by Scott Rossy
Atheists and Agnostics! Are they real? Are they honest in their views? An atheist being defined as someone who doesn’t believe in the existence of God, that there is no proof for His existence, therefore, he comes to the conclusion that the world has no Creator.
Atheists and Agnostics! Are they real? Are they honest in their views? An atheist being defined as someone who doesn’t believe in the existence of God, that there is no proof for His existence, therefore, he comes to the conclusion that the world has no Creator.
What does God say about people who make these claims? Are there really people who truly believe that there is no God? That there is no proof for the existence of God? According to scripture, the answer is no. No such people exist. Anyone who makes such a claim is a liar! God, who has spoken to us in His Word and Who is the only one Who can speak authoritatively about the heart, thoughts and mind of man, declares that every human being who has ever lived on the face of the earth since the creation of man, knows and understands that He does indeed exist. God has not left Himself without a witness. He has revealed Himself to all of humanity in one specific way, known as general revelation. God’s revelation to mankind is generally divided into two specific categories of revelation.
Two Kinds of Revelation
1) General revelation
2) Special revelation
General revelation states that God has revealed Himself through what He has created, the created world, through nature. He has also revealed Himself to the conscience of mankind.
Special revelation states that God has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ and through the scriptures.
While it’s true that not everyone has been blessed to receive His special revelation, (Jesus Christ and scriptures) it is true that everyone has been exposed to His general revelation through the world He has created.
First, He has revealed Himself to all of mankind through creation. What He has created is His witness. It reveals that there is a Divine Creator. Psalm 19 starts with:
“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” – Psalm 19:1
The heavens and their expanse, the open sky, are what is referred to here as speaking to all of humanity. They are “telling” and “declaring” two things: the glory of God and the works of His hand. “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, Who hast displayed Your splendor above the heavens! “ – Psalm 8:1. The heavens are telling, declaring and displaying. It is the work of His hands, His creation, that is on display before us. As we observe the mighty expanse of the heavens and its utter vastness, we can clearly see and contemplate all that He’s displayed: the sun, the clouds, the moon, the stars and the planets. These are all bearing witness of Him, and all of humanity has seen that witness.
“The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples have seen His glory.” –Psalm 97:6
The “telling” and “declaring” in the heavens are a continual, ongoing testimony. They are constantly bearing witness for all to see and observe. They are continually telling of His glory and continually declaring the work of His hands. All that the heavens and the great expanse contain are called “the work of His hands” and “all the peoples have seen His glory. ” He is its Creator. Psalm 19 continues:
“Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard” – Psalm 19: 2-3
“Day to day” and “night to night.” It’s a continual, ongoing revelation. A permanent, perpetual 24/7 revelation. Both day and night. Anybody, throughout the entire world can observe the expanse of the heavens during the day or night and learn from what is being revealed. What does this continual revelation reveal? “Knowledge.” The knowledge of God. The knowable things of God. Most things about God are hidden from mankind but this He has made evident to all of mankind. What’s been made known is the obvious knowledge that the world and all it contains has a Supreme, all Mighty, all Powerful, all Wise Creator. This can be known. It is knowable for mankind to understand and know that he(man) and the world around him has a Creator. It is not hidden from us. In fact it is both “clearly seen” and “evident.”
“Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard” – Psalm 19: 2-3
“Day to day” and “night to night.” It’s a continual, ongoing revelation. A permanent, perpetual 24/7 revelation. Both day and night. Anybody, throughout the entire world can observe the expanse of the heavens during the day or night and learn from what is being revealed. What does this continual revelation reveal? “Knowledge.” The knowledge of God. The knowable things of God. Most things about God are hidden from mankind but this He has made evident to all of mankind. What’s been made known is the obvious knowledge that the world and all it contains has a Supreme, all Mighty, all Powerful, all Wise Creator. This can be known. It is knowable for mankind to understand and know that he(man) and the world around him has a Creator. It is not hidden from us. In fact it is both “clearly seen” and “evident.”
“For that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made”- Romans 1:19-20.
His divine nature and eternal power are what is evident. His divine nature refers to the fact that He is God. His divine nature and eternal power are both “clearly seen” and are “understood” by mankind. Through what has been made it can clearly be seen and understood that the One who created the world is an eternal all powerful God. If we never understood anything else from observing the creation, we should at least understand the fact that it was created by Someone, and that this Someone is of a far greater power and wisdom than us. God has placed within all of us the ability know this. It “is evident within them”.
