Unbelief by Thirza M. Foster

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 24, 1870

Unbelief.

By Thirza M. Foster

“TAKE heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” Heb. 3:4.

It was unbelief that overthrew the Israelites in the wilderness. Because of unbelief they could not enter the land of promise. They limited the power of God. They did not place dependence on his word. They were continually murmuring and complaining of him. They distrusted divine Providence. They would say, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? They feared that God was going to starve and kill them. By their unbelieving spirit they became a prey to Satan and evil angels. Their example is written for our admonition. Satan is still seeking whom he may devour. He makes his first advance upon us by exciting unbelieving thoughts in our hearts. When we begin to disbelieve or doubt some point of present truth, he is encouraged. When he sees us falter, and hears us begin to say, Who knows whether these things are so, he rejoices; and when we murmur and complain about the strait way in which God is leading his people, he multiplies his temptations. Then we lose the power to resist his assaults, and soon we become his victims.

Oh, the sin of unbelief! Let us watch against it, and bar it from our hearts. We want to be able to go up and possess the goodly land. We do not want to be among the fearful and unbelieving who will be left outside the city of God. We want to place our feet upon Canaan’s fair plains. We want to enjoy its blissful clime, eat of its immortal fruit, and drink of its crystal stream. Then let us believe God, believe his Son, believe his truth. Let us not be of them who draw back to perdition; but of them who believe to the saving of the soul.

THIRZA M. FOSTER. Walworth Co., Wis.