The Right to Reject
As we take a look at the clear and consistent record of the preaching of the gospel we find in God’s word that some reject the gospels call to repent. They rejected Jesus. (John 1:11). There were obviously more than three thousand present on the day of Pentecost, therefore, many rejected Peter’s preaching. We also see multiple accounts of Paul’s preaching of the gospel rejected. Anyone who has spent any amount of time evangelizing will let you know that not everyone receives the gospel message.
This leads us to the question why. Why do they reject the gospel? There are four conclusions. First, God doesn’t intend for everyone to be saved. We have already debunked that foolish conclusion. (II Peter 3:9). Second, the Holy Spirit is not brining conviction. Third, we are not being persuasive in our preaching. Fourth, they have a free will and therefore have the freedom reject the gospel.
We should not assume that every time the gospel is preached that the Holy Spirit will bring conviction. If we are not prayerfully prepared and are not in right relationship with God His anointing will not bless our preaching. However, if we are prayerfully and spiritually prepared we should absolutely expect the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to even the hardest of hearts every time the gospel is proclaimed.
However, the sinner is fully capable of rejecting the Holy Spirit. Stephen, while preaching to the leaders who falsely accused him said, “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.” (Acts 7:51). Stephen just gave a very clear presentation of the gospel and they rejected it. He then closed his message by letting them know that they weren’t just rejecting his message but God’s and that they were rejecting the Holy Spirit Himself.
As far as our persuasion goes, I have heard gospel presentations that were so jumbled and confusing I didn’t have a clue what the speaker was trying to get across so how would a biblically illiterate person with a hardened heart and death ear understand. I have also seen, and experienced, times where God blessed the effort despite our hodgepodge of confusion that was presented. That being said, we should always present the gospel in a way that is clear, thorough, and methodical.
However, we shouldn’t assume that a clear, thorough, and methodical effort of persuading one to come to Christ will always motivate the sinner to repent. Acts 28:23-24 says, “When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.” Paul spent all night going through the scriptures trying to persuade the Jewish leaders concerning Jesus. Paul was an expert in the Old Testament. If anyone could give a clear, thorough, and methodical presentation, it was Paul. However, the bible records, “Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.” Some were saved, while others rejected.
What we find here is that a clear presentation of the gospel can be give that is anointed by the Holy Spirit while the Holy Spirit is convicting the heart of the hearer and they can still reject Jesus. Jesus, who was in perfect harmony with the Spirit, and a master teacher, directly called the rich young ruler to follow Him. Jesus said, “Come, follow Me.” (Mark 10:21). Unfortunately, the rich young ruler rejected Jesus. If they can reject Jesus, the certainly can reject us.
This then leads us to one conclusion; the sinner has a free will to choose or reject the grace of God. Even if there is a clear and persuasive presentation of the gospel that is working in direct unison of the Holy Spirit, both anointing the message and convicting the sinner, the sinner has the freedom to still say no and turn away from the grace that is offered. Although it is clearly God’s will for all to come to repentance, it is in direct contrast to the character of God to assume that He will force His grace upon anyone. The grace is for the whosoever will, but God wants them to come in their own will by their own choice. He will not force them or manipulate them. Neither should we.
That being said we should never proclaim the gospel doubting its power to save or the influence of the work of the Spirit. We should never doubt God’s ability to pierce the hardest of hearts. More than likely we will never preach to a crowd more hostile than Peter preached to on the day of Pentecost. We should proclaim the gospel with full expectation that every hearer will accept the message presented and be surprised if they do not. We are not responsible for who receives the message and who doesn’t; they are. We are only responsible as to whether or not we are going to proclaim the gospel message, prayerfully prepared, and in faith that the Spirit of God is working in the heart of the hearer. God has given us the message, now we are responsible to share it. Rusty Kuhn
This leads us to the question why. Why do they reject the gospel? There are four conclusions. First, God doesn’t intend for everyone to be saved. We have already debunked that foolish conclusion. (II Peter 3:9). Second, the Holy Spirit is not brining conviction. Third, we are not being persuasive in our preaching. Fourth, they have a free will and therefore have the freedom reject the gospel.
We should not assume that every time the gospel is preached that the Holy Spirit will bring conviction. If we are not prayerfully prepared and are not in right relationship with God His anointing will not bless our preaching. However, if we are prayerfully and spiritually prepared we should absolutely expect the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to even the hardest of hearts every time the gospel is proclaimed.
However, the sinner is fully capable of rejecting the Holy Spirit. Stephen, while preaching to the leaders who falsely accused him said, “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.” (Acts 7:51). Stephen just gave a very clear presentation of the gospel and they rejected it. He then closed his message by letting them know that they weren’t just rejecting his message but God’s and that they were rejecting the Holy Spirit Himself.
As far as our persuasion goes, I have heard gospel presentations that were so jumbled and confusing I didn’t have a clue what the speaker was trying to get across so how would a biblically illiterate person with a hardened heart and death ear understand. I have also seen, and experienced, times where God blessed the effort despite our hodgepodge of confusion that was presented. That being said, we should always present the gospel in a way that is clear, thorough, and methodical.
However, we shouldn’t assume that a clear, thorough, and methodical effort of persuading one to come to Christ will always motivate the sinner to repent. Acts 28:23-24 says, “When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.” Paul spent all night going through the scriptures trying to persuade the Jewish leaders concerning Jesus. Paul was an expert in the Old Testament. If anyone could give a clear, thorough, and methodical presentation, it was Paul. However, the bible records, “Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.” Some were saved, while others rejected.
What we find here is that a clear presentation of the gospel can be give that is anointed by the Holy Spirit while the Holy Spirit is convicting the heart of the hearer and they can still reject Jesus. Jesus, who was in perfect harmony with the Spirit, and a master teacher, directly called the rich young ruler to follow Him. Jesus said, “Come, follow Me.” (Mark 10:21). Unfortunately, the rich young ruler rejected Jesus. If they can reject Jesus, the certainly can reject us.
This then leads us to one conclusion; the sinner has a free will to choose or reject the grace of God. Even if there is a clear and persuasive presentation of the gospel that is working in direct unison of the Holy Spirit, both anointing the message and convicting the sinner, the sinner has the freedom to still say no and turn away from the grace that is offered. Although it is clearly God’s will for all to come to repentance, it is in direct contrast to the character of God to assume that He will force His grace upon anyone. The grace is for the whosoever will, but God wants them to come in their own will by their own choice. He will not force them or manipulate them. Neither should we.
That being said we should never proclaim the gospel doubting its power to save or the influence of the work of the Spirit. We should never doubt God’s ability to pierce the hardest of hearts. More than likely we will never preach to a crowd more hostile than Peter preached to on the day of Pentecost. We should proclaim the gospel with full expectation that every hearer will accept the message presented and be surprised if they do not. We are not responsible for who receives the message and who doesn’t; they are. We are only responsible as to whether or not we are going to proclaim the gospel message, prayerfully prepared, and in faith that the Spirit of God is working in the heart of the hearer. God has given us the message, now we are responsible to share it. Rusty Kuhn
No comments have been added yet.
