Matthew 13:58

THE SIN OF UNBELIEF

‘He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.’

Matthew 13:58

We see in these words the secret of the ruin of multitudes of souls!

I. Those who will not believe.—They perish because they will not believe. There is nothing beside in earth or heaven that prevents their salvation: their sins, however many, might all be forgiven; the Father’s love is ready to receive them; the blood of Christ is ready to cleanse them; the power of the Spirit is ready to renew them. But a great barrier interposes: they will not believe. ‘Ye will not come to Me,’ says Jesus, ‘that ye might have life’ (St. John 5:40).

II. The old root-sin—unbelief.—It is the old root-sin which caused the fall of man. Cut down in the true child of God by the power of the Spirit, it is ever ready to bud and sprout again. There are three great enemies against which God’s children should daily pray:

(a) Pride.

(b) Worldliness.

(c) Unbelief.

Of these three none is greater than unbelief.

Bishop J. C. Ryle.