A perennial question which keeps cropping up time and again. Does the Bible have the answer to this question or is it another secret that God has kept to Himself? Let us study the Scriptures for the answer....

Rom 1:18-21
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
(NIV) Emphasis Mine

 In the First Chapter of the Book of Romans, Paul speaks of the universal corruption of mankind which was so great as to incense the justice of God. He was referring to the pagans who supposedly “did not know God”. Did they or didn’t they know God? Verse 18 above clearly states that these men ‘SUPPRESS THE TRUTH BY THEIR WICKEDNESS’. How can a person suppress the truth when he does not know it? We have the answer in verses 19 and 20 above, viz, God’s invisible qualities, eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen by the things HE created so that MEN ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE. One good example is the miracle of the human body- there are miles of arteries and veins that keep us alive and there are millions of cells in one’s eye in order to provide sight. Only a fool will say these things came about by chance (Psalm 14:1).

John 1:1-3
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
(NIV)

John Chapter One verses one to three clearly alludes to JESUS CHRIST the Second Person of the Trinity and the SON OF GOD. “Through him all things were made” without a doubt points to all the acts of creation which the Bible attributes to JESUS. Rejection of the miracle behind God’s Creation is rejection of the Creator (JESUS) Himself. That is why in Romans Chapter One verse 21, Paul states without any ambiguity that they (the pagans and unregenerate) KNEW GOD (JESUS THE CREATOR) by His works but did not acknowledge Him. But you may say, yes they rejected God but they did not reject JESUS CHRIST. Rejection of the true God (the God of Creation) is in essence rejection of the True Christ...

2 Pet 3:9
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.
(NIV) Emphasis Mine

God’s Will for all mankind is that they should come to repentance (verse 9 above). God is not willing that any should perish which means that in His Sovereign Grace He goes out to reach the unsaved on His own Sovereign initiative and Romans chapter One shows that one of the ways is in the supernatural evidence of creation which can be seen by our own eyes. If an unregenerate person genuinely seeks God with his whole heart, the Bible guarantees that such a person will find the Only One and true God (Jesus Christ). Because the unregenerate Man has rejected the truth behind the miracle of God’s Creation, his thinking has become futile and his heart has become “darkened” (Romans 1:21), meaning that he has regressed into a state of deception (with regards to TRUTH causing him to seek other ‘gods’). In order to become “un-deceived” so to speak, the sinner must acknowledge the true God and acknowledge that he is a sinner willing to come to true repentance. Remember that God’s creation is a daily witness to His existence. Such a person willing to come to repentance will find God; or rather God will find Him with the truth of Jesus Christ. How was Paul saved? He saw a vision of the risen Christ who spoke to him from heaven (Acts 9:3-6). Do you really believe that our Lord Jesus would have a problem reaching an unregenerate person (who genuinely seeks Him) in the middle of the jungles of Africa? You may say that Man was already born in sin and spiritual darkness. True but the Bible has this to say....

Eccl 3:11
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
(NIV) Emphasis Mine

Man was born in sin (since Adam’s fall) but Man has the realization of eternity in his heart. A spiritual awareness that is present in the conscience of the unregenerate man. God is always seeking Man, through His creative acts, the Gospel, etc and it is Man’s responsibility to respond to God’s Call. Take at look at the verse below...

Matt 16:16-17
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
(NIV) Emphasis Mine

God the Father reveals the Son (JESUS) to those who are willing to receive this revelation (verse 17 above).

In summary, let me just say that God has not left Himself without a witness whether it be in the form of the miracle of His Creative Acts or in the Gospel preached by you and me. True, we have to preach the Gospel (Romans 10:14); but Romans Chapter One clearly states that Rejection of the Miracle of His Creative Acts is in essence Rejection of the Creator of the Creative Acts (Jesus Christ Himself) and this wilful act leaves one accountable and subject to eternal judgement (in Hell).
 

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