IGT

The Sin of Rejecting Jesus?

“The sin of rejecting Jesus.” The wrong interpretation of this statement has truly done much damage to the cause of the gospel. Read Ray Comfort's explanation by clicking on the following link.

Ray Comfort - (https://www.livingwaters.com/the-sin-of-rejecting-jesus/)

After Jesus was risen from the grave, He appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He then told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned (Mark 16:15,16).”

“Anyone who believes will be saved.” Doesn’t this statement contradict Ray’s point? Not really. What are they believing in? What is the Good News? Have you ever shouted those words to someone or a group of people, before providing the explanation? Of course, most of us have done that at some point. “Hey everyone! Good News! Blah blah blah….”, as you continue on with the explanation of just what the good news entails. We are to go unto all the world and preach the Good News. Usually, when someone is shouting Good News, there is apparently bad events already occurring that would make the announcement of “Good News” a welcome event. In the case of spreading the Gospel to the whole world, what would already be happening that is so bad?

Sin. Hell is being populated with those who are guilty of transgressing God’s Law. But how can they break the Law of God when they may not even know God? Deep within all who have ever lived, God has placed His Moral Law. People from every culture around the world know that it is wrong to kill, lie, steal, etc. Yet, even with that knowledge, we all have broken those moral laws and have sinned. As the Bible shows us in Romans 3:9-19, below, we are all sinners and are all guilty of breaking God’s Law:

…for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say, No one is righteous - not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies. Snake venom drips from their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. They rush to commit murder. Destruction and misery always follow them. They don’t know where to find peace. They have no fear of God at all.

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are (Romans 3:9-19).

As you can see, all the world is already of guilty of sin, regardless of whether they have ever heard of Jesus or not. Therefore, all are already condemned for their actions. It is an inevitable outcome – for all to face God on Judgment Day with no excuses regarding their acts of sin. They were choices all people willingly made, since deep down, they knew it was wrong, yet did them anyway. So, since the whole world is guilty of sin and awaiting judgment by God with a fiery ending as the only outcome, what could possibly be the Good News that Christians are loudly shouting to them?

Well, there is a way to be free from the ultimate condemnation of sin, of facing judgment and Hell! If people truly believed that they were facing judgment and eternal punishment in Hell for their crimes of transgressing the Law of God, then anyone shouting “Good News, you can all be saved!” would be the Greatest News of all time. So, what is the Good News? God sent His Son, Jesus, to receive upon Himself the punishment of sin for all of mankind, therefore, freeing us all from the penalty of sin. To be facing a death sentence and then to have someone step up and say, “I got you covered.” would be the best news ever. That is precisely what Jesus did approximately 2000 years ago. That is why we need to tell those who have never heard of Jesus about what He has done for them. Those who never hear of Jesus are not condemned for their rejection of Him, for how can they reject someone they have never heard of? Yet, without being told of His great sacrifice for them, they can never know of His way of escape for them. They are guilty people in need of a Savior and if they are never told of Him, they are, unfortunately, still guilty of sin and still condemned.

Faith in Jesus unto Salvation from Sin – to be Made Right in His Sight, Never to Face Judgment:

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law (Romans 3:21-31).

Of course, Christians can shout “Good News” until they are blue in the face, but if people ignore or reject the notion of placing their faith in Jesus who died for their sins, then their rejection is unfortunate. They could have been saved by their acceptance of Jesus, but their unbelief kept them from enjoying an eternity in Heaven. They, therefore, are choosing to remain under condemnation for their own sin. Their rejection of Jesus means that the condemnation for their sin remains upon them. However, the resulting judgment and eternal damnation is the direct result of the sin itself that has not been covered and already paid for by His blood.

When sin is the reason for condemnation and not the rejection of Jesus, then judgment makes sense. That future judgment of all sinners becomes an event that displays the true justice of God. It would make no sense to solely condemn a person for their unbelief in a “Jesus” they have never even heard of. Condemnation is all about sin. God will punish sin wherever it is found. If, at the time of the final judgment, there is sin remaining in anyone’s life that has not been covered by the blood of Jesus’ sin debt payment, then justice will be served. Sin, any sin, is so awful when compared to the complete and utter Righteousness of God that if a person is found guilty (because they had not accepted, by faith, Jesus as their Savior; having their sins covered by His blood; being cloaked in His Righteousness; thereby, having their names placed into the Book of life), then they will be sentenced and cast into the lake of fire. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).

People will not willingly walk themselves into the Lake of Fire. Sure, all will realize that it is what they deserve, because of their sin crimes, but walking into it is another matter entirely. No, they will be cast into it. The definition of the word “cast” is: To throw something forcefully in a specified direction. Convicted murderers are cast into jail. When leaving the courtroom, they don’t normally say to themselves, “I am guilty. I will just walk my way over to the jail cell and maybe I’ll just head on over to and climb into the electric chair while I am at it.” No, a judge, after pronouncing a righteous judgment upon them, directs that person to be cast into jail or sent to the electric chair. Of course, it is their sin that convicts them, but it is the judge, after pronouncing a righteous judgment, who sends them to their punishment.

Too many confusingly convey the misunderstanding that it is the rejection of Jesus alone that results in this death sentence. Convey instead that judgment and eternal damnation is the direct result of the sin itself that has not been covered and already paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. Either scenario of, never knowing of Jesus or the direct rejection of Jesus, means that the condemnation for their sin remains upon them. Therefore, explain to people about the consequences of the sin in their lives and about the Good News of Jesus Christ’s sin debt payment – so that as many as possible will be saved from the coming judgment.

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