My, Devotion to Him #51
Even though some people are presented with the Gospel at certain points in their lives they may choose to reject God. This can be concerning for us especially if this person is a close friend or relative. Knowing what some of the road blocks may be, may enable us to better deal with this challenge. Below is a list of reasons why some people ignore God.
1. Spiritual Ignorance
VERSE PASSAGE: Ephesians 4:17-24 “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” – NIV
Paul tells us in Ephesians that people may be so wrapped up in their passions and the things or cares of this world that they become spiritually ignorant to the truth of Jesus Christ and thus ignore God.
2. Spiritual Darkness
VERSE PASSAGE: Romans 1:18-21 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” – NIV
Paul tells us in Romans that God’s attributes are visible to all of us but some fail to recognize what the heavens and nature declares to us. Many people see things in which is of God but their hearts become foolish and then man starts making up things to explain the things that are of a God by making some scientific explanation. As if we can explain the world in which we live in correctly without God.
3. People filled with Pride, Arrogance, & Foolishness
VERSE PASSAGE: Romans 1:22-23 “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.” – NIV
Paul tells us that some believe that they are wise and therefore cannot accept the concept of a heavenly creator. This can go to the point of worship the things created by man instead of worshipping the creator.
4. They love sin more than they love God
VERSE PASSAGE: Romans 1:24-32 “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” – NIV
Paul lists some of the awful sins which people can become wrapped up in to the point that it becomes an addiction and takes over their life. Alcohol, Fornication and Pornography are a few of those mentioned by Paul.
5. Lack of Faith
VERSE PASSAGE: Hebrews 4:2 “For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.” – NIV
Paul states that the lack of faith is a problem for the unsaved.
6. Lack of conviction for Sins
VERSE PASSAGE: John 16:8 “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:” – NIV
Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will convict us of sin and righteousness but some will reject that conviction.
7. They are possessed by demons
VERSE PASSAGE: Luke 8:27-29 “When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.” – NIV
Jesus casts out demons from a man that is possessed. Many people are being possessed by demons and are driven into solitude where they are drained and evil thoughts abound in them. Ephesians 6:12 Paul reminds us that our struggles are not against flesh and blood but against powers not of this world.
8. They may be unequally yoked
VERSE PASSAGE: 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” – NIV
Paul tells us the importance of not being yoked to an unbeliever as it may affect our relationship with Christ. In Judges 14:3 Samson’s father implored him to seek a Jewish wife and not a Philistine woman (Delilah).
9. They believe the lies of Satan and are totally deceived
VERSE PASSAGE: John 8:42-47 “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” – NIV
Jesus tells the unbelieving Jews that they are followers of Satan because they do not believe and because they do not believe they do not hear and because they do not hear they do not love.
Copyright © 2017 by Jacob D. Olinger
Spirit Warrior Ministry 