“There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard”-v.3. There is not an audible voice speaking words from heaven, but what has been created and is on display in the heavens does speak forth massive volumes. His creation “pours forth speech.” The heavens and all it contains are not just speaking, they are pouring forth speech. It can’t be missed! All that has been displayed in the heavens and is presented before us, is a continual, ongoing “voice”. It testifies to the clearly seen, evident, obvious truth that there is a Divine Creator behind all that we see.
When speaking through the prophet Isaiah to an apostate Israel, a people who should have known better, God called on them to “Lift up your eyes on high and see Who has created these stars” so that they would remember that He is the Creator, the Almighty, the all Wise One. He reminds them through creation that He is the Creator saying:
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth? It is He who sits above the vault of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in … Lift up your eyes on high and see Who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power not one of them is missing.”- Isaiah 40:21-22,26
In Psalm 89 when He reiterates the Davidic covenant, the Lord again points to the witness of His creation when He refers to the moon as “the faithful witness in the sky.” Concerning His covenant with David, the Lord says “It will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky”- Psalm 89:37. The moon, the stars, the sun, and the planets are all His witnesses, speaking and testifying of Him.
Not just Israel, but the entire human race is called to “Lift up your eyes on high and see Who has created these stars.” All humanity since the creation of time has this same witness. Anywhere in the world this witness is clearly seen and is evident. It’s visible for all to see. It does not take superior intelligence to see and observe what He has displayed before us. All that is seen in the heavens He has placed there to reveal a glimpse of His divine nature and eternal power. When we observe and contemplate the creation around us, it should cause us to be in awe of a Creator God with such power, glory, majesty, intelligence and might. When we think about how immeasurable the universe is it should cause us to contemplate how immeasurable and infinite the One who created it is! Through observation and human reason we will come to the conclusion that the world was founded by wisdom. There is an intelligence behind the design, structure and order of the earth and the heavens as they are on display before us. “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens.” –Proverbs 3:19. “It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.” – Jeremiah 10:12. Things didn’t “just happen” by a chance explosion that created this design and order. That defies logic! The world was created by wisdom and understanding, not by chance.
All that’s been created continually pours forth speech that there is a Creator, and this Creator possesses infinite, unlimited, wisdom, understanding, power, might and majesty. These things reveal much about the One who created all things. There is much wisdom, understanding and beauty to be observed by contemplating His creation:
The awesomeness and power of the sun. It’s been placed at just the right distance from the earth to keep the temperature of the earth in the proper range that will sustain the inhabitants of the earth. If it were just a little closer it would cause the earth to burn up. If it were just a little further it would cause the earth to freeze.
We can also clearly see the beauty found in a sunset, cloud formations, full moons, eclipses, crescent moons and starry nights. All these heavenly bodies: the moon, the stars and the planets all continue on in their same fixed position just as when He created them. I remember as a little boy my mother pointing out to me the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. When I look up and still see them today in their same fixed position as when I was a boy, it reminds me of His faithfulness, that He “upholds all things by the word of His power.” – Hebrews 1:3. and that “He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power not one of them is missing.”- Isaiah 40:26. If these things have continued to be true in my short vapor of a life on this earth, how much more awesome is it when we consider the fact that they’ve remained in place since the day He first called them into being
We can learn and observe the wisdom and understanding found in the migration of a flock of birds. Their order and structure, flying in formation, taking turns in the lead. It is understood that the bird that is leading the formation begins to tire more quickly than the other birds due to the fact that he is facing a greater wind resistance. Since the birds know this instinctively, they take turns in the lead to give each other a break. This is wisdom, built into them. A big bang cannot bring these things about. Only a wise, loving Creator would cause these things to be.
