A lot of people think that seminary graduates are all knowing in theology, Scripture, and have some sort of inside connection with the Almighty. I’ve had so many people say, “You must know everything there is to know about the Bible and God!”
That’s just funny to me because it’s so far from the truth. I don’t fit into their perceived stereotype at all—it doesn’t exist. As a matter of fact, there are so MANY things I don’t know about the Bible. I learn new things every day. There are still passages that stump me and religious questions that I don’t know how to answer.
Just the other day, I came across this passage in Mark (11:20-24, HCSB): "The next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. After seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. He said to it, 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again!' And His disciples heard it. Early in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Then Peter remembered and said to Him, 'Rabbi, look! The fig tree that You cursed is withered.' Jesus replied to them, 'Have faith in God. I assure you: If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for—believe that you have received them, and you will have them…'"
After reading it, I was so confused. I immediately thought, “Why was this passage even included in this Gospel? What is its significance? Is this included to show the power of faith and prayer? Or is it something more?”
I didn’t understand the correlation between this illustration and message on faith. I had to do a little research, but I found out that when Jesus cursed the fig tree, He was acting out a spiritual lesson.
Jesus threatened to pass the same judgment on Israel that he did on the fig tree because of their disbelief in His Lordship. Israel had all the leaves of piety. They went through all the motions of religion, but they were actually dead and fruitless on the inside. Jesus is just as frustrated and disappointed with us as he was in the Israelites and the fig tree when we also act this way.
Just as it was with Israel, the main ingredient missing in most of our spiritual lives is that of belief (or faith) and prayer.
Hebrews 11:6 (HCSB) says, “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.”
We can find all the “seasons,” or reasons, in the world not to believe, but it all comes down to having faith (belief in His supernatural power) and a prayer life (personal conversations and relationship with God). Do you have these things?
Also posted on: http://josiahroad.com/article/there-are-so-many-things-i-dont-know-about-the-bible
