Help Our Unbelief

Mark 9 (NAS) 23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” 24 -Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NAS) 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing: 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Education Politics Entertainment/ media Pop culture The church

Seminaries training clergy in unbelief Cessationism – ceased on earth Question the authority of scripture Universalism – all are saved Atheist

Undermining the Faith – The Problem with Seminary: The recent study by Tufts University about Preachers Who Are Not Believers, as it was addressed in the Washington Post this week, has raised a number of questions for me. The one that intrigues me the most is the role that seminary has played in the formation of these unbelieving clergy (March 2010)

Undermining the Faith – The Problem with Seminary: That mission has been lost. Many seminary professors not only do not believe the Christian faith, they openly mock it. And several do everything in their power to undermine it.

Mark 2:1-9 (NKJV) 1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.

Mark 2:1-9 (NKJV) 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

Mark 2:1-9 (NKJV) 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” 6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Mark 2:1-9 (NKJV) 8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’?

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (NKJV) 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (NKJV) 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (NKJV) 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (NKJV) 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Acts 7:54-60 – Stephan stoned Acts 9:20 – Paul began preaching Trained in unbelief Miracles Gifts Visions, dreams, encounters

If the early Christian Church: Lacked $, resources, facilities Lacked education Persecution/ Murdered New Testament (not yet formed) (How did they take over the world in about 200 years?)

1. Casting out demons 2. Miracles Matthew 10:8 (NAS) "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

The story is famous of the discourse between Pope Innocent IV and Thomas Aquinas. When that great scholar came to Rome, and looked somewhat amazedly upon the mass of plate and treasure which he saw...

“Lo,” said the Pope, “you see Thomas, we cannot say as St Peter did of old, ‘silver and gold have we none.’” “No,” said Aquinas, “neither can you command, as he did, the lame man to arise and walk.”

John 5:38-40 (NKJV) 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.