Mankind can also contemplate and understand the wisdom of God from observing what’s been created and placed with us here on earth. There is so much to be learned it’s astounding. Just studying botany, astronomy, insects, animals, the human body, the human brain, the human eye, the human heart, the laws built into nature, etc., we will see an amazing display of the fact that there is an intelligence of infinite wisdom behind all that we see. To name a couple: spiders and ants. A spiders’ ability to spin a web is incredible. The wisdom that is contained in their web spinning process, the building and construction, with their ability to catch their prey bears witness that an all wise, infinite God is behind their creation. The wisdom that is found by observing the workings of ants is also amazing. The teamwork, order and structure in which they carry out their tasks reveals the wisdom of their Creator in building these things into them. “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: the ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer.”- Proverbs 30:24-25. “Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.” – Proverbs 6:6-8. Even these tiny creatures have built into them the knowledge to understand the seasons and to prepare for their provisions.
What has been displayed in the heavens as well as what has been created on the earth is not limited to just a few to observe, but has been made known and is evident for all who dwell on the earth to see. Speaking of what is displayed in the heavens, Psalm 19 continues:
“Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world.” V.4. Through all the earth, to the end of the world these things are displayed and seen. What is it these heavenly bodies are bringing with them to the end of the world? Their “utterances.” Again the point is driven home that they are speaking, bearing witness, testifying about the Creator who made them. The psalmist continues by speaking about the incredible presence of the sun.
“ In them He has placed a tent for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and its circuit to the other end of them; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” – v. 4-6.
The presence of the sun, shining its light and bringing heat from one end of the heavens to the other end. The entire earth is covered by its light and heat. There is no place that the sun does not make itself visible. “there is nothing hidden from its heat.” Even a blind man is exposed to this tremendous witness in the heavens. He may not be able to see it, but he can surely feel the heat of the sun and can contemplate the effects of this incredible creation. Perhaps because he is blind, his senses are even more observant to what’s around him. He can hear the sounds of the birds, the sounds of the ocean waves crashing, and can understand the power and might of God. He can hear the sound of the breeze through the trees and can feel the wind blow. He as well as all of humanity can hear the sounds of crickets as well as all the other nighttime creatures. Man should contemplate and meditate on the creation around him. It is speaking volumes. Gods witness is all around us, for all to see and understand. It should cause us to be in awe when we considers the vastness and infinite wisdom, design and creativity of the world around us. God is not a part of and is separate from His creation, but if His creation is this vast and awesome, it only reveals how infinite the One who created it is in all His Being! When we consider these things, our proper response should be “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?”- Psalm 8:3-4. Our contemplation of these things will lead us to the correct conclusion that God is so infinitely awesome, and so far above us, that in comparison we are of very little significance. This should cause us to be in awe, that He’d even take thought of and care for us, thus causing us to give thanks, and bringing all the more glory and praise to Him.
Mans Response
So what does man do with the witness that God has revealed to him? Does he in response to this revelation seek after and worship and praise his Creator with a thankful heart? No. Man takes the clearly seen, evident truth that’s been revealed to him and suppresses that truth in his unrighteousness. Romans 1: 18-22:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.” – Romans 1:18-22
These verses make it clear that man does indeed clearly know and understand that the world does have a divine Creator, but in response to that truth, he suppresses that truth in his unrighteousness. These scriptures are very clear that in reality there is no such thing as an atheist, and declare that all of humanity does indeed know the truth of the existence of God, because He has made it evident to us. The problem isn’t that there is no clear evidence before man in order for him to make an informed, reasonable decision. These verses are clear that “they knew God” and that His divine attributes are “clearly seen” and “understood.” As a result, the bible plainly states that man is “without excuse.” He has no excuse for rejecting and suppressing the clear plain truth that’s been revealed to him. Man in his rebellion against his Creator, refuses to “honor Him as God or give thanks.” Man not only knows and suppresses the truth about God, but in his idolatry places man at the center of his existence. Since man has rejected God, he has to believe in something. Something has to be the center of his existence. Man becomes the center. Man, instead of God is the reason for everything. God is left out. There is no place for Him in our world. Mankind, human wisdom, technology is essentially what is worshipped. Man decides for himself where he came from and where he is going. Man controls his own destiny. He decides for himself what is right and what is wrong. He does only what is right in his own eyes. He will not submit to or be accountable to God. Man’s accountability before God is rooted in the fact that God is his Creator, and that man has been created in His image. If He created everything, then He owns everything. He says, “The world is mine and all it contains.” – Psalm 50:12. If He created man in His image and placed him in the world He has created, He owns man, and is the God to whom man is accountable. He has the right to demand worship, obedience and allegiance from what He’s created. To avoid this and to soothe his conscience, man creates all sorts of silly theories about the origin of the world, all of which exclude God. God calls mankind fools, with darkened hearts, who are futile in their speculations. Man thinks he is wise and even professes to be so, but God’s evaluation of him is that he is a fool! “Professing to be wise, they became fools”. Some of the most brilliant, intelligent men in the world, scientist of a far greater intelligence than me, in their suppression of the truth are reduced to come up with their own, alternative theories. The most popular of these theories about the origin of the world is the big bang theory and evolution. This is what the stubborn, foolish, rebellious, hardened, darkened, futile heart of man produces. This is pathetic. Sadly, from Gods perspective, they are nothing more than educated fools.
