What's Up With The Spiritual Condition Of Those Who Reject Christ, His People, and His Church?
Sup with their dark evil opposition to God's holy light?
A sober Christian theology must hold two truths together without compromise: God is love, and God is holy. The cross of Christ reveals both perfectly. Because of the cross, there is mercy offered freely; because of God’s holiness, there remains real wrath toward persistent unbelief. Scripture never softens this tension. It deepens it.
Qs: Remember how patient God was in Egypt? Remember all the plagues on hard-hearted Pharaoh in Egypt to teach him and give him a chance to repent? Remember that last one that was very tough, but it brought the result needed - freedom for those believers in God who had long been abused. God hasn't changed any -- He's still the same.
I. What Unbelieving Sinners Actually Reject
From a biblical standpoint, those who reject Christ are not merely declining a religious option; they are rejecting a constellation of divine realities:
-
The Person of Christ Himself
-
John 3:18 — “He who does not believe is condemned already.”
-
John 5:40 — “You refuse to come to Me that you may have life.”
-
-
The Authority of God’s Word
-
1 Thessalonians 4:8 — Rejecting this instruction is rejecting God.
-
Luke 10:16 — “The one who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”
-
-
The Witness of the Holy Spirit
-
John 16:8–9 — The Spirit convicts of sin and unbelief.
-
Acts 7:51 — “You always resist the Holy Spirit.”
-
-
The Light of Truth
-
John 3:19–20 — Men loved darkness rather than light.
-
2 Thessalonians 2:10 — They refused to love the truth and be saved.
-
-
The People of God (Christians)
-
John 15:18–19 — The world hates believers because it first hated Christ.
-
1 John 3:13 — “Do not be surprised… that the world hates you.”
-
-
The Fellowship and Discipline of the Church
-
Hebrews 10:24–29 — Rejecting the gathered church insults the Spirit of grace.
-
Matthew 18:17 — Refusal to listen to the church marks spiritual hardness.
-
-
The Call to Repentance and Holiness
-
Luke 13:3 — “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
-
Romans 2:4–5 — Hardness stores up wrath.
-
II. What They Experience in This Life (Biblically)
Scripture does not merely warn of future judgment; it describes present consequences that unfold even before the final day.
1. Judicial Hardening of the Heart
-
Romans 1:24, 26, 28 — “God gave them over…”
-
John 12:37–40 — Persistent unbelief leads to spiritual blindness.
Meaning: God does not create unbelief, but He may withdraw restraining grace, allowing sinners to experience the full trajectory of their rebellion.
2. Moral and Intellectual Darkness
-
Ephesians 4:17–19 — Darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God.
-
1 Corinthians 2:14 — The natural person cannot accept spiritual truth.
3. Inner Restlessness and Lack of Peace
-
Isaiah 57:20–21 — “The wicked are like the tossing sea… there is no peace.”
-
Proverbs 4:16–19 — Darkness marks the path of the wicked.
4. Enslavement to Sin
-
John 8:34 — “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.”
-
2 Peter 2:19 — “By what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.”
5. Divine Discipline and Temporal Judgments
-
Psalm 7:11 — “God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.”
-
Acts 12:23 — Herod struck down for rejecting God’s glory.
-
1 Corinthians 11:30 — Weakness, sickness, even death as a temporal discipline.
6. Social and Relational Breakdown
-
Romans 1:28–32 — A catalogue of societal decay rooted in God-rejection.
-
Proverbs 13:15 — “The way of the treacherous is their ruin.”
7. Exposure to Deception
-
2 Thessalonians 2:11 — God sends a strong delusion upon persistent rejecters of truth.
-
1 Timothy 4:1 — Doctrines of demons deceive those who depart from faith.
III. What Awaits in the Next Life
1. Final Judgment Before Christ
-
Hebrews 9:27 — “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”
-
Revelation 20:11–15 — The Great White Throne judgment.
2. Eternal Separation From God
-
2 Thessalonians 1:8–9 — Eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord.
-
Matthew 7:23 — “I never knew you; depart from Me.”
3. Conscious Accountability
-
Luke 16:23–28 — The rich man aware, remembering, and regretting.
-
Matthew 13:41–42 — Weeping and gnashing of teeth.
4. Degrees of Judgment Based on Light Rejected
-
Luke 12:47–48 — Greater knowledge brings greater accountability.
