A statement often said: ‘If a person really understood the gospel, I don’t see how he could reject it.’ His point was that if we could just make the gospel absolutely clear, everyone would perforce accept it.

Our minister was then preaching a marvelous series of sermons from Romans, making clear the message of justification by faith, and the all-sufficiency of the cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We thought that if only this saving gospel of Romans 1:16 could be made just as clear to all men, every heart would joyfully receive the gospel.

What has become painfully clear to me is that, no matter how clearly the gospel is presented, men will reject it. That brings us to ask the question: Why will men not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved?

Of course there is one answer, and there are a hundred answers.

We are asking what is the precise perversity and blindness in sinful man which leads him to reject the gospel of Christ? Let the answer come in the words of Thomas Boston, the eighteenth-century Scottish divine. The following notes are taken from Boston’s sermon on Isaiah 61:1 (Works, vol. 9, pp. 540-541).

Thomas Boston states that man’s rejection of the gospel is traceable to certain sinful weaknesses. We shall quote Boston’s main analysis phrase by phrase and then add explanatory comments of our own.

1. ‘NO DUE SENSE OF SPIRITUAL WANTS’.

Proverbs 27:7: ‘The full soul loatheth the honeycombe’.

This is the old Laodicean sickness (Rev. 3:17). A man says, ‘I do not sense any great hurt or lack or failure in my life. I have a good education; I have achieved vocational success; my marriage and children are fine; my personal life is one of morality and integrity.

I have respect for the church, I believe in God, but I do not see any overwhelming need in my life — nothing that compels me to cry out to Jesus Christ to save me.’

This is the man who hears of the treasure hid in the field. He replies, ‘Yes, many people could really use that treasure, and I am sure they would find it good for them, but thank you anyway, I have enough treasure of my own.’

2. ‘NO TRUE SIGHT AND SENSE OF THEIR OWN SINFULNESS’.

He says, ‘I’m no angel, I’m not perfect, sure I’ve done wrong, call it sin if you like, but. . .’ There is always that ‘but’.

Many method booklets prescribe that we ask a question such as, ‘Do you admit you have sinned?’ The usual answer is, ‘Of course I do.’

There is always the crossed finger, or a qualification, though. ‘It depends on what you mean by sin; I am no serial killer. I was not in the Nazi party, I am not a pervert.

So if you mean, have I been less than I ought, yes. But if you mean that I am some sort of depraved person, then no. Certainly God and religion could make me a better person, and we all need that. But I do not consider myself a ruined sinner, with a corrupt life, whose only hope is in the mercy of God.’

3. ‘THEY DO NOT SEE THE CLOUDS OF WRATH WHICH ARE HANGING OVER THEIR HEADS’.

Our apprehension of our wretchedness is directly proportionate to our apprehension of the glory of God. The same ratio holds true for our sinfulness and God’s holiness.

What man comes before God as did the prophet Isaiah (chapter 6)? What man sees God as unapproachable, a consuming fire, a pure and utterly holy and excellent Being?

No, men have dealings with a ‘god’ who is much like themselves. How does a lost man react to Boston’s image of ‘clouds of wrath hanging above his head’? He replies, ‘Those are old-fashioned clouds and a new wind has blown them away.’

Now that those old clouds are gone, man imagines he can see God clearly. ‘He is a God who suits man’s self-indulgence, a God who is waiting to bless men in their sin.’ But such a view of God is drawn from man’s imagination.

4. ‘THEY ARE STRANGERS TO THEIR UTTER INABILITY TO HELP THEMSELVES’.

Many people have heard the basic gospel message, and it ends with, ‘Now here is what you must do. . .  Exercise simple faith. Raise your hand. Say yes.’ Most men say, ‘I understand the steps. Now I can take the final step to salvation as and when I please.’

That ‘step’ however, is about ten miles. Men think it is just that last little step, into the kingdom. That ‘final step’ is a giant step, an impossible step for man to take of himself.

Consider a man trapped in a burning house. He senses no dire need, because he is just one doorway from his drive and from safety. What he does not realize is that the door is locked and he has no key.

5. ‘THEY DO NOT FEEL THEIR NEED OF CHRIST’.

The natural man says, ‘I see that Christ could help me in many ways. I can see that his cross is the way for my sins to be forgiven.’

What he does not see, though, is his own need for Christ to save him. He does not painfully and sensibly ‘feel’ that he is lost, condemned and helpless before God.

He does not feel the horrible realization that if Jesus Christ does not do the saving work, he is going to an eternal hell of fire. He does not feel the desperate bondage in which his sins have chained him.

6. ‘THEY SEE NOT THEIR OWN UNWORTHINESS’.

Self-worth is the catchword of our day.

Allegedly, men need to have a good ‘self-image’, a positive ‘self-­concept’, a strong ‘self-affirmation’. That is what popular Christianity tells them.

