Often the thought is expressed that the Christian faith is not for extremely intelligent people. We know so much more than people did in Bible times, or even just a hundred years ago. We know, supposedly, from geology and astronomy, that the Bible’s time frame and presentation of history is not reliable; at least that’s what some scientists tell us. We know, from contact with our global society, the impossibility of converting even close to a majority of the world’s people to faith in Jesus Christ. We have problems because of all the suffering we see – how could a good, almighty God permit that? And the list goes on and on.

           

I had a grandfather who felt this way. He was appalled when I was confirmed in the Lutheran church in May of 1964. He was appalled when I expressed my Christian faith in my commencement address from Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee in June 1968. He was convinced that the school authorities made me say what I said, and perhaps even wrote my speech for me, because he couldn’t believe that his grandson was so stupid as to consider the Bible true and to consider Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world.

           

This is nothing new. 1980 years ago Jesus’ enemies asked concerning Jesus, “Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing….” (John 7:48-49). In other words, they argued that the learned people all rejected Jesus. Only the stupid common people believed, so they claimed.

           

That wasn’t absolutely true, though, in Bible times. Nor has it been true throughout the 1980 years of history since then, and it is not true today. The dividing line between Christians and non-Christians is not based on intelligence or lack of it. Ultimately it is a moral issue. The people who rejected Jesus did so not because they were smart or stupid. Instead, Jesus claimed, those who rejected him did so “because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Their deeds might have appeared to be good, but that was only on the outside.

           

There is another class of people, however, perhaps the largest group. This class does not acknowledge Jesus as their Savior, primarily because they have never really been confronted with the truth about Him. Oh, many of them have heard a few things, such as Jesus being a great teacher and a great moral example. But they have never understood their true sinfulness and the eternal destruction it will bring them, and they have never been shown that Jesus’ entire purpose in coming was to take away the sin of the world and rescue them from that destruction.

           

If you are in this last group of people, maybe it’s time to delve deeper into what the Bible says. Maybe the things you’ve heard about Jesus and the assumptions you’ve made aren’t giving you the full picture. Maybe you will discover that He is your only hope, for this life and the next.