reigns victorious forever. Either we believe in Him or we do not.
To believe means more than intellectual assent that Jesus is God. It means placing our complete faith in Him as our Messiah, Savior, Redeemer… obeying His commands… patterning our lives after Him… trusting Him daily, and for the eternal future.
Faith is the key to breaking through the barriers of unbelief. Our Lord knows each one of us intimately. He knows our true character, our thoughts, our motives. He knows who will choose to accept Him by faith… and who will harden their hearts against Him.
Barriers to belief existed in Jesus’ day as they do in this day and age. Let us explore key biblical characters and see how they choose to respond to the Son of God, the Messiah Himself. Do they break through these barriers and come to believe? Or do they find these barriers insurmountable, choosing to remain in their unbelief?
7 Barriers to Belief in Christ
“Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven.” – Matthew 10:32
- Fear of Rejection – Societal pressure – Fear that one’s family, friends, co-workers, peers might judge, ridicule, exclude or cease to associate with them
Nicodemus is a respected member of the Sanhedrin. Although a seeker of the truth, he visits Jesus at night to avoid being seen. He dialogues with the Teacher about the need to be born again to enter the kingdom of God. Although changed by this experience, he remains a secret follower, fearing loss of acceptance by his fellow Jews. He never truly breaks the barrier to open belief.
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:10
- Desire for Autonomy – Independent, prefers sovereignty over one’s life – Reluctant to forsake sin or change a sinful lifestyle – Following Jesus may appear too restrictive, too great a commitment.
Zacchaeus is a wealthy, yet unscrupulous chief tax collector. His curiosity prompts Him one day to climb a tree to see the Teacher as He passes by. When Jesus visits his house that evening, Zacchaeus warmly welcomes Him and is transformed by the encounter. His newfound faith breaks the barrier to belief. He agrees to give half his wealth to the poor… and to make amends to anyone he has cheated.
“How long will these people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?” – Numbers 14:11
- Refusal of Truth – Heart is hardened – Not receptive to the truth when presented – Chooses to ignore, suppress or reject the truth, even with signs and miracles
Judas Iscariot is one of the original twelve apostles. He is notorious for choosing to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. For three years, Judas is eyewitness to Jesus’ teachings, healings, miracles… yet remains unconvinced of His messiahship. He allows the enemy to gain a foothold in his life, influencing the treachery. With a hardened heart, He chooses to remain in unbelief.
“Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.” – Matthew 12:30
- Spiritual Pride – Exhibits superficial piety yet lacks heartfelt belief – Motivated by worldly pursuits of power, wealth, status, instead of love, mercy, empathy
Pharisees are the political and religious sect most often rebuked by Jesus. He calls them hypocrites, false shepherds who lead their flock astray. They relish their social status, prestige and intellectual superiority, showing little godly compassion. Jesus is seen as a blasphemer and a threat to their authority and power. Their evil plot to have Him killed proves they never break the barrier to belief.
“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” – 1 Peter 1:8
- Doubt – A questioning attitude that desires answers, demands proof before belief – Intellectually skeptical – Relies on facts instead of faith
Thomas is a devoted apostle who is remembered as the doubting one. After the resurrection, Jesus appears to His own to their amazement. Thomas, not present, refuses to believe in the risen Christ until he can see with his own eyes the nail marks and touch the side that was pierced. Yet, once his demands for proof are satisfied, Thomas declares, “My Lord and my God!” With this proclamation, he proves his faith… breaking the barrier of unbelief.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.” – Luke 6:37
- Judgmental Attitude – Preconceived ideas about people, beliefs – Critical, biased – May have negative experience with religion or the hypocrisy of some Christians
Nathanael is one of the first apostles to follow Jesus. Philip shares the news that he has found the One about whom prophecy has foretold, Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael responds cynically, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”. Yet, when Jesus reveals His omniscience in already knowing Nathaneal, the apostle is amazed. His faith breaks the barrier to belief, declaring, “You are the Son of God – the King of Israel!”
“If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32
- Strong Beliefs – Rigid views on religion not based on truth – Tenacious, unyielding, dogmatic – May question exclusivity of Jesus as the only path to salvation
Paul is first introduced as Saul, a zealous persecutor of followers of The Way. He staunchly believes Jesus to be a threat to his Jewish religion… until he meets the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. This divine encounter revolutionizes his life, breaking the barrier to belief. His faith is rebuilt on the truth of Jesus as the prophesied Messiah. Paul’s new life is proof of the redemptive power of Christ.
† Eternal Takeaway – Faith breaks through the barriers of unbelief †
