unbelief – La Vista Church of Christ

Some Believed

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 02 May 2026 19:15:49 +0000

by Hugh DeLong

“In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region" (Acts 14:1-6).

The Commission was Go – Preach. But the commission in Mark 16 shows two reactions to such preaching – Believe and be Baptized, or not believe. Here, the gospel is presented in a way that caused some to believe. That style of preaching is outlined in Acts 17:2-3: “And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.'”

Along with this, the promise to the apostles was that God would confirm their message with signs and wonders – and here He does just that! Yet, some believed, and some didn't.

Those who didn’t believe didn’t just let it go, but rather actively pursued the course of violence against the preachers. What I observe is that, in my efforts to share the good news, I will have some success. While the message has already been confirmed and needs no further such acts from God, I must ensure that my teaching is in accord with the revealed and confirmed message. Then there will be opposition and rejection.

Then comes the difficult part for us: how do we respond? Do we return evil for evil? Do we turn to violence to stop the opponent? First, these preachers didn’t just quit after one hearing! They continued amidst the opposition for a long time! Second, they stayed faithful to the example of Jesus, who was also rejected and persecuted! (cp. I Peter 2:21-23). Our conduct does not depend on how others act. This is always a difficult part of following Jesus. Faithfully preaching the word demands that we ourselves are following its teaching.

Propaganda Wars: Unbelief Based on Propaganda

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 22:55:20 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

The Bible talks about a god that never existed and a Jesus who never existed, modern atheists and humanists tell us. Is that fact (truth) or propaganda? Our president laid his hand on a fiction book and swore by fiction to uphold the Constitution: "So help me, fictional god?" Truth or propaganda? A completely fictional book rose above all other fictional books in history to be considered sacred? Truth or propaganda? How is it that the entire world calendar felt it expedient to adjust the world's dating of 2025 based on the impact of a fictional character, Jesus? Truth or propaganda?

It is easy to assert that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote fictional "propaganda" and changed the world. Still, usually, the ones who treat it as lies and propaganda have never actually studied the evidence. They have an emotional dog in this fight. If it is true, then it demands change and moral accountability before God. Most don't want that change. Still, the writers of these four books either knowingly told lies about what they saw and heard, were deceived and misguided to write these accounts of Jesus, or were telling the truth because propaganda regarding Jesus had to be challenged.

In Matthew's effort, it was clear that he was trying to persuade Jews that Jesus had the credentials laid out in their holy book (our Old Testament). Jesus fit the genealogical and prophetic credentials, and he demonstrated that God was working miracles through Him. He dealt with the propaganda of the unbelieving Jews to show the truth about Jesus.
In Mark's effort, it was clear that he was trying to persuade the Roman culture that Jesus was from God, and he dealt with truth versus propaganda circulated among Roman culture regarding Jesus.
In Luke's effort, it is clear that he states the reason why these are things "most surely believed among us" to a Gentile ruler. This man could then sort out the truth from the propaganda he had heard.
In John's effort, there was an emphasis on "truth." Over and over, John helps the early reader to understand the proof of Jesus being Immanuel or "God with us." God had come in the flesh. Jesus' miracles were so widely known that no one could deny them. Again, it was "truth" versus the propaganda of the unbelievers.

The eyewitnesses' evidence was so substantial that the evidence of Jesus' actual resurrection impacted city after city, including the city where Jesus was crucified (Acts 17:30-31). The assurance of judgment was based upon the assurance of Jesus' death and resurrection (I Corinthians 15).

Our calendar year, the placing of hands on the Bible in oaths, and the long tradition of baptism and communion on each first day of the week are either based upon truth or propaganda. It is either a great truth or the world's biggest lie. "If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain" (I Corinthians 15:14). Propaganda? For what gain? Truth? For great gain!

Propaganda Wars

Is there no proof of Christianity’s truth?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 21:56:34 +0000

Question:

My sister told me to grow up. She said, “I feel like I’m talking to a younger me,” and told me that I’d understand what she spoke of when I was older.