"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.” – Romans 1:21-22
“The fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’” – Psalm 14:1. ‘The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, ‘there is no God’.” – Psalm 10:4.
In exchange for the truth of God, the clear revelation of Himself that He has given to all humanity, man replaces that truth with a lie. This idolatry, pure and simple. Man refuses to worship God, and places himself at the center of his existence. This exchange, man worshipping himself, making himself his own god, is the center of the human condition. “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” – Romans 1:25.
Gods Judgment
In return for mankind’s rejecting and suppressing the truth of God and exchanging it for a lie, God in an act of judgment, gives man over to the control of his sin. Three times in Romans chapter 1 it is recorded that “God gave them over”. Gave them over to what? To the control and domination of their sin. We read, after man exchanged the truth and the glory of God for the lie, “God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.” – Romans 1:24 “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural.” – Romans 1:26. “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.” – Romans 1:28. “God gave them over”, God gave them over”, “God gave them over”. It is driven home three times. God gives man over to “the lusts of their hearts”, “degrading passions” and “a depraved mind.” Man does not want to acknowledge God, so He, in return gives man over to the control of his sin. This sin only hardens mans heart even more, which leads to more sin, which leads to mans heart being hardened even more, which leads to even more sin and on and on, until mans heart becomes totally depraved and callous, full of all sorts of evil.
“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” Romans 1:28-32.
Man is “being filled” with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed and evil. In the end, man will stand before his Creator and be judged for his sin and then sentenced to an eternal hell and separation from the God he has always rejected. It is an act of judgment for God to give someone over to the control of his sin, and it is an act of mercy and grace for Him to intervene in a person’s heart to convict them and chasten them for their sin, causing them to grieve over and be sensitive to their sin. “So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.” – Romans 9:18. This is why He warns, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” –Hebrews 4:7 and even as believers we are commanded to “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” – Proverbs 4:23. The heart is like a garden that needs to be continually tended to and cared for, kept soft. Sin has a very deceitful, hardening effect on our hearts which is why we are told to encourage one another, and why we are warned not to be “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” – Hebrews 3:13.
The pattern is: The eternal God creates the world and all it contains, including man in His image. He clearly reveals Himself to all of humanity. In response, all of humanity rejects and suppresses the truth. In judgment of mans rejection of Him, God gives man over to the control of his sin, causing man to become even more hardened. In the end man is judged for his sin and sentenced to an eternity of suffering away from the presence of the Lord.
Man was created by God and for His purposes, and to bring glory to Himself, but man in his stubborn rebellion, denies God. This is the cause of all the evil in our world. Mans idolatry. His separation from his Creator. His refusal to submit to his Creator, and therefore being judged by Him and being given over to the control of his sinful, hardened, callous, deceived heart. Idolatry is the root of all mans problems and is his greatest sin. All other sins flow out from and are a result of the sin of idolatry. Knowing this, is it any wonder the world is in the condition it is in? Should we expect it to be any different? That’s why any attempts by Christians to clean up our culture or to “change the world for Jesus” are a waste of time. Mankind is existing under the judgment of its Creator. Only the gospel can change a person. “For it(the gospel) is the power of God.” – Romans 1:16, I Corinthians 1:18. and only it has the power to transform a spiritually dead sinner into a God honoring child of God.
