Why Do People Reject the Gospel?
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14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.”
19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”
20 But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
21 But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.”
Last week we look at the path that leads to salvation that is so clearly laid out in vs. 14 and 15. This was following that beautiful invitation in vs 12 and 13
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
So ultimately, in its simplest form, it is the calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that saves a person.
Of course, Paul has made it clear that this calling that he refers to is a particular call of faith.
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Faith and calling on the name of the Lord are inseparable. One cannot call on the Lord in the sense that Paul means here with first believing in their heart. And one does not believe in their heart unless that faith is followed by crying out to Jesus as Lord.
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Faith must be followed by obedience. But what is that obedience?
in vs 3 of rom 10 Paul uses the word submit.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
The call that Paul refers to in vs 9 is a humbling of one’s self in submission to the truth of the gospel and yielding to Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour.
However, Paul tells us that this call of submission to Christ does not happen unless they first believe in Christ. But how can they believe in Christ if they have not heard His voice.
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
Or if the Greek is translated literally “how shall they believe in Him who they have not heard.” It is the voice of Christ that they must hear not just the message.
Or as Jesus put it.
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
So they hear believe and obey, submit, follow.
So how do people hear the voice of Christ today?
In Rom 10 Paul tells us that they hear the voice of Christ through the one who preaches.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
So Paul’s understanding is that when he preaches “be reconciled to God” that he is speaking on the behalf of Christ as though God were pleading to us through him.
So then if God sends preachers to speak on behalf of Christ so that people can hear the voice of Christ, believe in Him and submit to Him as Lord. If this is the process of salvation then why are so many not saved?
But They Have Not All Obeyed The Gospel
But They Have Not All Obeyed The Gospel
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
Paul quotes from Isa 53 which is one of the most clear and powerful prophecies of the messiah. It is a report or proclamation of the gospel.
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many For he shall bear their iniquities
He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sins of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah was sent and preached the Gospel. The voice of Christ was heard and yet he says “Lord who has believed our report?”
So Isaiah had the same problem that we see today, the same issue that Paul refers to in Rom 10. That even when the Gospel is proclaimed They do not all obey the gospel.
In the context of our passage Paul is referring specifically to Israel. Not all Israel has obeyed the gospel. But equally it can be said of all people because there are many that have not obeyed the gospel.
So why is that?
Have They Not Heard?
Have They Not Heard?
18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.”
Yes indeed!
So the issue is not that they have not heard
He quotes ps 19 here.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
This quote is clearly speaking of the general revelation of creation. But of course Israel had more than that, they also had the special revelation of the law and the prophets.
So Israel had heard and yet on the whole they still did not obey the gospel.
Why?
Is is because they do not know.
Do They Not Know?
Do They Not Know?
Paul answers the question of Israel’s unbelief by first quoting
21 They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.
God’s answer to Israel’s disobedience was to open His arms to the Gentiles “those who are not a nation” “a foolish nation”. In this way God intends to drive Israel to jealousy so that they will say “wait a minute that’s our God!” What an amazing thing that God has done! in order to turn Israel’s heart back to Him He has opened His arms to all people so that the glory of His grace might be know among all people.
Then Paul quotes from
1 “I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name.
2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts;
This passage in Isaiah describes the paradox of salvation those who did not seek God, found Him, Those who were God’s chosen people rejected Him.
This shows us that there is no such thing as a seeker.
11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
No one that find God does so because of their own initiative. It is God who calls out “Here am I, Here am I” He makes Himself known to us.
It also shows us God’s posture towards the world. He calls out here am I here am I and to Israel He stretches out His arms all day long, desiring that they come back to Him.
We can see in these verses a strong sense of human responsibility. As opposed to Rom 9 where we saw a strong revelation of the sovereignty of God. The Church has been divided over these doctrines for centuries. Some hold such a strong position on the sovereignty of God that they are void of any responsibility others put so much emphasis on human responsibility that they make out God to be impotent and unable to save anyone. Yet the Bible teaches both election as well as human responsibility. We feel we must chose one or the other because we cannot comprehend how God can be sovereign in election and still just to hold us accountable for our response to the gospel.
So in answer to the question “why do they not all obey the Gospel?” They have heard either by way of general revelation or special revelation. Do they not know? God has manifest Himself in the world he calls out here am I here am I. He stands with stretch out arms. So do you obey the Gospel? So, have you heard His voice? What will you do? will you submit to Christ surrender to Him or will you be stubborn and disobedient?