GOD HAS US HERE TO MINISTER RECONCILIATION TO AN UNBELIEVING WORLD… BUT… – 2Cor.5:19

We who are spiritual, we who have been born of the Spirit of God as Jesus said in John3:4-6, when we meet someone new we want to know if they know Jesus. At least that is the first thing that comes to mind for me when meeting someone I know nothing about.

Because the love of God in us compels us to love others. This is why we witness to them. So that they too can have the love, joy, and peace that passes understanding inherent in eternal life that God has given us. And the assurance of immortality at the resurrection.

So my first instinct is to ask some things about them that will indicate for me where they are with Jesus. Have they trusted in Him? Or have they rejected Him? Or have they no knowledge whatsoever about what it means to be saved? Or, and this can be the worst possible scenario for them, have they accepted a false gospel?

Once I have that information I will attempt to steer the conversation in a direction that will open a way to share Jesus with them. How much He loves them. And why they need Him to save them. And what it is He came to save them from. And what He saves them to.

But, and I’m sure you have encountered these people too if you’ve spent much time witnessing, every once in a while you encounter that person who has made the decision to reject Jesus so many times, that they have grown a callous over their heart so thick, that it makes it so they can’t hear the gospel anymore.

This is why it’s so important for people to accept the gospel when they first hear it. Because the more times a person says no to it. The thicker the callous over their heart grows. Like Pharaoh when Moses told him over and over to let God’s people go. And over and over he refused. The callous is the free will hardening of the heart that makes your free will and the callous one and the same.

I refer to these people as those who Paul said in Rom.1 have been given over to a reprobate mind. And it’s not that I won’t try with these people. It’s just that in trying we need to be careful that we do not become discouraged as if God isn’t using us and doesn’t want hem to be saved.

And we must be careful that we do not spend any more energy with them than is absolutely needed to assure us that either we are not the one God wants to use to help them come to a saving faith in Jesus. Or that they are indeed the person God has given over.

Now, only God knows for sure exactly where a person is in this hardening process. So I don’t come to this conclusion lightly. Nor do I make it and then shut the door myself forever from ever sharing the gospel with them again. We must make sure that if the door is to be shut that it is God that does it.

Because like I said, only God knows for sure where people are in this hardening process. And we do not want to miss an opportunity if one is presented to help them come out of their blindness into a life of seeing who Jesus is. And His beautiful salvation He has for them.

And once we see it is unfruitful to share the gospel with someone. We need not worry that they will never have another chance just because it may not be us that is telling them. Because as Paul said in 1Cor.3:6,7, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”

Here Paul shows that there are various ways and other believers that God can and will use to get the gospel to those who will hear it. And God knows exactly who they are that will hear. Because He knows our hearts. And it’s His will that none should perish.

So just like the disciples Jesus sent to preach to the people telling them to shake the dust from their feet if they will not hear their message. So too must we be able to recognize this and in a sense shake the dust from our feet toward them when they will not hear us.

I once knew a man who has now gone to be with the Lord who when I first began talking with him about salvation was very resistant to it. He was an older man and set in his ways.

When I first brought it up he told me he was not religious and wanted no part of it. But, as time went by and I was able to share with him a little here and there about the things of God. He very slowly began to respond positively to what I was telling him.

After a few years and having his son and his son’s wife tell me how impossible it was to convince him of the truth of God’s love for him. Because they had given up on him years before. He suddenly became very ill.

And while in the hospital his son who had previously given up on him, but had seen a change happening to him from the times I spent with him talking about Jesus, went to visit him. And as he lay in his bed his son asked him if he was ready to trust in Jesus now. They told me the first thing he said was “Where is Ed?” Because he wanted me to lead him in prayer to trust in Jesus because he had become so accustomed to my sharing the gospel with him. So he knew my relationship with God was real.

But, his son encouraged him saying, “Ed’s not here right now. But, I will pray with you if that’s ok?” And he bowed his head and prayed with his son to trust in Jesus and have eternal life. Remember, some of us plant, some of us water, but it’s God that gives the increase.

So like I said, we don’t know like God does who has and who has not hardened their heart to the point of being given over by God to a reprobate mind. But, if we will be very attentive and sensitive to the Holy Spirit in us we will know when someone is receiving what we are saying or not. And we can adjust our times sharing with them accordingly. Always leaving room for God to do His work in their heart while He prepares them for that day when they will accept His salvation.

Sadly, the truly reprobate will never know such a day. As they have been filled with all manner of evil as we read in Rom.1:22-32. And I have certainly dealt with a few of these in my life of sharing God’s love with unbelievers.

And while it is sad, it can be a learning experience for us. By seeing what it means to say no to God when He is telling us to turn from something that is bad for us to what is good for us. And how the heart’s hardening process happens in those who will not trust in Him for salvation and turn at the Holy Spirit’s reproof.

If you have been that person who has rejected Jesus in the past I urge you to stop rejecting Him now. Immediately. Because you are in danger of what the Bible calls the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Which is to harden your heart through continual rejection of His goodness that leads to repentance, till your heart can no longer hear anything from God.

And if you will now hear God’s voice and turn to Him in faith your heart will be made brand new. All the hardening of the world will be dissolved by God’s love. So that you will be born of the Spirit of God and made His child. And as His child you will be heir to His kingdom where there is love, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit.

If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus. And believe in your heart that he has raised from the dead. You are saved. Because with the heart man believes and is righteous. And with the mouth confession is made and you are saved.

If you will do this then God creates in you a spirit you never had before. If you will do this then by that spirit you have eternal life and immortality at the resurrection.

If you will do this then your heart will no longer be hardening. But, will be made brand new. With the ability to hear even a whisper from God. And love it more than you’ve ever loved anything before. If you will do this… then I will see you there or in the air!