"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

Heb. 11:6

Men throughout time have applied themselves to tracing their lineage. Children of God are exhorted to avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain (Titus 3:9). Neither (are we to) give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith (1 Tim 1:4). The Jew's tradition is one that traces their lineage back through the generations. Yet they are unable to come to the conclusion that all born of Adam are of an evil generation whether Jew or Gentile. Our Lord communicated the fact that the evil generation seeks a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. The evil generation shall neither hear the Wisdom of God nor will they repent of their evil. Only the elect shall hear and only the elect shall be called to repentance. One must be born again, born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible. I suppose that evil generation thought, in the vanity of their natural minds, that if Jesus could show them a significan't sign then they would reciprocate with faith, believing. But faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The consolation of the Israel of God was before them. The Hope of the promise made of God unto their fathers (Acts 26:6), stood in their midst. Without faith both God's Consolation and Hope is unperceivable to the evil generation. The sign that they desire is not something from outside. The sign of faith is believing! That comes from the work of God within His children. The evil generation won't seek God nor will they see His lovingkindness though even the evil generation partakes of his providential grace (Acts 14:17).

Before our Lord walked bodily amongst the natural descendants of Abraham, Moses was blessed to speak the word of God regarding the evil generation. As God's word never changes, what Moses spoke is still true today. He said surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers (Deut 1:35). Today, Canaan is the Lord's Kingdom the Church.  Our Lord told Nicodemus, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Furthermore He said that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. How will one trust in the Lord unless he is born of the Spirit?   They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.  As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people from henceforth even for ever (Psalm 125: 1&2). There is now, today, no greater reward for those that by faith diligently seek God than the entrance into His Church. None shall desire a home there but those that are edified by that which is in faith. 4/23/2004 Elder Marty Hoogasian