What did she speak of? She denied Christ and said, “I am sure Christ made mistakes.” When I told her the reason I follow him was that he was the perfect person, she said that I have no proof to say that Christianity is true. I tried to bring up the prophecies, but she denied those as well. She tried to pin what happened in the Garden of Eden as being God’s fault. She told me that I was in a cult and to “Run back to get brainwashed.” The ultimate conclusion of the discussion was: We don’t know if your religion is true or not.

She does not desire to be a Christian, making me anxious about whether what she says is true. I do not believe everything she says, but I need some comfort. I blotted out most of the memories because I did not want to stress over them, but they still make me feel nervous when I think of them.

Please, and sincerely help me.

Answer:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Proverbs 1:7).

Your sister would fall into the category of a scoffer. A scoffer is someone who rejects anything that he doesn't already accept. Instead of examining ideas, the scoffer ridicules others for holding different ideas. "How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing and fools hate knowledge?" (Proverbs 1:22). Notice that your sister refused to examine whether prophecy in the Bible points to the truth of the Bible. She already decided the Bible could not be true, so she instantly dismissed the evidence. She thinks she on a path of searching for wisdom, but she doesn't realize that she won't find it because she has already decided what wisdom looks like. "A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding" (Proverbs 14:6).

God tells us it isn't worth arguing with a scoffer. "He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, and he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself" (Proverbs 9:7). There is no argument that will convince your sister she is wrong because she is already convinced that she is right.

Instead of letting your sister's disbelief shake your faith, use this time to examine the evidence of Christianity and learn.

Disobedience and Unbelief

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 03 May 2021 14:38:36 +0000

by Matthew W. Bassford

The epistle to the Hebrews might be the most tightly reasoned book in the whole Bible. Sentence by sentence, clause by clause, the Hebrews writer constructs intricate arguments that establish the superiority of Christ over Moses and the folly of Christians returning to Judaism. The more closely we read Hebrews, the more we will learn.

The care with which Hebrews is written makes the apparent logical disconnect in Hebrews 3:18-19 all the more surprising. In context, the writer is discussing the Israelites who died in the wilderness during the time of Moses. He says, “And to whom did [God] swear that they would not enter His rest, if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”

Hold on here, Hebrews writer! You’ve given us evidence that God kept the Israelites from entering Canaan because of their disobedience. Why are you acting like you’ve shown us that they had an unbelief problem instead?

The writer, and indeed the Holy Spirit, make this logical jump because they want us to realize that they aren’t making a logical jump at all. Once the writer has established that the Israelites had a disobedience problem, he doesn’t have to prove that they had an unbelief problem — because disobedience and unbelief are the same thing. If we don’t believe God’s promises, we will not obey His word. If we don’t obey His word, fundamentally, it is because we do not believe His promises. Faith and obedience are inseparable.

This understanding is vital to us for at least two reasons. First, it answers the tedious argument that we are saved by faith, not by works, so we don’t have to be baptized to be saved. In reality, baptism is not an attempt to justify ourselves at all. Instead, it is an expression of faith in the promises of God. We believe that when the Holy Spirit says that baptism saves, He means it. Accordingly, we obey the gospel.

Second, it shows the importance of preaching, teaching, and study that builds faith. Some brethren are interested only in preaching that is practical. They want to be told about some godly thing that they can go home and do.

Instruction in righteous living is invaluable, full stop. However, if we’re not careful, too much focus on the nuts and bolts of practical discipleship can leave us short on the motivation to be disciples. Obedience is not and cannot be a just-because thing. If hearing is not united with faith in us, we will not obey.

Instead, if we want to be obedient, we must look too to the parts of the Bible that build faith. However remote the stories of the righteous men of old may seem to us, they all proclaim the same lesson: God is a God who keeps His promises, so if we rely on Him, we will not be disappointed. So also, the stories of the miracles of Jesus and His apostles, particularly the story of His resurrection, assure us that what He has promised, He is able to perform. When our minds are filled with these things, it becomes much easier to make the right choices — because we know how deeply they matter.

