Charles Templeton was a famous preacher and peer of Billy Graham from the 1930s to the 1950s. He was smart, handsome, and famous, speaking to large crowds all across the country. Yet this man is an example of Hebrews 6:4-6, someone who tasted the heavenly gift, but eventually fell away and died denying Jesus Christ. What caused such an exemplary evangelist to abandon the very faith he proclaimed? Charles Templeton said he saw a picture of a baby dying in Africa and questioned how Almighty God could allow this to happen. This led him to doubt and leave Jesus. He is like so many others who come up with excuses or believe Satan’s lies in their unbelief.
In this passage we see Jesus performing miracles in front of a large crowd and there are a few kinds of reactions. This passage is connected to the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer. The miracles that Jesus is performing are by the power of the Holy Spirit who is the gift of the Father. Yet, they accuse Jesus saying He is not of the Holy Spirit but of Beelzebub. The miracles affirm that Jesus is the true Messiah, sent by God. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 35:4-5. There is no denying He is the Messiah.
The crowds marveled. They were amazed and astonished at Jesus. Being marveled is not faith. Many people respect and admire Jesus, but they have no saving faith. However, marveling at Jesus is the first step to becoming a seeker of salvation. Jesus is marvelous so naturally many have marveled at Jesus. Moses marveled at the burning bush that didn’t burn and sought to know more about the cause of the marvelous sight. Nicodemus also sought Jesus in the night because of the signs that Jesus performed. Marveling at Jesus is not faith but those who have faith also marvel at Jesus.
If the crowds marveled, then why didn’t they believe? We could come up with lots of reasons. They were busy, they thought they had more time, they had other priorities, etc. Verses 15 and 16 provide insight into the crowd’s hesitation to believe and follow Christ.
“But some of them said” This refers to the Pharisees and scribes, the religious and social elite. They have lots of power in the culture and reflect the thinking of the crowds. These two groups represent today’s celebrities, experts, and mainstream media. They lied about Jesus and accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul (Satan). They accused Jesus of being satanic. Lies are powerful. They twist the truth and sound appealing. It is the same with heresies. They are not blatant and declare themselves a lie. They can be just a small deviation from the truth. The lie of the Pharisees was truly powerful because the crowd would believe it and accuse Jesus in the same way (John 10:20). Even now, people still believe the lie told at Jesus’ resurrection (Matthew 28:3-4,15). Instead of believing Jesus was the Messiah, they believed the lies of Satan.
A common lie circulating today is that the cross is only God’s love and not His wrath. There’s no way God the Father would punish Jesus. They call it child abuse. They disregard God’s justice and wrath. The cross is only a loving sacrifice. This lie makes no sense because how would our sins be propitiated and forgiven if not for Jesus suffering God’s wrath in our place. In fact, Jesus rejected a painkilling drink so that He might fully experience and fulfill the suffering needed to appease God’s wrath (Matthew 27:34). The gospel is not the true gospel without God’s wrath being poured out on the cross and God’s love enduring His own wrath in our place.
Many other lies circulate about Jesus that deceive the lost. They say ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ without ever defining love according to God’s word. Or they lie about the authorship and the authenticity of the Bible. They make up lies about the Bible so they don’t have to believe it. However, it is not the lie that causes their unbelief but because they don’t want to believe. The unregenerate loves the darkness rather than the light.
They also misunderstand sin and forgiveness. They claim “To err is man and to forgive is divine”. While true that man is a sinner and God forgives, however, it belittles sin’s seriousness and God’s hatred toward sin. God is not obligated to forgive. The Catholics claim that moral sin is only possible with awareness of sin. Ignorance is a free pass. But the Bible says all sin is wicked and deadly and the fruit of our sinful nature. We sin because we are sinners. We are born in sin and we die because of sin (Psalm 51:5, Roman 6:23).
Yes, we are sinners who deserve death and God’s wrath. Yet there is hope. Where sin abounds, grace abounds more (Romans 5:20-21). The law reveals our sin but where our sin is revealed, God’s grace is there to forgive us. Jesus died to forgive us our sins. If you believe in Jesus, then God’s grace is ready to forgive you.
People also lie about the gospel. They preach a partial gospel and leave out certain aspects of it such as sin, hell, or repentance. Other times they add to the gospel saying you must do this or that to be saved. We are not saved by obedience but by grace. We are saved by faith alone through grace alone for good works. Works don’t save you, God saves you. If you understand the full gospel then you will be changed. There is no such thing as a half-hearted Christian. Some believers may be weak, but they are always growing. The true Christian presses on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).
Are you still not believing? Then here is some encouragement. It is not too late. Seek Him today for today is the day of salvation. With God, it is possible to save the impossible. Even Apostle Paul was chosen and he tried to destroy the church. We are all sinners who hate God but by God’s grace, we can be saved and love Him. See how good God is. Do not believe the lies of Satan which lead you down a path of ritualistic religion or worldliness. Seek God’s grace and believe.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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