Dennis Abernathy

The twentieth chapter of Numbers tells us the Israelites needed water in the wilderness. God told Moses to take his rod, or staff, and speak to a rock in front of the people, and water would flow out of it. But instead of doing just what God told him to do, verses 10 and 11 tell us Moses said to the people: “You rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock? Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.” So far so good, but what is especially interesting about this Old Testament incident is what God said about Moses’ disobedience and sin. Verse 12 says: “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.” Notice God didn’t say, “You didn’t obey Me,” but He said “Because you did not believe Me” you can’t go into Canaan. God called Moses’ disobedience UNBELIEF! Psalms 106: 32-33 says, “They angered him also at the waters of strife (Meribah), So that it went ill with Moses on account of them; because they rebelled against his spirit, so that he spoke rashly with his lips.” Thus, the Israelites sharp tongues of discontent and unbelief caused Moses to lose control of his spirit; and in his outburst, Moses slighted God. Not only did he strike the rock instead of speaking to it but he also left the impression that it was he and Aaron who achieved the miracle, saying “Shall WE bring forth water for you out of this rock?”

That’s an important lesson to learn. For example, we often think of faith (belief) in God and Jesus as merely being convinced of their existence. But real Bible faith, is the kind of belief in God that OBEYS God! Even if we believe Jesus is the Christ, if we DISREGARD and DISOBEY Him, we don’t really have Bible FAITH in Him, and consequently we do not “honor Him! Bible faith is OBEDIENT faith, and it is “obedient faith” that honors God!

Therefore, promises in the Bible about salvation through faith in Jesus do not merely refer to mentally admitting Jesus is the Christ. They refer to the kind of belief or faith that OBEYS Jesus; faith that repents of sin, confesses Jesus, and submits to scriptural baptism. Thus, one who believes in God’s existence and the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, and Lord, but DISREGARDS His commands, doesn’t have saving faith. Remember, Jesus asked: “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?” Recall also, there were those who “believed in Him” but “did not confess Him” (Jn. 12: 42). But I hasten to say that all who do believe in Him will repent of their sins and confess with their mouth what they believe in their hearts i.e., that Jesus is the Son of the living God, will be baptized because that is what Jesus commands (Rom. 10: 9-10; Acts 8: 37; Acts 2: 38; Mk. 16: 16). Think on these things.