Can non-believers join you for worship?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 15:42:37 +0000

Question:

Hi,

I have two questions for now from reading your web site, I am sort of looking for the why and wherefore from you and God’s word.

With your invitation to join the congregation for Sunday worship and Bible study; do you have any restrictions on who can and cannot join you for worship and the partaking of the Lord’s supper? For example, could same-sex couples or a non-believer, who has little interest in changing their lifestyle, come to worship?
Can a person join the congregation for Sunday worship, the partaking of the Lord’s Supper with the giving of their means while not being forthcoming in any or limited information pertaining to themselves?

Thank you,

Answer:

Being present at a Bible study or worship service doesn't indicate whether a person is saved from their sins or whether the congregation approves of what they are doing in their life. That unbelievers can be present in the worship is shown by:

"So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you" (I Corinthians 14:22-25).

While the miraculous gifts are no longer present among the believers, there are several points that can be drawn from this passage.

Unbelievers were sometimes present in worship assemblies.
That while present, the things that are done may convince the person that they are in sin and need to change.

Thus, we don't practice closed worship. We don't interview people before welcoming them to join us in the worship of God. However, our worship both praises God and teaches those who are present. "What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification" (I Corinthians 14:26). Therefore, liars may hear statements about why lying is wrong and that they cannot continue to lie, homosexuals may hear statements about why homosexuality is wrong and that they need to leave their sin to be pleasing to God, and fornicators may hear that sex outside of marriage is wrong.

This is not the same as becoming a member of the congregation. Members are believers and are expected to follow the teachings of God. Those who live in sin are withdrawn from (no longer considered members) (I Corinthians 5).

Why Do People Refuse to Come to Jesus?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 02:48:00 +0000

by Wayne Jackson

Jesus was in Jerusalem attending one of the annual Jewish feasts—probably the Passover. On this occasion, he encountered a disabled man who had been in his affliction for some thirty-eight years.

The Lord asked the poor gentleman if he would like to be made whole. After a brief exchange, Christ instructed the man to "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk." Immediately the man was made whole. He picked up his bed and walked (John 5:1-9).

Since this remarkable incident occurred on the Sabbath day, the Jewish leaders attempted to accuse the Lord of violating the Law of Moses. John, who records this matter, informs us that the Jews persecuted Jesus and intensified their efforts to kill him (cf. John 5:10-18).

After an extended discourse during which Jesus affirmed his divine relationship with the Father, Christ said to the Jews:

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).

There are several important truths in this statement that warrant further reflection.

Spiritual Blindness

In this statement of Christ, there is the shocking truth that one can be a diligent student of the scriptures but still not know Christ!

Many of the Jewish leaders, particularly the scribes, were proud of their rich knowledge of the sacred writings. Why, then, were they unable to recognize Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah, since the Old Testament narratives were filled with prophecies that centered on him? Remember how the Lord had said, "Everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44).

Well, the reason they failed to see the Christ of the Old Testament was, as Paul explains the matter, that "whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts" (II Corinthians 3:15). Their preconceived notions of what the Messiah ought to be like and do blinded them to an objective evaluation of the character, words, and works of the Lord.

When I think of the many religious scholars of today's religious scene who have spent a lifetime mastering Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek; who have studied biblical lands and cultures; who have become experts in exegesis; and yet, who do not know the Son of God in the genuine sense of the term "know," I am deeply saddened.

The knowledge that is not set to action only brings a more severe condemnation.

Salvation is in Christ only

There is the fact affirmed by Christ that there can be no eternal life apart from him.

In this age when the spirit of pseudo-ecumenism has invaded the hearts of many, this truth needs to be vigorously pressed. The Son of God made no apology for his declaration:

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

There is simply none other in which salvation is to be found:

"There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

If that sounds narrow. so be it! The question is not one of bigotry, but one of truth. Are the claims of Christ true? Will the evidence support such? That is what it all boils down to, and that is why it is our job to bring men to the Savior!

