Last week we contrasted two kinds of unbelief. Lack of k n ow l edge, and an unwi l l ingness to act on or live out the k n ow l edge that we do possess. Be lieving is an act of will. We can act on the word if we will. Disobedience is
also an act of will. It’s an unwilling attitude towards the word of God. So, unbelief is either ignorance of the word or resistance to the word.
The cure for the first kind of unbelief is knowledge. The cure for the second kind is obedience. Seems simple. In dealing with the subject of unbelief we also can look at something similar, mental agreement. Mental agreement is one of the most subtle enemies to faith. A Christian who mentally agrees will say
they believe the bible or that they are contending for the faith yet refuse to act on the word. Faith is acting on Gods word. No matter the circumstance. When we really believe Gods word we will be just as steady when the clouds have overcast our lives as we were when the sun was breaking through. In fact, we can laugh about it. We are not disturbed by circumstances because we know the word of God is true.
Mathew gives us a good illustration here
in chapter 7 when he contrasts the two kinds of builders. “Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and if fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand; And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
When we simply act upon the truth of Gods word that we have or that we have heard we are building our lives on a solid foundation.
