In class we discussed several reasons as to why people may not accept Jesus. This topic is something that hits home for me – literally. I am the first follower of Christ in my family, including extended family (expect one cousin). Many people I love do not know the love of my life, but reasons they do not know Jesus varies. I believe that life is ministry, each day waking up and choosing to follow Jesus, not matter how hard. Before one tries to minister to someone, he/she should consider why he/she is choosing not to follow Jesus. Learn how to walk and love side by side. Sharing the Gospel to an agnostic, is different than talking to an atheist, is different than sharing the Gospel with a 7 year old who just hasn’t heard, is different still from somebody who has been hurt by the church. Though the Gospel is unchanging, and Truth with a capital “T,” when sharing it with those around us, we have to be aware of who we are talking to.
I’ve given a lot of thought and prayer to the reasons why people do not know/chose not to know God. Here is a list of reasons why one may refuse the gospel (list from class, and from online source – at bottom of page):
Spiritual Blindness:
“Preconceived notions of what the Messiah out to be like and do blinded many Jewish leaders to an objective evaluation of the character, words, and works of the Lord.”
Salvation is in Christ only:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
This verse says it all. Salvation can only be found in Jesus. There is nothing we can do to gain salvation. That would take away the gift of grace.
Some Choose to Reject Christ:
- Unaware – some are unaware they are lost, and if one does not realize he/she is lost, one will not realize he/she needs a Savior.
- Unconvinced and Unimpressed – “we live in an increasing unbelieving world.”
- Deceived and Satisfied – some people, believe that they are saved by being a good person, or have misconceptions about Christianity from false teaching. “Correct teaching and accurate understanding of the message must precede obedience to the gospel.”
- Uncommitted – some people are not willing to pay the price of commitment to Jesus. Luke 14:25-35 urges men to – before following Jesus to count the cost.
- Afraid – some may be afraid of failing at being a Christian, afraid that it’s not for them, afraid to start believing in this season of life.
- The Hypocrites – some may not want to associate with Christianity because of the “Christians” that they do know.
Sadly this list can go on. I long for the day when this list is no longer, and I pray as believers we always will seek out the lost.
Source: https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1553-why-do-people-refuse-to-come-to-jesus
Camille, I really appreciated this post. I could feel your heart and personal conviction as you were writing. Thank you for sharing your personal story with the class! I definitely have seen facets of this personally as a large portion of my family are not Christians and are in fact relatively anti Christianity. This dilemma and sadness about my family is something that I have struggled with as I have grown up spending time around them. Thank you for sharing!
It is interesting to see how many ways that people refuse to come to Christ. One people seem to neglect is one of your points; “being hurt by the church.” One bad experience can turn people off for a lifetime. This is a great post and it is obvious how passionate you are about the subject.
You did an excellent job coming up with reasons why people refuse to come to Jesus. Through prayer and, if God wills it, redemptive entrepreneurship, I hope that many people will gain clarity and take hold of the Gospel of Truth.