Universal Guilt
This is true of all of us, even the redeemed of God, before we were saved. We are all idolaters. We believers were also “as the rest.” (“Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”) – Ephesians 2:3. While it’s true that we, as well as most of the people on the earth never claimed to be atheists, we all do or did live our lives functioning as atheists. We won’t outright deny the existence of God. Much of humanity will acknowledge that there is a God and that He is the Creator. They may even have God in their thoughts from time to time, or very often, but they are still leading their lives on their own terms, living a lifestyle of stubborn self will apart from His Lordship. It was definitely true in my life before I came to know the Lord. I professed to know Him, but in reality, in my heart I didn't know Him. "They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed. " - Titus 1:16. I never denied His existence or the fact that He created everything. I always believed these things to be true. I was very conscious of Him and even had frequent thoughts of Him, but in my heart of hearts, I denied Him. The heart of man: the seat of mans affections, where his will, mind, thoughts, imagination, desires, loves and allegiances reside, is where God is denied. We do not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him or give Him the worship, praise and glory due Him. We don’t seek to live for Him. We live according to self will, living our lives as we see fit, deciding for ourselves what is right and what is wrong, following and conforming to the world’s spiritually dark system which leaves God out and is under the control and influence of the devil, the evil one ,who is called ”the god of this world.” - II Corinthians 4:4. We live in a world system described as the “cosmos”, that is under the influence of this evil one. We are all apart of and go along with this evil, anti-God world system that denies His rule and authority over His creation. There are no exceptions. We all start here. All of humanity is who is spoken of in Romans 1. The first three chapters of the book of Romans reveal the guilt of all humanity. “There is none who seeks for God.” – Romans 3:11. “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23 and we are “all under sin.” – Romans 3:9. The starting point of all humanity is to reject God and suppress the truth that’s been revealed to us. Only born again believers have passed from darkness to light and love the Lord and desire to obey and worship Him on His terms. This is why we as Gods children are commanded to no longer be apart of this evil world system that has allied itself against Him. “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” – I John 5:19. therefore, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” - I John 2:15. and “do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” – James 4:4.
Anyone who denies that this is the true condition of all man and the world we live in should carefully consider what Romans 1 states. “Even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks.” - Romans 1:21. Can we truthfully say that humanity is honoring God and is giving Him thanks?
Not Enough
Is this enough? Is this sufficient revelation in order for man to be saved? Some Christians falsely teach that yes, man can be saved by responding to the revelation given in creation and be saved, without faith in Christ! But scripture teaches otherwise. There is enough revelation in creation to condemn man, but not enough to save him. There is enough light given to make man “without excuse”, before the Lord, but in order for him to be saved, he needs more revelation, special revelation. He needs the revelation of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from this, man will remain eternally lost, under the judgment of God. Paul speaks of this need for the revelation of Jesus Christ in Romans 10. He teaches that a man must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved. He must believe in both the Person and the finished work of Christ on the cross. His death, His burial and His resurrection. Man must believe in Him in order to be saved. He must have faith in Someone. He cannot just observe the creation and gain enough truth to be saved. Belief in Christ is mandatory for one to be saved. For "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." – Romans 10:13 But Paul makes the point that in order for someone to be saved, they must first hear about the Person and work of Christ. Hearing the gospel of Christ is essential. Creation isn’t enough. He states: “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” – Romans 10:17. In order for someone to have faith in Christ, they must first hear about Christ. Therefore he states, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!" – Romans 10:14-15. The point is this: in order for someone to be saved they must first hear about the cross of Christ. They then must believe what they heard about Christ. But in order for them to hear and believe, someone must first preach the gospel to them. Someone must be sent, or go and bring the gospel to them. Then they hear what is preached and can believe in and call upon the One who is preached to them, and are saved. The revelation of creation does not reveal the work of Christ on the cross.
So why do people claim to be atheists? Is it that they’ve studied the evidence and truly can’t find any solid proof for the existence of God? No. Whenever we are talking with someone who makes the claim that there is no God or there is not enough evidence to determine if there is a God, remember that in reality we are speaking with someone who is suppressing the truth that has been clearly revealed to him. There is a spiritual reality at work here. It’s really an indication of the person’s hardness of heart and ultimate hatred of the Lord and his unwillingness to give Him the worship and glory that is due to only Him. Only by the mercy and grace of God working in a person’s heart can a person ever be turned around. This is solely His work and is done for His glory and praise Thankfully, He does do this in some of us. “He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.” – Romans 9:18. Praise Him for His mercy and compassion. All we can do for anybody is pray for their salvation and share the gospel with them. We can’t change their spiritually dead heart, only the gospel can. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” – Romans 1:16.
