Only A Fool Is Slow To Believe The Inspired Words Of God

Acts 28:23-27, “And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he [the Apostle Paul] expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

The Apostle Paul was being horribly persecuted and prosecuted for preaching the Gospel. He calls for the chief leaders among the Jews to hear his petition This is the context surrounding our text passage from Acts chapter 28. I love this chapter of the inspired Holy Bible. Our text passage says that Paul expounded the Jewish leaders from morning until evening with the Word of God. Yet, at the end of the day only some believed, others did not believe.

I encourage you to read Acts chapter 28. It is an amazing passage of inspired Scripture! I find it disturbing that it was the Christian women, not Jesus' own chosen Apostles, who were the first to visit Christ's tomb after He was laid to rest. When Jesus' mother (called the mother of James), Mary Magdalene and the other ladies saw that the tomb was empty, and two angels in shining garments confirmed to them that Jesus had risen from the dead as He foretold, they immediately went to back to tell the Apostles.

You couldn't make this stuff up. Jesus' own Apostles didn't believe the report of the women. Luke 24:11, “And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.” That is hard for me to process. These eleven men (Judas Iscariot commit suicide after betraying the innocent Son of God to death, who was the twelfth) who had seen Christ perform umpteen miracles—Who made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the lame to walk, who healed the sick, and raised the dead—now refused to believe THE TRUTH that Christ has risen triumphantly from the dead. Jesus Christ is risen dear reader!!!

Two of the disciples who were present when the ladies testified of all they had seen at Jesus' empty tomb, walked to Emmaus with downcast saddened faces. We read in Luke chapter 24 that Jesus approached them and started asking them why they were sad. They engaged in a lengthy conversation as Christ expounded them in Moses and the prophets concerning Himself, yet the Bible says Jesus' true identity was kept holden (hidden) from them. The two disciples expressed their disbelief of all which had happened, which compelled Jesus to lovingly reprimand them in Luke 24:25-26 “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” Why are humans so stubborn to believe the plain truth that is right in front of them?

They invited Jesus to stay with them, but the Bible says Jesus pretended that He couldn't stay for the evening, but He really wanted to stay. Luke 24:28, “And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.” I am so grateful to God for being transparent in His Word, to allow us to see Jesus' humanity. They asked Jesus to stay, but He so: “No, than you anyway, but I must be going.” The Bible says they constrained (begged) Him to stay, and Jesus did. I love that. The Lord was being a true gentleman, not taking advantage of their kindness and hospitality. We serve an ethical Savior!

As the three finished their dinner, Jesus' true identity was revealed unto the two disciples and they marvelled. Luke 24:32, “And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” Dear friend, you should read the inspired King James Bible each day until you get heart burn, that is, until your soul burns from THE TRUTH (Jeremiah 20:9).

So the two enlightened disciples (who now believed) went back to tell the eleven Apostles all that they had seen and heard. Then suddenly, Jesus appeared in the room, but they thought it was a ghost. Luke 24:36-37, “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.” Again, their woeful lack of faith is disturbing. Not once, but twice, the eleven Apostles express their foolish lack of faith. That blows my mind!

I mean, the Apostles had seen Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, who stank with bodily rot after being dead for four days in the grave. They had seen Jesus feed 5,000 people with a little boy's lunch. They had seen the blind healed so that they could now see. They had beheld lame people walk again, and a woman with an issue of blood healed after 12 years of suffering. They witnesses miracle after miracle. Yet, after witnessing all of these hundreds (and perhaps thousands) of supernatural miracles by the Son of God, they still were not convinced. Good night in the morning folks, what does it take to convince someone to believe?

I have learned in my brief time on earth that in every circumstance, some sinners will believe the Gospel but other will not. The Bible teaches that even if some lost sinners were to see the dead raised, they still would not believe the Gospel. That is so sad and tragic! Luke 16:30-31, “And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” The formerly rich man (now poorer than poor) begged Abraham to send Lazarus from the dead to warn his five living unsaved brothers, but his sincere request was denied. Abraham reiterates the truth that if lost sinners won't believe the written inspired Words of God, then they are beyond hope.

