"Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which
Jesus did, believed on him." Do the followers of Jesus, who claim that
he made no mistakes, believe on him? If so, they must believe that he
raised Lazarus from the dead as he claimed to have done. Do they believe
that they can also raise people from the dead? Jesus so assured them
when he promised that believers could do greater works than he
performed. No, Jesus gave a false impression of his power.
_God's Protection_
Jesus continued his deception of the world by promising protection that
has never been accorded. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And
one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the
very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are
of more value than many sparrows."[16]
These sayings may properly be taken as symbolical or allegorical; but
the evident intention was to assure his followers that God would protect
them in their daily life. Safety was promised for believers, a safety
that has been lacking for everyone. There is no evidence that God does
protect believers any more than unbelievers. When the Titanic went down,
those who perished were not solely the wicked persons; there was no
distinction in the terrible disaster between believers and unbelievers.
Jesus created in the minds of his hearers and his followers the idea
that God was watching each individual to save him from danger, but this,
unfortunately, is not a fact. It sounds comforting; it makes people feel
nearer to God; but experience proves that no such close relationship
exists. Jesus gave a false impression of God's loving care for men.
_Belief in Prayer_
Modern religious people may still consistently believe in prayer as a
form of inward aspiration, but it is difficult to take literally the
assurance given by Jesus of practical accomplishments by means of prayer
in his name.
Jesus did not confine himself to promising spiritual results from
prayer, but distinctly gave it to be understood that the physical world
would respond to petitions to Jehovah. "Again I say unto you, That if
two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall
ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."[17] "If
ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to
the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou
removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."[18]
"What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive
them, and ye shall have them."[19] "If ye have faith as a grain of
mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto
you."[20]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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