Checklist Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. Jonah 3:5 Believed In – Do you believe in God? More than eighty percent of Americans answer “Yes.” Do you suppose they believe in God in the same way that the people of Nineveh believed? Our text says that they “believed in God.” Do you think that this Hebrew expression is the equivalent of our modern evangelistic message? “Believe in Jesus and you’ll be saved!” we proclaim. Our New Testament translations use the same words when Paul or Peter or John tell about Jesus’ offer of salvation. But maybe we need to take a second look and see what’s beneath the surface of this over-used expression. The story of Jonah has fascinated believers and non-believers for ages. Without knowing the details, we all have a pretty good idea about the plot of this episode. God sends Jonah on a mission to a great, but wicked, city. In that time, city-states were most likely the equivalent of what we would consider a small country. Everyone knows Jonah’s issue. Basically, he was a racist. He knew God was compassionate and he didn’t want Nineveh to be spared. Of course, eventually he complies. He preaches a message of destruction. And the people repent. They “believed in” God. The Hebrew expression is ya’aminu, from the verb ‘aman. But the odd thing about ‘aman is that it isn’t primarily concerned with correct information. It means “to be firm, to support, to nurture or to establish.” Only by derivation does it come to mean receiving something as sure, reliable and certain. In other words, the principal meaning of “believe” is manifest reliability. When I “believe” in Hebrew, I alter my life. I depend on what I hear and act accordingly. What did the people of Nineveh do? They called a fast. They repented. They feared what God said and the begged for forgiveness and mercy. What do modern “believers” do? They check the box marked “Religious Preference – Christian.” They recite the Lord’s Prayer. They have a Bible somewhere in the house. They wear a cross necklace. But fast? Or beg for mercy? No longer necessary. “I believe in God” is cognitively good enough. If Yeshua, Sha’ul, Kefa (Peter) and Yochanan (John) used Hebrew expressions, then they were speaking about ‘aman as well. That means evangelism based on information alone is useless. It has no more efficacy than the idols of Nineveh. If we believe, we have something to do. Unless there is subsequent action, there is no application of the verb ‘aman. As James said, “The demons recognize the reliability of God’s word (believe) and they shudder.” Perhaps we need to make a marginal note in our Bibles each time we read the word “believe.” That note might be something like this: “What behavior does this demand?” In the Greek world, cognitive information is enough to pass the test. In the Hebrew world, information without action condemns us to failure. Do you believe in God? Of course. So, what behaviors does God demand of you that will manifest your utter dependence of His reliability? And what does it say about you if they aren’t present?
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 19:30:29 +0000