About thirty-five years ago, I shared the Gospel with an older man that I worked with as truck mechanics. His name was Andy. I'll never forget what he said to me: “I won't believe until God knocks on my front door, hands me a Bible and says, 'This is my Word'.” I have often felt sorry for Andy. His wife was a devout Catholic, but he was more of an agnostic (not sure what he believed). Andy was a good man, but lost in his sins without Jesus Christ. Dear reader, if you still don't believe the truth, despite the clear signs of God's existence everywhere we look in nature, then there's nothing that will change your mind (Psalms 19:1-3; Romans 1:20). 

There is an abundant amount of evidence showing that Jesus is who He claimed to be. History verifies the Holy Bible. Archaeology verifies the Holy Bible. Science verifies the Holy Bible. Nature verifies the Holy Bible. The dark sinful human nature verifies the Holy Bible.

The Greatest Faith In Israel

I love this precious true account in the Scripture...

Luke 7:1-10, “Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.”

Do you know why Jesus said this centurion (a commander over 100 soldiers) had the “greatest faith” in Israel? By the way, I cannot think of a greater compliment than for Christ Himself to bestow such admirable words of praise toward any man. Wow! I love this Bible passage, because it encourages me to have like faith. Why did Jesus say that this Roman centurion had the GREATEST FAITH in Israel? It was simply because the centurion believed that Jesus was who He claimed to be, God in the flesh (John 10:33; 1st Timothy 3:16 - cited only from the King James Bible). If Christ has been a mere mortal man, then He couldn't have commanded the sick servant to be healed. But Jesus was the God-man, 100% God and 100% man.

Pastor John MacArthur Denied Jesus' Deity

I heard Pastor John MacArthur (1939-2025) foolishly teach that if Jesus had God's blood flowing in His veins that he couldn't have been 100% a man. So, according to Dr. MacArthur Jesus DIDN'T have God's blood flowing in His veins. That is the sin of BLASPHEMY! John MacArthur slanders the inspired Word of God by denying Jesus' deity! Let me remind you dear reader that the Bible teaches Jesus was born of a virgin, meaning that God in Heaven alone is Jesus biological Father (Isiah 7:14; Matthew 1;23).

Pastor John MacArthur heretically teaches:

“It isn't human flesh, human bones, and divine blood. That's not a man. It is medically impossible to think of Christ's blood as divine. It is theologically impossible to think of Christ's blood as divine. It is Scripturally impossible to think of Christ's blood as divine. He would be less than man. His blood is human blood.” [emphasis added] —Dr. John MacArthur, 'The Precious Blood - Part 1'

GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN!!! Evidently Mr. MacArthur forgot the VIRGIN BIRTH! What normal man has ever been born of a virgin? That's right, NONE! Jesus was 100% a man, but he had God's divine blood in His veins, making Him 100% God as well; otherwise Jesus would have had a sinful nature, just like you and me (Romans 5:12). Woe unto John MacArthur!

Woe unto Bob Jones University (BJU) for bidding John MacArthur Godspeed! Woe unto Dr. Steve Pettit (incompetent BJU president from 2014 to 2022), Marty Herron (former incompetent pastor of Harvest Baptist Church on Guam from 1999 to 2018), and anyone who else who bids this false prophet John MacArthur Godspeed. Woe unto the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam for bidding this ungodly reprobate Godspeed! 2nd John 1:11, “For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” All of the aforementioned religious people and organizations have blood on their hands, for betraying the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

What saith the Scripture? Acts 20:28, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” Did you catch it? The Bible says that GOD purchased THE CHURCH with HIS OWN BLOOD. There you have it in writing—Jesus had God's blood flowing in His veins! Woe unto Dr. MacArthur and any other theological liar who teaches that Jesus' didn't have God's blood flowing in His earthly veins. How could Jesus be the only begotten (biological) Son of God and not have His heavenly Father's blood?

Are you a fool dear reader? That is, have you been slow to believe all that Moses and the prophets, and all that Jesus and the Apostles, have spoken? I believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, the very Christ, God almighty in the flesh!