Woody Allen once said, "If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name in a Swiss bank." He was joking, but he was expressing an attitude that is quite common. God, though, doesn't respond to such frivolous challenges to prove His existence. In fact, if the average person discovered $10 million in his bank account, instead of thinking of God he would probably assume that it was a computer error or a clerical mistake.

Many people in Jesus' day persisted in denying His deity, in spite of His obvious miracles. As a test, they demanded "a sign from heaven" (Lk. 11:16). Jesus refused their arrogant, insulting demand. Their real problem was not a lack of evidence; it was their stubborn unbelief.

Such unbelief exists today, even though God has provided ample evidence as a basis for faith. There is the testimony of nature and conscience (Rom. 1:20; 2:14-15), the history of the life of Christ (Heb. 1:1-4), and the work of the Holy Spirit in believers' lives (1 Jn. 3:24; 4:13). To demand more is sinful!

Our responsibility is to believe the testimony that God has provided, to trust in His Son, and to obey Him (Jn. 3:36; 1 Jn. 2:3-6; 5:1-13). When we do, He gives us inner assurance that we are His, which makes further signs unnecessary.  — Herbert Vander Lugt