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Why do so many reject the greatest gift anyone could ever receive? Why would anyone refuse a gift so amazing that Paul called it “indescribable” (2 Cor. 9:15)? This free gift of God’s grace is offered to everyone, yet very few ever receive it. What causes people to reject the everlasting glory of eternal life with Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 6:23)? From a human perspective this makes absolutely no sense, but from a divine perspective, the answers are all found in God’s Word.
Spiritual Blindness
The apostle Paul wrote: “the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor. 4:4). Unbelievers are spiritually blind with a veil covering their heart. The only way the veil of blindness can be removed is by turning to the Lord (2 Cor. 3:16). Until then, they are excluded from the life of God and remain darkened in their understanding because of the hardening of their heart and the ignorance that is in them (Eph. 4:18).
Worldliness
The devil, who is the god of this world, uses the evil influences of his world system to keep men occupied with idols. As the master deceiver, he has created many distractions that keep people from seeking the truth about God. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2 :16). The world’s system of satanic lies and deception blinds people from the knowledge of God. The Bible soundly rebukes such people. “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).
Religious Pride
Satan does a masterful job of using religious pride to conceal God’s glorious Gospel of grace. This stubborn pride produces a fierce, unbending loyalty to an apostate church or a false religion. It is often seen in Catholics when they are being evangelized. Many reject God’s indescribable gift by saying, “I was born a Catholic, and I will die a Catholic.” They need to know the truth! They were born a sinner and will die a sinner unless they repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15).
Religious Indoctrination
Never underestimate the captivating power of religious indoctrination. Many religions begin teaching children from the time they can think that their religion is the only true religion. They grow up convinced that they belong to the “one true church or religion” and that their religion will save them. Such people are woefully deceived about their relationship with God. Tragically, millions go to their grave never knowing about God’s indescribable gift of salvation through Christ alone.
Self Righteous Pride
The prideful arrogance of self-righteousness and self-sufficiency is a great hindrance to recognizing the need for a Savior. Personal pride blinds men from the seriousness of their sin. They refuse to acknowledge their need of a Savior and refuse to plead “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Such was the case of the self-righteous Pharisee who boasted in his good works before God but went home unjustified (Luke 18:10-14). People who do not know about God’s perfect standard of righteousness will seek to establish their own (Rom. 10:1-3). Their only hope is to repent and believe Christ for His gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:17). It is man’s only passport into heaven (2 Cor. 5:21).
Deceitfulness of Sin
Some people choose to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin rather than the eternal joy of being redeemed from the captivating power of sin (Heb. 3:13, 11:24-26). They reject the light of the Gospel because they love the darkness that hides their sin. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed” (John 3:20). Some will also reject the Gospel because of the deceitfulness of wealth (Mat. 13:22). Their love for money is greater than their love for God and His gift of eternal life.
Willful Ignorance
The greatest obstacle for many people learning the truth is the stubborn belief that they already know the truth. Some religious people have a dogged determination to never consider opposing views on doctrinal issues. When confronted with the objective truth from God’s inspired, infallible, inerrant Word, they refuse to consider the possibility that they could be wrong. Tragically, they are “darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart” (Eph.4:18).
Family Loyalty
Some reject the Gospel and choose to remain in a false religion because of an unwavering loyalty to their family. They do not want to offend their parents who might ostracize them or even remove them from their Will if they ever leave the family religion. It is for this reason Jesus said that a man’s enemies will be members of his own household and He will divide parents from children and believers from unbelievers (Mat. 10:34-37).
Spiritual Deadness
Unbelievers are spiritually dead in their sins and held captive by the devil to do his will (Eph. 2:1; 2 Tim. 2:26). The “natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Cor. 2:14). Only God can bring them to life through His mercy and grace (Eph. 2:4-6). Only the truth of God’s Word can set them free from the snare of the devil (John 8:31-32).
Clearly, there are many reasons why people reject God’s indescribable gift of eternal life. It is no wonder why the disciples asked our Lord, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Mat. 19:25-26). He is the only one who can open stubborn hearts to receive the Gospel with joy (Acts 16:14). He is the only One who can shine in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6). Knowing this, let us remember to pray to our Sovereign Lord for those who are perishing. Pray for God to grant them repentance and faith so they will trust Christ alone for salvation. Since this life is short and eternity is forever, the most important question is Where Will You Spend Eternity? |
