God's light - part 2

In part 1 of 'Gods light' the question was asked '...what happens to people who have never heard the Gospel?...

Now the question for part 2 is - why would someone who has heard the Gospel reject it and refuse the free gift of grace?

There is an free invitation that many people refuse; in fact the vast majority rejects it. Every single person that has lived or ever will live is welcome. This is God's invitation, to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Jesus made this possible, paying the price for your entrance here. God sincerely wants every one to attend His unending party in Heaven. 

2 Peter 3:9

'The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.'

God has shone His light and many have seen it very clearly - BUT sadly most people of the world love money and their possessions far more than ever wanting to think about following Jesus.  The lovers of the world live for fickle and meaningless things. So many people's minds are consumed with their car, or obsessed with getting a better job. Others worship their football team, or yearn for another weekend of excess of drinking and/or partying. 

The world is everything that this temporary life offers which draws us away from God: away from holy living, away from praying, away from living for Jesus and away from getting saved. 

Jeremiah 13:10

'These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them.'

It is tragic that the Word of God means so little to a great many people. They do not understand that God spoke the universe into existence and gave them life. Far to many people mock the Word of God or they chose to completely ignore It. The reality is that the world is our enemy. If we are friends of the world, then we are enemies of God!

James 4:4

'You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can't be a friend of God.'

Jesus is not asking us to completely give up the world to be saved, the world is wicked and no believer should be of the world. However, all that God requires for a person to be saved is simple faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour. Jesus tells us that a persons love of their worldly sins is why the unsaved person will not come to Him for salvation. The sinner has seen the light of God but would rather cling to the pleasures of the darkness.

John 3:20:

'Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed'.

God is clearly telling us that we need to get saved, and it is the pleasures of sin that is keeping us from coming to Christ. We need to forsake the world and come to Christ. When we surrender our lives to Jesus we will love Him and begin to hate the sins of the world. It is very true that, we as Christians, are to be in the world, but not of the world in our walk with the Lord.