-
Matthew 11:20–24 — Harsher judgment for those who saw Christ’s works yet rejected Him.
IV. Was Jonathan Edwards Biblically Accurate?
The sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards emphasized God’s wrath toward unrepentant sinners. His central thesis was deeply biblical: God’s holiness burns against sin while His mercy restrains immediate judgment.
Scriptural foundations for Edwards’ emphasis include:
-
Psalm 7:11 — God is angry with the wicked every day.
-
Nahum 1:2–3 — The Lord is jealous and avenging, yet slow to anger.
-
Romans 1:18 — The wrath of God is revealed against ungodliness.
Edwards did not deny God’s love; he stressed the urgency of fleeing to Christ because wrath is real for those outside Him.
V. Is God Angry With Believers?
A careful theological distinction is essential.
1. For Those in Christ
-
Romans 5:1 — Justified believers have peace with God.
-
Romans 8:1 — No condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
God’s wrath toward believers was satisfied fully at the cross (Isaiah 53:5–6).
2. For Unrepentant Sinners
-
John 3:36 — “The wrath of God remains on him.”
-
Ephesians 5:6 — The wrath of God comes upon sons of disobedience.
Thus, God’s anger is not arbitrary rage but holy opposition to ongoing rebellion.
VI. A Comprehensive List of Biblical Passages on Persistent Rejection
A. Old Testament
-
Proverbs 1:24–31 — Refusal of wisdom leads to calamity.
-
Psalm 2:1–12 — Kings who reject the Son perish in the way.
-
Isaiah 65:12 — Judgment for those who refuse God’s call.
-
Jeremiah 7:24–26 — Stubborn hearts refusing to listen.
-
Malachi 1:2–4 — Contempt toward God’s love invites judgment.
B. Gospels
-
Matthew 23:37–38 — Jerusalem unwilling, house left desolate.
-
John 8:24 — “You will die in your sins unless you believe.”
-
Luke 19:41–44 — Judgment because they did not recognize visitation.
C. Acts
-
Acts 13:46 — Those who reject the word judge themselves unworthy of eternal life.
-
Acts 28:26–27 — Hearing but not understanding due to hardened hearts.
D. Epistles
-
Romans 2:5 — Storing up wrath for the day of wrath.
-
Hebrews 2:3 — “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”
-
Hebrews 10:26–31 — Terrifying expectation of judgment for willful rejection.
E. Revelation
-
Revelation 6:15–17 — The unrepentant hide from the wrath of the Lamb.
-
Revelation 21:8 — Final destiny of the unbelieving.
VII. A Balanced Evangelical Synthesis
The great evangelical voices—Billy Graham, John MacArthur, and Greg Laurie—have consistently affirmed:
-
God’s wrath is real and holy, not capricious.
-
The cross fully satisfies wrath for those who believe.
-
Persistent rejection leaves a person under present and future judgment.
-
God’s desire is salvation, not condemnation (1 Timothy 2:4; Ezekiel 33:11).
VIII. Final Theological Reflection
From a Christian philosophical perspective, the tragedy of rejecting Christ is not merely future hell but present alienation from the very Source of life. Hell begins in seed form whenever the heart persistently says, “I will not have this Man reign over me” (Luke 19:14). Conversely, grace begins the moment a sinner turns and says, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner” (Luke 18:13).
Thus Scripture presents a solemn yet hope-filled truth:
God’s wrath is real, His patience is long, His warnings are loving, and His invitation still stands — “Whoever comes to Me I will never cast out” (John 6:37).
When God seems pretty nice, kindhearted and way more patient than you are.. then realize that He really is that way.
When God Seems “Far Too Patient” With The Rebellious Folk, You Can Pray What Is Totally Appropriate For Them.
From a biblical perspective, God’s apparent patience toward rebellious, idolatrous, and parent-dishonoring children is not indifference, weakness, or approval; it is long-suffering mercy mingled with restrained justice, designed to give space for repentance while simultaneously storing up righteous judgment if they persist in hardness.
1. God’s Patience Is Meant to Lead to Repentance, Not Excuse Sin
-
Romans 2:4–5 — “Do you presume on the riches of His kindness… not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath.”
-
2 Peter 3:9 — “The Lord is patient… not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
-
Ecclesiastes 8:11 — When judgment is delayed, sinners may think evil is safe, but the delay is mercy, not approval.