Some Choose to Reject Christ

The Master here teaches that it is possible to exercise that personal willpower by which men make the decision as to whether or not they will be counted with Christ or against him.

Some religions have suggested otherwise. Calvinism asserts that men are so enslaved by inherited depravity that they are completely helpless to respond to the Savior's message until assisted by some miraculous impulse of the Spirit.

But what does that really mean? It puts all the responsibility for their conversion solely with God, and hence, implicates the Lord in wrong-doing if they are not saved!

Here's what the Bible teaches. Man is a volitional creature; he is capable of making choices (cf. Genesis 2:16-17; Joshua 24:15; Isaiah 7:15; John 7:17; Revelation 22:17).

Accordingly, when exposed to the gospel call, men assume the responsibility for either accepting or rejecting the divine message. If they are thus lost, God certainly is not to blame.

But there is another thought that engages the attention when contemplating John 5:40. Jesus said to those Jews, "Ye will not come to me that ye may have life."

Since the message of the gift of Christ is so beautiful; since the facts of his death and resurrection are so dynamic: and, as the blessings offered are so impelling, one wonders how it is that rational people can neglect to come to the Redeemer.

How is such foolishness to be explained? Let's consider several possibilities.

Unaware

Some are simply unaware that they are lost.

The Bible teaches that Christ came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Unless a person is aware of being lost, he will see no need whatever for Christ as a Savior.

For many decades society has been told, by rationalistic philosophers and humanistic psychologists, that "sin" does not exist in reality. It is alleged to be the mere imaginative concoction of insecure, religious fanatics.

Oh, men may occasionally be involved in "unacceptable societal behavior" (e.g., murder, rape, robbery, etc.) but these are simply impulses hammered out by his "evolutionary, jungleistic past" or his so-called "reptilian brain." The secular humanist argues that for such slips of conduct, humanity should actually feel no guilt. Such behavior does not really warrant punishment. "Guilt" is really a dirty word in the vocabulary of many.

Until, therefore, the message of sin, rebellion, and, yes, guilt can be burned into the consciences of our contemporaries, many will continue to see absolutely no need for what Jesus Christ has to offer.

Unconvinced and Unimpressed

Some will not come to Christ because they are not convinced of his uniqueness. The time was, in days gone by, when most of our neighbors revered the name of Jesus. But that day is rapidly vanishing. We are living in an increasingly unbelieving world.

Many of our fellows no longer even believe in the existence of God. They have been taught from elementary school onward and via modern media outlets that the universe is eternal and self-sustaining.

Again, we are taught that man evolved from animal ancestry. They say the Bible is not the Word of God but is merely a collection of ancient fables.

And Jesus Christ, though he may have been a remarkable teacher and a benevolent influence of antiquity, nonetheless, is not the unique Son of God and the Savior of the world.

My friend, without an accurate knowledge of who Christ is, you just are not going to be drawn to him. The study of "Christian evidence" is one of the crying needs of our time.

"Is the Bible true? Is Jesus the Son of God?" These are questions that Christians answer affirmatively, but which precious few are prepared to deal with when confronting those who have not been raised in the environment of Christian influence.

Deceived and Satisfied

Some do not come to the Lord because, due to false teaching, they have concluded that they are already associated with him.

In Acts 19:13ff, you can read of certain "strolling Jews" who feigned the ability to cast out evil spirits. Part of their exorcism routine was to invoke the name of Christ. But their fakery was dramatically exposed.

There is something we can learn from this case: not everyone who claims a connection with Jesus Christ actually enjoys such a union.

I think this is a biblical truth that some of us need to be reminded of. Correct teaching and an accurate understanding of the message must precede obedience to the gospel.

Under the Mosaic system, a person was physically born into a covenant relationship with Jehovah. As a result, they had to be taught to know the Lord after their birth into that covenant relationship.

