Question:  Why won’t my unsaved loved ones accept Christ?  I’ve shared the Gospel with them many times over the years!

Answer:  Ultimately, it’s God’s Holy Spirit who convicts the hearts of the unsaved.  As Believers, God wants us to share the Gospel. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus says,  “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (NKJV)  This is referred to as the Great Commission.  While we cannot force people to accept Jesus as their Savior, we are to share the Gospel, pray for the salvation of others, and live our lives to please the Lord. People should be able to see God’s love in us!

As we do these things, we will observe that there are several reasons people reject God’s truths. One reason is just not believing God exists.  These people are known as atheists.  They may put more trust in their own intellectual abilities and “reason” that it isn’t logical that God exists.  To them, Christians and other people of faith are simply following after fairy tales.  But, God’s Word says in Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.”  Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…”

Another reason some people won’t accept the truth of the Gospel is that they mainly see God as a type of Santa Claus.  Instead of  accepting that we are all sinners in need of Jesus Christ as our Savior, they seek after God only if they want something.  They’ll even try to bargain with God, promising to be good if He’ll only grant their wish.  Once this need is over, these people no longer seek an active relationship with God in their lives.

Still another reason some people reject the truth of the Gospel is that they think everybody’s god is the same, so every “good-hearted” person is going to Heaven. But, they are wrong.  In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  The Bible tells us that our sins separate us from a Holy God. But, because of God’s love for us, He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to take the punishment we deserve.  He rose to life again on the third day proving that God had accepted His sacrifice.  If you don’t believe that Jesus died for you, don’t ask forgiveness for your sins, and don’t turn from those sins, the Bible says you will not go to Heaven.

Of course, people reject Jesus Christ for other reasons as well.  Many people just don’t want to stop embracing and encouraging sin.  They don’t even want to hear you talk about God’s Word.  Many today are regularly trying to “shut up” Believers from even mentioning Jesus in public gatherings.  The truth is, they know deep in their heart that God’s Word is powerful!  God’s Word will pierce hearts and change lives.  And above all, they know that when  Believers follow the Great Commission, people will be drawn from all over the world to accept the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ!

Recently, famous race car driver Darrell Waltrip spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast about how he came to accept this great gift.  See it here: http://youtu.be/JIewYyFXWp8

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