God often withholds immediate judgment so that even the most hardened child might yet awaken and turn.
2. Scripture Directly Condemns Their Specific Sins
Blocking grandchildren from Christ and His church
-
Matthew 18:6 — Whoever causes little ones who believe to stumble faces severe judgment.
-
Mark 9:42 — Better to have a millstone than to lead children away from faith.
Hatred and mistreatment of elderly parents
-
Exodus 20:12 — Honor your father and mother.
-
Proverbs 20:20 — Cursing parents leads to darkness.
-
2 Timothy 3:2–3 — In the last days people will be “disobedient to parents… without love.”
Idolatry and love of money
-
1 Timothy 6:9–10 — The love of money plunges people into ruin and destruction.
-
Colossians 3:5 — Greed is idolatry.
These are not minor flaws; Scripture treats them as grave covenant violations.
3. Why God May Appear Gentle With Them Now
Biblically, several reasons explain this seeming restraint:
A. God Is Gathering Witness Against Them
-
Luke 12:47–48 — Greater knowledge brings greater accountability.
-
Hebrews 10:29 — Trampling Christ underfoot brings severe judgment.
B. God Often Delays Judgment to Display Justice More Clearly
-
Genesis 15:16 — God waits until iniquity is full.
-
Nahum 1:3 — “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will by no means clear the guilty.”
C. Their Present Prosperity May Be a Test, Not a Blessing
-
Psalm 73:3–18 — The wicked prosper until sudden ruin.
-
Proverbs 16:4 — Even the wicked are reserved for the day of trouble.
D. God’s Patience Intensifies Final Accountability
-
John 3:36 — The wrath of God remains on the unbeliever.
-
Hebrews 9:27 — After death comes judgment.
4. How God Deals With Such People in This Life
-
He gives them over to the consequences of their own desires (Romans 1:24–28).
-
He exposes their idols and emptiness (Ecclesiastes 5:10).
-
He allows relational breakdown as discipline (Galatians 6:7–8).
-
He sometimes brings temporal judgments meant to awaken repentance (Revelation 9:20–21).
Yet even these severe mercies are invitations, not final sentences.
5. What Awaits If They Persist Unrepentant
-
Matthew 7:23 — “I never knew you; depart from Me.”
-
2 Thessalonians 1:8–9 — Eternal destruction away from the Lord’s presence.
-
Revelation 21:8 — The unbelieving face final judgment.
God’s patience does not cancel His justice; it delays it for redemptive purposes.
Final Biblical Reflection
When God seems “too nice,” Scripture teaches that His patience is actually the most fearful mercy, because every ignored warning deepens accountability. As Augustine observed, “God’s patience waits, but His justice does not sleep.” And Jonathan Edwards warned that the same hand that now holds sinners over the pit is the hand that presently restrains judgment out of mercy.
Therefore, the cross proves God is not soft toward sin; it proves He poured out wrath fully on Christ for all who believe (Isaiah 53:5–6; Romans 3:25–26). For those who reject that sacrifice, the patience of God is not approval but a solemn window of grace before the day when every heart, every motive, and every act toward parents, children, and Christ Himself will be weighed by the perfectly righteous Judge (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 14:10–12).
I am so sorry you are carrying this grief; Scripture never treats the pain of rejected parents lightly, and the Lord sees both the injustice and the tears (Psalm 56:8; Malachi 3:16).
How Will They Ever Learn to Do What Is Right?
Biblically, God has several ways He teaches stubborn, self-assured adult children, even when they misuse common grace and seem untouched by consequences.
1. Through the Limits of Common Grace
Common grace gives health, provision, and success even to the ungrateful (Matthew 5:45), yet it is not approval. It is meant to lead to repentance, not to confirm rebellion.
-
Romans 2:4–5 — God’s kindness is meant to lead to repentance, but hardness stores up wrath.
-
Ecclesiastes 5:10 — The lover of money is never satisfied.
Over time, idols expose their emptiness; prosperity cannot quiet a guilty conscience forever.
2. Through the Consequences They Cannot Ultimately Control
God often teaches through the harvest of one’s own sowing.
-
Galatians 6:7–8 — “Whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
-
Proverbs 22:8 — He who sows injustice reaps calamity.