It is the language of popular psychology, popular media talk and popular paperback books. In fact, today’s gospel goes so far as to say that a poor self-image is hurtful. It is keeping you from the fulness of God’s blessing.

The whole point of the gospel, so it is now said, is to give a good ‘self-worth’. Obviously, men do ‘not see their own unworthiness’. In fact, it would nowadays be deemed wrong to do so.

Boston puts it in this way: ‘They cannot see how the Lord can reject (them). The thought that God may rightfully reject me, the very idea that I am unworthy of God — that is said to be a harmful subject to broach with sinners.

7. ‘THEY HAVE NO ANXIETY FOR THE SUPPLY OF THEIR SOUL WANTS’.

Here are the foolish virgins, sleeping on through the night. Why do they sleep, when they know that the Bridegroom is coming? Because they have worn themselves out with the activities of the day.

They have been diligent, thoughtful and devoted to many things. They have built up their supplies of financial security, of pleasant housing, of physical fitness, of community standing, of family togetherness.

But what about their supply of ‘oil’? Time enough for that! They have felt no need to be anxious about the oil of grace which saves and supplies the soul. ‘God would not want us to be upset about religion or about spiritual matters. God does not lay a “guilt trap” on us. No, God wants us to be at peace.

He does not send nightmares or sleeplessness upon men. Surely spiritual anxiety could not be from God!’ With such language sinners deceive themselves and perish.

8. ‘THEY ARE NOT CONTENT WITH CHRIST BUT ON TERMS OF THEIR OWN MAKING’.

Here Boston, with great perception, exposes the sinner’s fatal mistake. Man realizes he needs the gospel, but he has set a limit on the price he is willing to pay.

If the asking price is too high, he will go without. Or else, he will look for a ‘Christ’ who is less demanding. If the demand of Christ is to pluck out the right eye, the price is too great.

Man will look around for a gospel which allows him to keep his ‘eye’ — and also his ‘right’ hand, lusts, and riches — and still go to heaven.

If the gate is too narrow, then widen the gate! The terms of the gospel are now set by men, not by Christ.

Stephen Charnock wrote, ‘The happiness the gospel proposeth is naturally desirable. . . but not the methods which God had ordained for the attainment.’

EXCUSES

Today people might say, “It’s not my fault if I don’t understand Jesus’ message!” They may have a variety of excuses:

• “It’s too difficult. I can’t grasp these abstract concepts.” Our responsibility is not to become theologians, just willing listeners.
• “I’m not old enough to make life-changing decisions.” But even children understand love, doing right, and spiritual authority.
• “I know too many ‘Christian’ phonies, jerks, and nerds.” The name “Christian” is used today by racist hate groups, political revolutionaries, and fraudulent money-making schemes. It’s sad that the name is detached so far and so often from the reality. But the reality is Jesus’ message, and that comes right from God to you, today, with life-changing power. Don’t fool with excuses. Embrace and receive Jesus’ message as the foundation of your life.

Bruce B. Barton, Matthew, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996), 264.

Other thoughts

1) The gospel doesn’t fit their plausibility structure

Plausibility structures “are accepted beliefs, convictions, and understandings that either green-light truth claims as plausible or red-light them as implausible.” (41)

For example, most would red-light a claim of a UFO landing as implausible. Although Christians would green-light the truth claim of Jesus rising from the dead as plausible, such a claim may not fit into a non-Christian’s plausibility structure.

Chan explains how community, experience, and facts and evidence build such structures. And if the gospel doesn’t connect with these three buckets, people will often reject it.

2) Christians haven’t looked for common ground

When the apostles evangelized, they looked for some common ground that both they and their audiences already held to be true as an introduction to sharing the gospel. Chan writes: For a Jewish audience, that common ground was Scripture. But for a gentile audience, unfamiliar with Scripture, the common ground was God’s common grace, general revelation, universal human desires, and their cultural authors. (67)

This isn’t to say Christians shouldn’t use Scripture when presenting the gospel; we just don’t have to begin there. Instead, common ground is key to ensuring someone doesn’t reject the gospel outright.

3) They don’t understand sin and guilt

Though sin has a prominent place in gospel presentations, our culture doesn’t understand the main model we use to describe it: the guilt model of sin. Instead of guilt, “shame is becoming more prominent in our postmodern society.” (78) We need to leverage this insight when we share the gospel.

Chan has switched from using guilt language to shame language when he presents the gospel: “I’ve been using the language of shame—we have ‘shamed God,’ we have ‘not been honoring God’—and the room is silent. All eyes are on me. They get it. It’s personal.” (79)

If we don’t make the switch, people may reject the gospel because they don’t understand sin.

4) Their questions aren’t answered

In the 1980s, Chan grew skillful at answering tough questions about his faith. Soon he shared his strategies in church talks to help Christians answer tough questions like “How do you know there’s a God?” or “How do you know there’s life after death?”

