Why do people reject Jesus? That’s a question those of us who truly love and adore Him ask. The first type of person I’m going to spend time writing about is “The Religious Person.”
These aren’t easy words to talk about, teach or explain – but they are words of Truth. When I say “religious people,” I am speaking about people who hide behind religious masks. They may be church goers, they may be pious, they may say they love God, and give all the outward appearances of being godly and holy. Beware of these people… it’s just an act. Like I said, it’s hard to address- but IT WILL be addressed. Bottom line is… religious people hate God. Oh they may love the God they’ve created, but they hate the God of the Bible. How were you treated by religious people when you told them you were born-again, and started to testify about Jesus and proclaim His truth? I bet just like me, you got shot down, and weren’t met with much enthusiasm! Hate is a very strong word, I know, but let me point to scripture…
“God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for their sins will be exposed. “ John 3:19
Religious people are threatened by Jesus. Just look what happened when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Look at how the religious people responded…
Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. ‘What are we going to do?’ They asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him.” John 11: 47-48
These eyewitnesses not only rejected Jesus, they plotted His murder. They were so hardened that they preferred to reject God’s Son rather to admit they were wrong. Beware of pride, jealousy, and envy—it can lead one into enormous sin. Jesus exposed them for who they truly were…
“Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”
“Our father is Abraham!” they declared.
“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. No, you are imitating your real father.”
They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true father.”
Jesus told them, “If God were your father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the word of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God” John 8:37-47
Let me end today with this… Your church membership and family connections will not make you a true child of God. The actions and attitudes of these Pharisees and other religious people of Jesus’ day or even today, clearly identified (or identifies) them as followers of Satan. They might have not been (or are not) conscious of this, but their hatred of truth, their lies, and their murderous intentions indicated how much control the devil had over them. Oh yes, Satan still uses people to obstruct God’s work.
Many times, Jesus intentionally challenged His listeners to test Him. He welcomed those who wanted to question His claims and character as long as they were willing to follow through with what they discovered. Jesus’ challenge clarifies the two most frequent reasons people miss when encountering Him: (1) They never accept His challenge to test Him (2) they test Him but are not willing to believe what they discover. Have you made either of those mistakes?