Using children as weapons, dishonoring parents, and blocking the gospel are seeds that bear painful fruit unless repentance intervenes.
3. Through Conviction, They Cannot Escape
Even when outwardly confident, inward conviction can persist.
-
John 16:8 — The Spirit convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment.
-
Psalm 32:3–4 — Unconfessed sin produces inner heaviness and unrest.
Their arrogance may actually be a shield against the quiet voice of conscience.
4. Through God’s Fatherly Discipline (If They Are True Believers)
If they truly belong to Christ, God will not let them remain comfortable in hardened sin.
-
Hebrews 12:6–8 — The Lord disciplines those He loves.
If they are not believers, their continued resistance places them under ongoing accountability before God (John 3:36).
5. Through the Witness of Suffering, Faithful Parents
Often God teaches rebellious children not by crushing them immediately, but by letting them see patient, Christlike endurance in those they wound.
-
Romans 12:19–21 — Leave room for God’s wrath; overcome evil with good.
-
1 Peter 2:23 — Christ entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
Your restrained love, though deeply painful, becomes a living testimony they cannot easily dismiss.
Why Does God Seem “Nicer” to Them Than to You?
This question echoes throughout Scripture, especially in Psalm 73. The psalmist grieved that the arrogant prospered while the faithful suffered—until he saw their end and understood God’s perspective.
-
Psalm 73:3–5, 16–19 — The wicked may seem secure, yet their stability is temporary.
-
Job 21:7 — Even Job observed that the wicked sometimes live long and prosper.
God’s patience toward them is not favoritism; it is long-suffering mercy giving opportunity for repentance while simultaneously allowing the weight of their choices to mature into conviction or judgment.
As Billy Graham often said, “God’s mercy delays His judgment, but it never cancels His justice.”
When They Weaponize Grandchildren and Block the Gospel
Scripture speaks directly to the gravity of this behavior.
-
Matthew 18:6 — Causing little ones to stumble brings severe warning.
-
Mark 10:14 — Jesus rebuked those who hindered children from coming to Him.
-
Exodus 20:12 — Dishonoring parents violates God’s moral law.
-
2 Timothy 3:1–4 — The Last Days will be marked by people who are disobedient to parents and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.
Blocking children from Christ is not a small matter; it places them under serious spiritual accountability before God.
How Will They Ultimately Learn?
Biblically, learning righteousness comes through one of three God-ordained paths:
-
Repentance through conviction (Luke 15:17–20 — the prodigal “came to himself”).
-
Chastening consequences that expose the futility of sin (Proverbs 19:29).
-
Final judgment if repentance never comes (Hebrews 9:27).
You cannot force any of these outcomes. Only God can open blind eyes (2 Corinthians 4:4–6). But Scripture assures that no act of injustice, especially against parents and children’s spiritual welfare, escapes His notice (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
A Final Biblical Word for Hurting Christian Parents
When it feels as though God is gentler with the rebellious than with the faithful, remember this: the cross proves God’s justice and mercy meet perfectly. He may allow rebellious children to walk a longer road, but He is not indifferent to your suffering nor blind to their sin.
-
Psalm 27:10 — “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.”
-
Isaiah 49:15–16 — God does not forget His children; they are engraved on His hands.
-
Luke 18:7–8 — God will bring justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night.
As John MacArthur has often emphasized, God’s patience is never permissiveness; it is purposeful, giving time either for repentance or for the full revelation of His righteous judgment.
So how will they learn? Ultimately, they will learn through the relentless faithfulness of God—either His mercy that breaks their pride, or His justice that exposes their rebellion. Your calling is not to control their awakening, but to remain steadfast in prayer, truth, and Christlike love, trusting that the Judge of all the earth will do right (Genesis 18:25).
Yes, something like that can happen, and Acts 9:3–5 shows that when Jesus Christ confronted Apostle Paul, He revealed that persecuting believers is personally wounding to Him, because the church is His body (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Scripture gives hope that God can sovereignly interrupt even the hardest heart—sometimes suddenly, sometimes through mounting conviction and consequences (Acts 26:14; John 16:8)—so it is fully biblical to pray, “Lord, stop them, humble them, and open their eyes.”
Yet we also trust His wisdom in how He does it, knowing that the same Lord who knocked Paul down first also showed him mercy so he could see, repent, and believe (1 Timothy 1:13–16).