But in the 2000s he gave the same talk at a youth conference, and the audience was neither impressed nor persuaded by his answers. What happened?

“I found out that they weren’t even asking—or being asked—the tough questions that I was answering. They had a new set of questions. And they wanted a new set of answers.” (102) When people reject the gospel, often we’re either answering questions they aren’t asking or not answering the ones they are.

5) Ethics are a barrier to belief

“When our non-Christian friends think of Christianity,” Chan reveals, “they don’t think of good news, salvation, forgiveness, restoration, justice, mercy, or love. Instead, they think of hate, fear, power, and violence.” (115) For a variety of reasons, they think Christians are unethical.

However, non-Christians consider their stances as ethical because they empower, liberate, and restore justice to the marginalized. Their ethics are about choice, equality, rights, or justice.

“In postmodernity, Christians are viewed as the oppressors and haters while non-Christians are viewed as the ones on the side of love, justice, and mercy.” (115)

In other words, we have an image problem, and people often reject the gospel because of it.

6) The gospel isn’t real in Christians’ lives

In past generations, the first question people asked was, “Is it true?” Now, another question is all that matters: “Is it real in your life?” In other words, do we walk the walk and talk the talk?

This should lead us to think about how we evangelize to our postmodern friends in a way that communicates authenticity. While the gospel is something we speak, words that communicate God’s truth, there is also a sense in which we ourselves are a component of how the message is communicated. (116)

When we speak words of truth, they must be embodied, and in love, so that it is real in our lives. According to 1 Thessalonians 1:5, the Thessalonians didn’t just believe the gospel to be true, they saw it was real by Paul’s authentic living. Similarly, people will reject the gospel if it isn’t real in our lives.

7) Wrong evangelistic pedagogical methods 

Evangelism in this postmodern day requires a lifestyle change when it comes to our pedagogy. Chan explains:

With moderns, we used to employ this logic:

Truth, Belief, Praxis

• This is true.
• If it’s true, then you must believe it.
• If you believe it, now you must live it.

But with postmoderns, I believe a better pedagogical sequence is:

Praxis, Belief, Truth

• The Christian life is livable.
• If it’s livable then it’s also believable.
• If it’s believable, then it’s also true. (125)

When our non-Christian friends see how the Christian life works they will discover it is livable, leading to believability. “And if they see that, they might also acknowledge that it’s true” (125).

This kind of pedagogical method is key to helping people embrace the gospel.

8) Culture’s existential cry goes unanswered

The gospel isn’t merely a set of propositional truths about Jesus.

It answers the existential cry of culture, and we need to “speak to the audience in their culture, using the language, idioms, and metaphors of their ‘cultural text.’” (158)

As an example of such ‘texts,’ consider the cultural phenomenon of serving drinks in cafés using Mason jars. Chan explains: The message of the Mason jar is that we need to be connected to a transcendent, grander narrative. God sends us his Son, Jesus, to offer us a grander narrative. If we connect ourselves with Jesus, then Jesus will connect us with God’s story, history, and tradition. With Jesus, we will find the transcendent narrative that we’ve been longing for. (166)

If we don’t connect the good news of the gospel to the existential cry of culture, people will often reject it.

9) Christians try to win the mind before emotions

If tomorrow you woke to the headline, “The Bones of Jesus Have Been Discovered!” would you believe it and leave behind your faith in Christ’s resurrection? Probably not. Why? “Because we have prior truth commitments that override what we are hearing and seeing.” (248)

Chan explains the point of this thought experiment: It’s to show…exactly what it’s like when we present facts, evidence, and data to our non-Christian friends about Jesus’ resurrection. It’s no different for them. When they hear us talk about Jesus and the resurrection and our belief in God and the Bible, we are announcing what is contrary to fact for them. (248)

Which is why “we need to win over the emotions before we win over the mind.” (248) When we win over emotions, the door is open to short-circuit prior truth commitments.

10) Prior beliefs aren’t adequately dismantled

After establishing common ground, we need to use reasoning and evidence to dismantle a nonbeliever’s presuppositions using a method to answer today’s defeater beliefs:

• Resonate: Describe, understand, and empathize with their presuppositions.
• Dismantle: Show a deficiency or dissonance in their presuppositions.
• Gospel: Complete their cultural storyline with the gospel.

Unless we can dismantle someone’s faulty worldview and present the Christian worldview as an attractive alternative, they may reject the gospel.

TRAGEDY OF EVIL

Followers of Jesus do not fear God’s final judgment, but we must respond to it with

• tears, for the separation and suffering that will fall upon evildoers. We must never gloat over or feel indifferent to the fate of those facing judgment. God mourns over lost souls, and so should we.
• sharing the gospel, since many need to hear and all who respond in faith will be saved from judgment. Christians ought to always be witnessing people.
• lifelong service, because no matter what your job, profession, or education, all you do should be dedicated to God. God uses your work to advance his kingdom and overcome evil.