Why Do Most People Reject the Gospel?

It can be disheartening to share the gospel since most people will reject it, but why do they turn away from Jesus Christ?

Don’t Take it Personally

It can be disheartening to share the gospel since most people will reject it, but why do they turn away from Jesus Christ? When God called the Old Testament prophets, He frequently told them that the people would not listen. That they would turn a deaf ear to their preaching for repentance, but they still had that calling. They didn’t take it personally, for the most part, because God told them ahead of time they would be persecuted for prophesying what God has said. You and I too will also be rejected by the majority of those we share Christ, but we can’t take it personally. Jesus promised every believer that “you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt 10:22). They hated Christ without a cause, being sinless, so how do you think they’ll treat us? If they persecuted the Lord, they will surely do the same to us, but for most of us, not to the point of death. Jesus reminds them and us that “if the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18).

The Sower

The Parable of the Sower gives us hints that most will reject the seed, which is the Word of God, but we are not told to make the seed grow. We are told to spread it far and wide wherever we go (Matt 28:18-20; 1:8). The Apostle Paul says of believers that “we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20). Whoever shares the gospel from the Bible, spreads the seed. The Late Dr. John MacArthur said, “The farmer plants the seed….and then goes to bed.” That is, we plant seeds, but “only God who gives the growth” (1 Cor 3:7b). The farmer can’t hold a rally, cheering on the seed, and if he tampers with the seed, he might stunt its growth or it might not grow at all. Let God’s Spirit do only what His Spirit can do and that is open hearts, like He did with Lydia’s heart. Paul simply planted the seed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but it was “The Lord [Who] opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14). Paul didn’t open Lydia’s heart. The Spirit did.

Hostile to God

It should not surprise us that we’re persecuted for our faith. The surprising thing would be if a professing believer was never, ever persecuted for their faith in Christ. They are either ashamed of the gospel or live so much like the world that they don’t even stand out like a believer should. Let us show kindness to sinners, for we too were once under God’s wrath, being blind to the truth and deaf the Spirit’s voice. So we are not better than others…we are just better off. God made the first move and loved us first (1 John 4:19) and quickened us to new life, formerly being dead in our sins (Eph 2:1-5). So have pity on the perishing. Care enough for people to share the gospel. Love them first as God did for us and as He did, make the first move.

Without God’s Spirit they cannot even know Christ, because “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot” (Rom 8:7). We surely wouldn’t scold a blind man for running into something; neither should we look down on sinners, but by God grace, we were once as they are now (1 Cor 6:11); the children of wrath, simply storing up wrath for the Great White Throne Judgment (Rom 2:15; Rev 20:12-15).

Cares of the World

Remember in the Parable of the Sower, only one in four of the seeds took root. And after we plant seeds, we can’t always stick around to see how it turns out. Our responsibility ends with spreading the seed and then praying for them. Jesus never crammed the gospel down anyone’s throat. After witnessing to a young, rich ruler, he went away because he had great wealth, but Jesus didn’t go running after him. Jesus tried to share the good news and He did plant a seed, but the riches of this world immediately chocked it out (Mark 4:19). And that still happens today. Wealth becomes their god as it provides for their every need, their future, and their security, but they don’t realize God may require their very soul tonight (Luke 12:20). Many are called but few are chosen (Matt 22:14).

Conclusion

It is not your responsibility to save anyone; it is their response to His ability, but it is our responsibility to sow the seed of God’s Word. If not you, who? Say as Isaiah the Prophet said when he “heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8).

I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.

Here is some related reading for you: I’m So Shy So How Can I Witness For Christ?

Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Tagged as: gospel, Parable of Sower, persecution, Witnessing