But under the New Testament economy, it is different. This is one of the very points of emphasis in the great prophecy of Jeremiah 31:31ff. The prophet declares:

"No longer shall each one teach his neighbor and teach his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 31:34).

In this age, we are taught before we enter the new covenant relationship with Christ.

Christianity is a taught religion. Jesus announced:

"And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me" (John 6:45).

One does not learn error and, at the same time, obey the truth. Denominational clergymen have taught a perverted gospel (cf. Galatians 1:6-8), and many have sincerely, though erroneously, been led to believe that a false doctrine is genuine Christianity.

It is the sacred responsibility of every child of God to show the distinction between truth and error, to draw the line between primitive Christianity and modern sectarianism, and to call others back to the Bible.

And some of our preachers have ceased to proclaim this distinctive message and are assuming postures that will lead our people into destructive apostasy.

Uncommitted

Some will not come to Jesus because they are unwilling to pay the price he requires.

If you would follow Christ, you must be willing to forsake all that is in conflict with Heaven's requirements. A person must be willing to deny himself, take up the cross daily, and follow his Lord (Luke 9:23).

The Savior urged men to count the cost before assuming the role of discipleship, and he who is not willing to renounce any obstacle to the faith cannot be a follower of Christ (cf. Luke 14:25-35).

A tragic example is that of the rich, young ruler. He was consumed with materialism. When, therefore, the Lord demanded that he sell his possessions and then follow him, the young man sorrowfully departed from Christ (Matthew 19:16-22). He was unwilling to pay the price!

For some. forsaking worldliness is too great of a demand (cf. II Timothy 4:10) for discipleship. Others cannot afford the time. And so they trade the few moments of time for eternity.

The excuses are many; the result is the same. Other priorities crowd out the Christ.

Afraid

Some will not come to the Lord because they fear failure. We have heard the excuse many times: "I would become a Christian. But I know I just couldn't hold out."

Do you not realize that when you turn to Christ, God that you are but a babe in the faith? Don't we understand that Heaven is sympathetic to human frailty? Hasn't Jesus promised to be with us "all the days" (Matthew 28:20ff ASV)?

Yes, we will make mistakes, and frequently. But we will repent of those things and learn to grow in spite of our blunders.

What if one reasoned: "I will not marry because so many marriages end in divorce"? Surely that would be unsound thinking. What if the farmer argued: "I will not plant, for there was a crop failure in '42"? He would go hungry!

Don't fear failure. Do your best to serve your God. And promise yourself to be progressively learning and responding to the truth.

The hypocrites

Some do not come to the Christ because of what they see in professed Christians.

Listen, no one will be excused for his own disobedience on the day of judgment because he was influenced by someone else's sorry example. Each person is responsible for his own activity (II Corinthians 5:10).

Be that as it may, it is a fact that cannot be denied — some of the Lord's own people are his worst enemies. By their coarse and wretched lives, they drive away many from the truth even before they have the opportunity to know the gospel.

In some places, the morals of members of the church are far inferior to those of false religionists. And in most areas, corrective discipline in the church is a totally unknown practice. Surely Jehovah will not hold us unaccountable for such deliberate neglect.

Yes, there are many "excuses" why men reject Christ, but there are no reasons!

My family doesn’t believe in Christianity and I find myself losing my temper

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 01:56:00 +0000

Question:

I am a convert to Christianity, but my family belongs to the Hindu religion. My family opposes Christianity. They refuse to accept Jesus. I have a very strong belief in Jesus from the core of my heart. My problem is that I am losing my temper, which affects my surroundings. My parents are irritated by me. I feel alone and feeling more inferior. I am disturbed by something. I cannot read the Bible and listen to God. I'm simply grumbling in my prayers. I know it's not fair, but I don't know how to overcome this. Will you pray for me?

Answer:

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:23-25).

