Wednesday. [Acts 18:22–28; John 12:36–47]

   Lord who hath believed our report? (Is. 53:1), the Prophet Isaiah laments in astonishment. Now it would be fitting to cry out, “Who now sincerely believes Thy word, O Lord?” Almost everyone has become slack. Many are yet silent about their unbelief; while it is rare to find a heart that has not turned in the other direction. What is the reason for this? Interest in unbelief has begun to be felt; the need for unbelief has developed, for concealing interests of the heart which do not agree with faith. Here is the root of evil. Reason is not the adversary of faith, but a corrupt heart is. Reason is only guilty here in that it submits to the heart, and begins to philosophize—not according to the foundations of truth, but according to the desires of the heart. Furthermore, powerful arguments for the truth seem worthless to the mind, and some trifling argument against the truth becomes a whole mountain. In general, confusion comes into the mental realm, blinding the mind, which does not and cannot see, no matter what you tell it.