One of the reasons for gathering each first day of the week with other Christians is for each to benefit from the encouragement of others. It helps to know you are not alone. Thus, if you are not attending worship services as you should, you need to begin.

In regards to anger, you need to put your religion into practice. See: The Wolves Within and read through the passages at the end.

Why would the Sadducees bother claiming to be religious?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:03:00 +0000

Question:

In Matthew 22:23-31, it says that the Sadducees said there was no resurrection. Also, Acts 23: 8 says the Sadducees didn't believe in angels or spirits. If they didn't believe in angels or spirits, then why believe in the words of the Old Testament?

If the Sadducees didn't believe in the resurrection, then why did they even bother? With anything? Why would they challenge a man who claimed to be the Son of God, when they didn't believe anyway?

In my life, I want to worship God, but if there was no belief that I would be resurrected to live eternity with God, then what would be the point? It just doesn't seem reasonable to worship God while here on earth, only to die into 'nothing'. What would the point in that be? And it would seem to me that most likely, God would see this as futile.

I apologize, but this is just simply confusing to me.

So, was this group of people just grasping for glory, or money, or prestige? Surely, it sounds like they had placed themselves on some sort of 'religious' pedestal. But if they didn't believe in the resurrection, then also why a religious pedestal?

Answer:

You have reached the conclusion that Paul spoke about, "Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable" (I Corinthians 15:12-19).

You also pretty much pegged the Sadducees. This religious sect was mostly composed of politicians. Of this group, Adam Clarke writes,

"The SADDUCEES had their origin and name from one Sadoc, a disciple of Antigonus of Socho, president of the Sanhedrin, and teacher of the law in one of the great divinity schools in Jerusalem, about 264 years before the incarnation.

"This Antigonus having often in his lectures informed his scholars, that they should not serve God through expectation of a reward, but through love and filial reverence only, Sadoc inferred from this teaching that there were neither rewards nor punishments after this life, and, by consequence, that there was no resurrection of the dead, nor angel, nor spirit, in the invisible world; and that man is to be rewarded or punished here for the good or evil he does.

"They received only the five books of Moses, and rejected all unwritten traditions. From every account we have of this sect, it plainly appears they were a kind of mongrel deists, and professed materialists." [Adam Clarke's Commentary, Matthew 16:1]

Another commentator, R. L. Whiteside in his book, The Four-Fold Gospel, further states,

"They were the materialists of that day. Considering all God's promises as referring to this world, they looked upon poverty and distress as evidence of God's curse. Hence to relieve the poor was to sin against God in interfering with his mode of government. Far fewer than the Pharisees, they were their rivals in power; for they were the aristocratic party, and held the high-priesthood, with all its glories. Their high political position, their great wealth, and the Roman favor which they courted by consenting to foreign rule and pagan customs, made them a body to be respected and feared." [from his comments on Matthew 3:7].

However, it shouldn't be so confusing. People today are much the same. We have politicians who claim to be Christians while living an immoral life. The claim is made because it garners them more votes as Christianity remains popular in the United States. You can also see it in the denominations. I have an article about a Lutheran minister who was suspended twice for stating in the pulpit that he believed there was no God! It even shows up among the members:

"In his study of the beliefs of mainline Protestants (including Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians), Barna documented a rejection of key Christian doctrines. Only 35% of mainline Protestant church members believe Christ was sinless; 34% believe the Bible is totally accurate; 27% agree that works don’t earn heaven; and 20% believe Satan is real." [Crisis in America’s Churches: Bible Knowledge at All-Time Low]

But that is because their leaders also lack faith.

1998: A poll of 7,441 Protestant clergy in the U.S. showed a wide variation in belief. The following ministers did not believe in the virgin birth:

American Lutherans 19%

American Baptists 34%

Episcopalians 44%

Presbyterians 49%

Methodists 60%

[The Virgin Birth of Jesus: Fact or Fable?]

I would say that sects like the Sadducees are more commonplace than we would like to think. "Is there anything of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after" (Ecclesiastes 1:10-11).